J. B. Morgan, D. D. S., son of James B. Morgan and Margaret C. Boyd

Scott County, Iowa

Dr. J. B. Morgan, who enjoys the distinction of being the oldest practitioner in dentistry in Davenport, was also one of the first of Iowa's sons to go to the support of the Union when the great struggle between the north and south was inaugurated. He was born in Erie county, Pennsylvania, July 6, 1839. His father, James B. Morgan, was native of England and came to the United States when about eighteen years of age. He settled in Pennsylvania and there married Miss Margaret C. Boyd, who in her girlhood days had left Ireland, her native country, and had become a resident of the Keystone state (Pennsylvania). When Dr. Morgan was but six months old his father died and the mother afterward married again. In 1844 she came to Iowa, settling in Delaware county, where she continued to make her home until the time of her removal to Dakota a few years prior to her demise.

Dr. J. B. Morgan, who was but five years of age when brought to Iowa, was reared upon the home farm in Delaware county and after mastering the branches of learning taught in the district schools attended Lenox College at Hopkinton. When the first call for troops was issued by President Lincoln he made quick response, enlisting on the 20th of April, 1861, as a member of Company I, First Iowa Infantry. On the expiration of his term of service he was honorably discharged August 21, 1861, but soon reenlisted, becoming a private of Company K, Twelfth Iowa Infantry, on the 7th of September. On the 25th of November of the same year he was promoted to rank of first sergeant. Later he was discharged and reenlisted as a veteran volunteer of Company K, Twelfth Iowa Infantry, February 17, 1864, and on the 5th of February, 1865, he was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant of that company, with which he remained until his military service was ended in March, 1866. The First Iowa Infantry was the only three months' regiment that went from this state. In was organized at Camp Elsworth, Keokuk, and left Iowa, June 12, 1861, being assigned to duty along the Hannibal & St. Joe Railroad from Hannibal to Mason City. The troops were there relieved in order to join General Lyon at Boonville, and an advance was made on Springfield, Missouri, from June 27 to July 5. Dr. Morgan participated in the action at Forsyth, Missouri, on the 22d of July and at Dug Springs, August 2, followed by the battle of Wilson's Creek on the 10th of August.

The Twelfth Iowa Infantry, his second regiment, was organized at Dubuque and mustered into service November 25, 1861. They moved to St. Louis, November 28, and were on duty at Benton Barracks until January 27, 1862. Proceeding to Cairo, Illinois, they thence went to Smithland, Kentucky, and were on duty with the First Brigade, Second Division of the District of West Tennessee, from February until April, 1862; with the Union Brigade, District of Corinth, Department of Tennessee, to December, 1862; First Brigade, District of Corinth, Sixteenth Army Corps, of the Tennessee, to January, 1863; Third Brigade, Third Division, Fifteenth Army Corps, April to December, 1863; Third Brigade, First Division, right wing Sixteenth Army Corps, to November, 1864; Third Brigade, First Division, detachment Sixteenth Corps, to February, 1865; Third Brigade, First Division, Sixteenth Corps, Army of the Gulf, service; expedition up Tennessee river, February 5-6, 1862; capture of Fort Henry, Tennessee, February 6; Fort Donelson, Tennessee, February 13-16; duty at Fort Donelson until March 12; moved to Pittsburg Landing, March 12-21; battle of Shiloh, April 6-7; advance and siege of Corinth, Mississippi, April 26 to May 30; pursuit to Brownsville, May 31 to June 12; duty at Corinth until December 18; battle of Corinth, October 3-4; pursuit to Ripley, October 5-12; ordered to Davenport, Iowa, December 18; defense of Jackson, Tennessee, December 20, 1862, to January 4, 1863; moved to Davenport, Iowa, January 4-7, and on duty there until March 27th; thence to Duck Port, Louisiana, April 9-14; movement on Bruensburg and turning Grand Gulf, May 2-12; Jackson, May 14; Big Black river, May 17; siege of Vicksburg, Mississippi, May 18- July 4; assault on Vicksburg, May 19-22; surrender of Vicksburg, July 4; advance on Jackson, July 5-10; siege of Jackson, July 10-15; Brandon, July 19-20; camp at Big Black river until November expedition to Brownsville, October 16; moved to Memphis, November 7-12; on general duty to January, 1864; moved to Vicksburg, Mississippi, February 1-6; expedition to Canton, February 25- March 4; on veteran's furlough, March and April; moved to Memphis, April 28- May 2; Smith's expedition through Mississippi, June 16- July 18; Pontotoc, July 11; Harrisburg, July 13; Tupelo, July 14-15; Old Town Creek, July 15; expedition to Oxford, July 31- August 23; Tallahatchie river, August 7-9; Abbeville and Oxford, August 12; Hurricane, August 13-14; College Hill, August 21-22; Abbeville, August 23; moved to Duvall's Bluff, September 1; pursuit of Price through Missouri, September 7- November 15; moved to Nashville, Tennessee, November 23 - December 1; battle of Nashville, December 15-16; pursuit of Hood to the Tennessee river, December 17-30; duty at Clifton, Tennessee, and Eastport, Mississippi, until February 7, 1865; moved to New Orleans, Louisiana, February 7-22; thence to Dauphine Island, Alabama, March 7-8; siege of Spanish Fort and Fort Blakely, March 25- April 8; Fort Blakely, April 9; capture of Mobile, April 12; march to Montgomery, April 13-25; duty there until May 12; moved to Selma, May 12, and duty there and district of the Talladega until December; and detached at Selma for duty in the organization of the Freedman's Bureau.

Such in brief is the history of Dr. Morgan's connection with the Union army but it tells little of the long, hard marches, the difficult sieges and the long and weary waiting in winter quarters. All the experiences meted out to the soldier were his, but never did he falter in the performance of any duty and from first to last was at the front valiantly defending the Union cause.

Upon leaving the army Dr. Morgan returned to the pursuits of civil life. In the fall of 1866 he began attending lectures at Rush Medical College, of Chicago, with the intention of making the practice of medicine his profession. After attending one course of lectures he decided to take up the study of dentistry and accordingly entered the Philadelphia Dental College, from which he was graduated in 1868. The same year he came to Davenport, which has since been the scene of his professional activities. On the 1st of June, 1869, he purchased the office and practice of Dr. Gunckle, and the forty years of his labors here make him the oldest dentist in the three cities which are linked by common interests. He is not only the dean of the profession but has remained throughout the years a foremost representative in all that indicates progress and capability. Reading, research and study have kept him in touch with the onward march of the profession, his methods of practice today being utterly dissimilar to those which were in vogue when he started out four decades ago. His office is equipped with the latest appliances and at all times he has enjoyed the highest regard of his fellow practitioners as well as the general public.

On the 28th of September, 1871, Dr. Morgan was united in marriage to Miss Minnie C. Harris, a native of Sag Harbor, New York. He has long been a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, of the Loyal Legion and of the Union Veterans Union, thus maintaining pleasant relations with his old army comrades. He is indeed a wonderful man for his age, faithful, cheerful and vigorous, as fond of a fishing trip or outing as many a one of fewer years and enjoying life with the full zest of his juniors. He stands high both professionally and socially and in citizenship is as loyal to his county as he was when he followed the old flag on southern battlefields.

Source: History of Davenport and Scott County by Harry E. Downer; Chicago : S. J. Clarke Pub., 1910 - FHL Film 1425327, 1000019