Morgan Bickers

Morgan Bickers was born in 1799 in Orange County, Virginia. His parents were Sally Leathers and William Bickers. His grandfather was Thomas Bickers. His great grandparents were Elizabeth Collins and Robert Bickers, the immigrant ancestor from England. Robert was a "gentleman and tobacco planter" and an Episcopal vestryman. The children of Sally Leathers and William Bickers were, in birth order, Robert, Norah, Uriah, Morgan, William Ennis, and Joel. After the death of his mother, Morgan's father, William, married Nancy Todd of Georgia. They had a large family that lived in Kentucky, Indiana, and Illinois. William died in 1855 in Newton Township, Jasper County, Illinois.

Morgan's family moved to Kentucky about 1808 and was enumerated in the 1810 Scott County Census. By 1820, they are in Harrison County Census, where Morgan married his first wife Agnes, Nelson, about 1822. he purchased land on the Middle Fork of Raven Creek in eastern Harrison County but sold this in 1833. His family was in the 1830 Harrison County Census; they moved to Grant County between 1830 and 1833. Morgan's wife, Agnes, died about 1838 after the birth of her son, William F. Bickers, but before February 17, 1840 when Rev. James Williams married Morgan and Jemima G. Williams in Grant County. Agnes' burial place is unknown.

The known children of Agnes Nelson and Morgan Bickers were: Robert Nelson, Mary A., Uriah, James M., Lewis, and William F. Bickers. Robert Nelson Bickers married and raised a large family in Carroll and Gallatin Counties. Some of his descendants lived in Owen County.

The known children of Jemima G. Williams and Morgan Bickers were: Mary J., Junietta, Louisa, Thomas E., Sarah Ann, Newton W., and Martha E. Bickers. In 1860 Grant County, Kentucky Census, Morgan's family resided in the Downingsville post office area on or near Eagle Creek in western Grant County. He was, like his older brother, Uriah, a member and trustee of the White Chapel Methodist Episcopal Church, South, near Holbrook. Uriah's large family moved to Grant County about 1819. Morgan, through the years, purchased several acres of land on Stevens/Stephens Creek near Eagle Creek. He was a life-long farmer who cleared some of Grant County's virgin forests to raise crops for his family.

Morgan's Grant County will was written March 14, 1861 and was probated July 5, 1861, which dates fix his demise at or near the commencement of the Civil War. The death dates and burial places of Morgan, Agnes, and Jemima Bickers are not known, but White Chapel Cemetery, with its several sunken places and graves marked with field stones, would seem to be their most likely resting place. Jemima did live as a widow with a Grant County son (Uriah) and a Gallatin County son (Robert Nelson) for a while and may have been buried in their locales.

Researched by Robert L. (Bob) Bickers
Used with permission.
Published in Footsteps of the Past, March 27, 1997.

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