Col. George Morgan
N 40° 16.411 W 080° 09.499
17T E 571558 N 4458455
State Historical Marker placed on the intersection of Morganza Road and West Mc Murray Road in Canonsburg, Washington County, Pennsylvania, commemorating Colonel George Morgan.
Waymark Code: WMPDN
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 09/04/2006
Views: 145
MARKER TEXT Here was the home, 1796-1810, of the noted Indian trader and agent. Site is marked by a monument. It was here that Morgan was visited by Aaron Burr. His conspiracy was first made known to Jefferson by Colonel Morgan.
This marker is located in Canonsburg at the intersection of Morganza and West Mc Murray roads. The location is not pleasant, it is within 100 feet from I-79 and the intersection is very busy. There is a wide spot next to the sign big enough for one car. Visits at rush hour are ill advised. Not being familiar with this area, we did not search for the actual site monument noted in the sign’s text. However, an Internet search did reveal two documents in Pennsylvania State University Library Digital Book Shelf that gives a rough location for the monument. Below is the applicable text from each document. Note that the second document indicates that the monument is on private property.
MORGANZA
This was the home of Colonel George Morgan from the time of its erection in 1796 until his death on March 10, 1810. The site is on the Washington-Pittsburgh Pike (Route 19) about a mile north of the Morganza Industrial School. There is a marker on the east side of the road indicating that the house is three hundred feet to the east. The spot is marked by a monument constructed with stones taken from the old house. George Morgan was born in Philadelphia, February 14, 1743. From 1765 to 1768 he was representative in the West of the Philadelphia trading company of Baynton, Wharton and Morgan, which had storehouses in Pittsburgh and did business with the Indians of the Illinois country. From 1776 to 1779 he was Indian agent for the United States and deputy commissary general of purchases for the western district with headquarters at Pittsburgh. While living at Morganza he was host to Aaron Burr who unsuccessfully sought to enlist Morgan in his well-known western schemes. Morgan was buried in the graveyard at Morganza, but the body was later removed to Washington Cemetery.
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COLONEL GEORGE MORGAN HOME ("Morganza") Morganza, about 100 yds. from Pennsylvania route .519 near Murray Hill. Just opposite the Pennsylvania Training School. Marked site. Home (1796-1810) of noted Indian trader and agent. Morgan gave information of Aaron Burr conspiracy to Thomas Jefferson. Marked with stones taken from ruins. Private property. Ref: Washington County Historical Society
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One of the links below has an excellent account of Aaron Burr’s treason trial and Colonel Morgan’s role in it. Morgan’s specific testimony can be found in the Website below.
Links:
“The Treason Trial Of Aaron Burr” by Douglass Linder. Famous American Trials Webpage. (
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“The History Of North Strabane Township” North Strabane Township Website
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