My Genealogy Hound

Rufus S. Morgan, in connection with Asa J. Forgy, is the editor of the Howard County Press, which is the only paper printed at Centre Point. He was born in Little River County, Ark., March 31, 1864, being the second of five children born to Dr. James N. and Sarah E. (Hopson) Morgan, the former a Mississippian and the latter a native of the ' 'Blue Grass'' soil. Dr. Morgan was a leading physician of Lockesburg and Brownstown, and was a member of the Masonic fraternity, he as well as his wife being earnest members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. The father was a surgeon in the late war, in Dockery's command, but first enlisted with the Sevier Rifles as a private, being discharged on account of physical disability. He remained at home the greater part of a year, and recovering his health returned to his post of duty, and remained until the close of the war. After the war he settled at Brownstown for the practice of his profession, and at one time engaged in the general mercantile business in connection with John Hudson at Brownstown. In 1870 or 1871 he sold out, and removed to Lockesburg, to engage in the drug business and the practice of medicine, and he was thus occupied until his death in March, 1872, at the age of thirty-eight years. His widow survives him, is forty-six years old, and lives with her son, Rufus S., at Centre Point. The latter was reared at Camden, Ark., obtained a good common education in the schools of that region, but at the age of fourteen years began fighting the battle of life for himself, his attention for two years being given to farm work. After working in the factory at Camden for some time, he began following the occupation of clerking, but becoming imbued with the idea that his knowledge of the "world of books" was much too limited for a successful career through life, he gave up his clerkship to enter school at Mineral Springs, and here remained one session, being a faithful and conscientious student. His next occupation was that of a clerk in a drug store at Mineral Springs, but he afterward took charge of the drug establishment of Brown & Co., of Centre Point, of which he and Dr. J. S. Corn later became proprietors. At the present time he is in the same business with A. J. Forgy, their stock of goods amounting to about $2,500. Mr. Morgan supports with voice, pen and purse, all enterprises of a worthy nature, and the journal of which he and Mr. Forgy are the editors is edited in the interests of the Democrat party, of which he is a member. He has served as recorder of Centre Point for two terms, and socially is a member of the A. F. & A. M., being a member of Centre Point Lodge, which he joined in 1885. His marriage to Miss Lillian P. McCrary took place in 1886, she being a native of this county and a daughter of Dr. E. W. McCrary, of Nashville. They have one son, James E., who is a bright and interesting little lad.