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History of Wetzel County, West Virginia
by John C. McEldowney, Jr., 1901

Pages 37-38
MORGAN MORGAN.

Morgan Morgan was commonly known as Spymod. It was to distinguish him
from his cousin, Morgan Morgan, who was known as Paddymod. The former
came to what is now Pine Grove in 1805, and erected a mill on the
ground now occupied by Hennen's livery barn; he also owned land where
Reader now stands.

We give here the following incidents in the life of Morgan: While he
was at Morgantown, or what is now known as that place, he went on a
spying expedition, and it was from that he got the nickname of
Spymod. The expedition wandered into what is now known as the "Jug,"
on Middle Island creek, and above the first run Morgan shot a turkey.
They then left a man at the mouth of the first run as a guard, and
told him not to shoot unless it was at an Indian. The other members
of the crowd, including Morgan, went up the run a short distance to
cook the turkey Morgan had just shot, and just as they got the turkey
ready to cook they heard a shot in the direction one of their men was
stationed, on which they dropped the turkey, picked up their guns and
made in the direction of the firing. On reaching there they found
that he had shot a wolf, which was done by compulsion. The wolf had
come toward him and he had tried to scare it away, but in vain. The
wolf kept coming toward him and was six inches from the muzzle of his
gun when he shot.

The creek makes a small bend above the "Jug," and while talking the
matter over about the killing of the wolf they saw two Indians dart
out from behind trees and run down the creek. Morgan took after them,
but was stopped by two of his companions who told him that there was
liable to be a band somewhere near that neighborhood, and they
supposed the Indians were sent out to see what the first firing was.
They then followed the Indian trail to the "Jug," which was but a
short distance, and it was found that the two Indians had gone around
the "Jug," on which it was decided that it would be best for them to
go through the "Jug." On arriving at the head of it, they found that
a band of Indians had been there but a short time previous. It was
then decided to make for the fort, which was situated at New
Martinsville and owned by Morgan's brother, Levi Morgan.

Another incident in his life worthy of mention is one of his narrow
escapes on one of his spying expeditions. Himself and another man
were appointed to spy around the old Indian trail from Morgantown to
the mouth of Big Fishing creek, to see if there were Indians about.
On one occasion his pardner was sick and it was prevailed on him to
go alone. He started one rainy day and before he stopped he had
reached what is now Pine Grove. It was still raining, the rain
pouring down in torrents, and wishing to strike a dry spot, crawled
into a hollow sycamore tree, which was known by him and his pardner
on their expeditions as a resting place. It was getting about dusk;
he had been there but a few minutes when an Indian came running to
the tree and looked inside. Morgan seeing this, drew hi3 butcher
knife ready for action, but he did not use it, the hole being so dark
the Indian could see nothing, and turned and darted onward at the
same speed he had come up. This aroused Morgan's suspicion, and he
immediately began to hunt for new quarters, going direct to the mouth
of Big Fishing creek.

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