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Note: 1910 Census City of Howard, Elk County, Kansas enumerated May 7, 1910 Dwelling #24, Family #25 MORGAN, Bert M., head, m/w, 37, IL, mail carrier-rural route ________, Chloe, wife, f/w, 28, NE England WI, married 6 years, mother of 1, 1 living ________, Margaret J, daughter, f/w, 2, KS IL NE 1920 Census City of Howard, Elk County, Kansas enumerated January 20, 1920 Dwelling #266, Family #266 MORGAN, Bert M., head, m/w 46, IL OH OH, carrier-rural route mail ________, Chloe, wife, f/w, 38, NE England WI ________, Margaret J., daughter, f/w, 11, KS IL NE ________, Earl K., son, m/w, 6, KS IL NE ________, Gladys M., daughter, f/w, 2, KS IL NE 1930 Census City of Howard, Elk County, Kansas enumerated April 7, 1930 Dwelling #86, Family #86 Lived on Cedar Street, Howard, Kansas MORGAN, Bert M., head, m/w, 56, IL OH OH, rural mail carrier-U.S. Mail ________, Chloe, wife, f/w, 48, NE England WI ________, Margaret, daughter, f/w, 21, KS IL NE, telephone operator-telephone office, single ________, Earl, son, m/w, 16, KS IL NE ________, Gladys, daughter, f/w, 12, KS IL NE ----------------------------------------- The Howard Courant-Citizen, Howard, Elk County, Kansas, March 9, 1938 Bert Morgan of this city has received notice from the government that having reached the age limit, 65, he will be retired the first of May next. Mr. Morgan has been carrying the mail on Route 5 for the past 32 years and has been a faithful servant of the government. Bert Morgan Retired -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Howard Courant--Thursday, May 5, 1938 Last Saturday, April 30, marked the day of a 32 year term of service in the Rural Free Delivery division of the postal department of the U. S. government, for B. M. Morgan, of Howard. He reached the 30 year retiring period two years ago. In good health, however, he concluded to accept the two years more carriers are priviledged to take, beyond which they have no further choice. Thus the first day of May he found himself a free man with no job, but not worrying, as he retires on pay. Mr. Morgan was one of the earlier carriers, receiving his appointment on February 1, 1906, four years (if memory serves) after the R. F. D. was organized, under the administration of Thos. E. Thompson as postmaster, (1899-190?), which would be in 1902. He succeeded George Lorance as carrier on Rt. 5, and was preceded only by W. B. Goodner and Pete Lorance, possibly two years each. Mr. Morgan started out in the horse and buggy days making the all-day trip, in all weathers and over bad roads for the first ten years. Incidentally the innovation of the R. F. D. inspired the first earnest effort to establish good roads throughout the county. At first, the carriers drove their own teams. Later, the conventional mail-wagon of those days, prescribed by the government, was used until superseded by the motorcar. At the end of the first decade, Mr. Morgan secured a Model N Ford, which greatly lightened his labors. Needless to say, now, more than twenty years later, he no longer drives that sort of a car. Many changes have taken place within the three decades, including those of the postal department. Mr. Morgan has served under six Howard postmasters. They were: Thos E. Thompson, W. P. Heichert, now of Los Angeles; B. W. Hamar, H. A. Gilmore, Austin Kimzey, and L.S. Haile. Mr. Heichert and Mr. Haile are the only survivors of the six. B. M. Morgan retires with the good will and respect of the people he has served and of the entire community in which he has lived for so many years. Some re-organization recently has been effected. Route 5 is ordered discontinued, its patrons practically all absorbed by No. 2 carrier Holly N. Miller. A few families will be served by Clarence Patterson of Route 4. The R. F. D. system inaugurated here thirty-five years ago originally included six routes. It is now reduced to four, with a possibility of being further reduced in the future. At Fiat, a supper is to be given tonight, by the patrons old and new, in honor of Mr. Morgan and to Mr. Miller, the new carrier. Also, the present force at the postoffice and the R. F. D. carriers joined in the presentation of a gift expressive of their appreciation and the long association with Bert M. Morgan. ------------------------------------------------------- The Howard Courant-Citizen, Howard, Elk County, Kansas, Thursday, July 9, 1953 MR. AND MRS. B. M. MORGAN HONORED ON 50TH ANNIVERSARY On Tuesday evening, June 30th, Mr. and Mrs. Bert Morgan were guests of honor at an informal gathering of relatives and friends, who met in the auditorium of the Baptist church to celebrate the fiftieth wedding anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. Morgan. A quartet composted of Mesdames F. G. Pike, A. K. Rader, Willis Miller and Willard Morss, and a youthful chorus, which included two of the grandchildren of Mr. and Mrs. Morgan, told in song the story of the childhood, courtship and married life of the happy couple. Mrs. Elwood Miller was pianist. Mrs. Bill Brand, as narrator, arranged such long time favorites as "When You and I Were Young", "A Bicycle Built For Two," "Here Comes The Bride", "Our Little Gray Home In The West", and "Believe Me If All Those Endearing Young Charms", into a unified and continuous life story of this couple whose long and happy life has been spent in Cresco and Howard communities. Bill Gragg recounted some of this recollections as a boy who had grown up on the mail route served by Mr. Morgan. After the benediction by Rev. F. H. McKinney, the group adjourned to the church annex where orange punch and a three-tiered cake, topped by a diminutive bride and groom, awaited the guests. Out of town guests included Mr. and Mrs. Frank Adrian of El Dorado and Mr. and Mrs. Earl Morgan and children of Wichita. This evening of poignant memories and delightful comradeship closed with many good wishes for the continued happiness of the honor guests. --------------------------------------------------------- OBITUARY -- MORGAN Bert M. Morgan, son of John Morgan and Ellen Gault Morgan, was born in Bement, Illinois, April 27, 1873, and departed this life at Wesley Hospital in Wichita, Kansas, February 21, 1956, at the age of 82 years, 9 months and 24 days. In his early youth he came with his parents, a sister, Jennie, and a brother, Clarence, to Kansas, where the family purchased a farm and lived in the Cresco community. Bert enjoyed outdoor activities and was a sports enthusiast. Especially fond of base ball, he was one of the key members of the Paw Paw base ball team for a number of years. Living in the Cresco community was the Richardson family, and Bert became interested in their charming daughter, Chloe, and on June 30, 1903, they were married. They lived in this community until 1906, when they moved to Howard, where he became a rural mail carrier, which occupation he followed until his retirement in 1938. To this union were born three children, two daughters, Margaret and Gladys, and one son, Earl. Bert united with the Howard Baptist church on November 30, 1930, and had remained a faithful member. He served the church for many years as trustee, and had been a true Christian witness, both in his church interests and in his daily living. As a rural carrier, he was a pioneer, working through the great transformation period in travel. He used buggy and horses, mail wagon, motorcycle, Motel T and Model A Fords. When the dirt roads were impassable, he often went on horseback to deliver the mail to his patrons and the rural families remember his kindness and his cheery whistle and greetings. He leaves to mourn his going his faithful wife, Chloe, with whom he had lived nearly 53 years; his daughters, Mrs. Margaret Adrian of El Dorado, Kansas, and Mrs. Gladys Shoffner of St. Paul, Minnesota; his son, Earl Morgan of Wichita, Kansas; his sons-in-law, Frank Adrian and Robert Shoffner, and his daughter-in-law, Mrs. Lillian Morgan; seven grandchildren, Kirk, Janey, and Patty Shoffner; Kenneth, Keitha, Kevin and Kyle Morgan. His parents, brother and sister, and only lovely granddaughter, Zelda Ferne Adrian, preceded him in death. He was a kind husband, an understanding parent, a loving grandfather, and a real friend. Memorial services in charge of the Moon Funeral Home, were held at the Howard Baptist church at 2 p.m., Thursday, February 23rd, conducted by his pastor, the Rev. Alvin Cassens. Music was furnished by Mrs. Willard Morss and Mrs. Alex Rader, with Mrs. Willis Miller as accompanist. The casket bearers were Willard Morss, George Ellis, Alex Rader, Willis Miller, Holly Miller, Adron Hebb. Concluding services and burial were at Grace Lawn Cemetery, Howard.
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