Résumé

Draftsman, F.A. Gilhams, Architect and Building Contractor, Canterbury, England, 1866-1871; Out West Magazine featured biographies of Makers of Los Angeles in its 04/1909 issue, one of which was done on Octavius Morgan. It stated: '"Mr. Morgan while studying at the Sydney Cooper Art School started on his professional career, his first experience being gained in the office of F.A. Gilhams, architect and contractor of repute in Canterbury, Kent, England, and with this firm he remained five years, when he left his position and home to seek his fortune in a new country." (See Out West Magazine, "Makers of Los Angeles: Morgan Octavius," vol. XXX, no. 4, 04/1909, p. 385.)

Draftsman, Ezra Kysor, Architect, Los Angeles, CA, 1875-1876.

Partner, [Ezra] Kysor and Morgan, Architects, Los Angeles, CA, 1876-1886.

Partner, Kysor, Morgan and [John A.] Walls, Architects, Los Angeles, CA, 1887-1890; the Out West article stated of this period: "In the following year he entered the employ of E.F. Kysor, a pioneer architect of this city, and became a partner in the firm the following year, 1876. Since that period, he has followed his profession without intermission, excepting when he left the city to visit the East in the dull times of 1878-80, and again when he made a tour of Europe during 1889-1890." (See Out West, "Makers of Los Angeles: Morgan, Octavius," vol. XXX, no. 4, 04/1909, p. 385.) According to this chronicle, Kysor retired from the firm in 1888, leaving the practice to Morgan and Walls to continue.

Partner, Morgan and Walls, Architects, Los Angeles, CA, 1890-1910. In 1909, Out West indicated that Morgan and Walls had done a staggering amount of work in Los Angeles: "Mr. Morgan has a proud record, for up to a few years ago, he did 33 per cent of the architectural work of the city, and even today, when the building record has increased from $600,000, which it was when he started in business, to the tremendous figure of $12,000,000 per annum, he still continues to do ten per cent of the work." (See Out West, "Makers of Los Angeles: Morgan, Octavius," vol. XXX, no. 4, 04/1909, p. 385.)

In 1896, Octavius Morgan was also the Vice-President of the Temple Street Cable Railway Company in Los Angeles in addition to being a partner in the architectural firm of Morgan and Walls. (See Los Angeles, California, City Directory, 1896, p. 1670.)

Partner, Morgan, Walls and Morgan, Architects, Los Angeles, CA, 04/1910-c. 1920;

Professional Activities

In the wake of the San Francisco Earthquake and Fire of 1906, Morgan made an inspection tour of the city in mid-04/1906, and a portion of his report was published in the Los Angeles Herald. It stated: "Architect Octavius Morgan, who made an extensive tour of the burned section is quoted as saying: 'The whole of the brick buildings in San Francisco are destroyed and the fireproof buildings greatly damaged. the fire and earthquake demonstrated the value of full skeleton steel construction. All buildings of this class remaining intact; the principal damage being done to the facings, plastering and surface ornamentation. Concrete as a fireproofing materials has stood the test, the showing was even better than that of hollow tile. In all cases where concrete floors and arches were used they appeared to be in perfect condition. All granite and other stone facing of walls were greatly damaged by the fire and in many cases the terro [sic] cotta had fallen off. The city hall was the greatest sufferer by the earthQUake, the brick walls having been shaken down, as were also the cast iron columns.'"

He continued: "'The effect of the earthquake was more apparent on the made ground than on that of solid foundation. Where buildings were erected on solid rock foundation they are in a better condition than those on the sandy or made ground. This was especially true of the buildings erected around the base of Telegraph hill, the brick buildings showing but little damage. All of these were later destroyed by fire.'" (See "Report of an Architect," Los Angeles Herald, 04/27/1906, part II, p. 5.)

President, Engineers and Architects Association, Los Angeles, CA.

Member/Past President, California State Board of Architecture.

Member/President American Institute of Architects, Southern California Chapter.

Member, AIA, Board of Directors, 1915-1918. Seattle architect W.R.B. Willcox was also made a member of the Board of Directors for this three-year term. (See "With the Architects and Engineers," Architect and Engineer of California, vol. XLI, no. 1, 04/1915, p. 106.)

Professional Awards

The Calfiornia Architects Board named its major professional service award, the "Octavius Morgan Distinguished Service Award," for Octavius Morgan, Sr., the first president of the California Architects Board.

High School/College

He was educated at Kent House Academy, Canterbury, England, the Thomas Cross Classic School, Canterbury, England, and Sydney Cooper Art School, Canterbury, England.

Relocation

Born in the Blean district of Canterbury, Kent, England in 1850, Octavius Weller Morgan, Sr., immigrated to the US in 1871. The English Census of 1871 indicated that he lived with his family on Castle Street in Canterbury, where he worked as a cabinetmaker. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation, Class: RG10; Piece: 969; Folio: 101; Page: 16; GSU roll: 827251, accessed 12/15/2016.) A brief biography of Morgan published in Out West in 1909, summarized his circuitous route from England to Los Angeles: "In 1871 he arrived in this country, coming via Canada, thence to Denver, Colorado....Leaving Denver, the mining fever struck him, and from that city he wandered through the mining camps of Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, Utah and Nevada in search of the precious metal, and finally reached California in 1874, coming to San Bernardino, by the way of Pioche [Nevada}, with pack animals. Here he worked for several months a placer claim in Lytle Creek Cañón, but finally gave it up and came to Los Angeles, where he arrived on June 16, 1874, having been three years on the journey from England." (See Out West, "Makers of Los Angeles: Morgan Octavius," vol. XXX, no. 4, 04/1909, p. 385.)

It isn't hard to see why Morgan left Pioche, as it had a reputation for being lawless. The web site Ghosttowns.com reported about the city: "In 1873, the Nevada State Mineralogist reported to the State Legislature 'About one-half of the community are thieves, scoundrels and murderers and then we have some of the best folks in the world, and I don't know but our lives and property are just as safe as with you. You can go uptown and get shot very easily if you choose, or you can live peacefully. I will send you a paper with an account of the last fight...I was in hopes eight or ten would have been killed at least, as these fights are a pest in the community. Peaceful! Sure, if you stayed out of the way of the bullets.'" (See Ghosttowns.com, "Pioche," accessed 12/15/2016.)

According to Los Angeles voting records from 1884, Morgan was naturalized in 11/1878 in Leadville, CO. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library, California History Section; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4 - 2A; CSL Roll Number: 19; FHL Roll Number: 976928, accessed 12/15/2016.) The 1920 US Census stated that he entered the US in 1870, and was naturalized in 11/1875. Voting records of 1896 indicated that Los Angeles County officials had certified that Morgan had been naturalized. This document also recorded his home address as being 1405 Brooklyn Avenue. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation, California State Library, California History Section; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4 - 2A; CSL Roll Number: 22; FHL Roll Number: 976931, accessed 12/15/2016.)

He lived at 402 Temple Street in Los Angeles in 1890 and 1892. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation, California State Library, California History Section; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4 - 2A; CSL Roll Number: 20; FHL Roll Number: 977994, and Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library, California History Section; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4 - 2A; CSL Roll Number: 20; FHL Roll Number: 976929, accessed 12/15/2016.)

In 1896, Morgan resided at 1405 Brooklyn Avenue in Los Angeles. (See Los Angeles, California, City Directory, 1896, p. 985.)

Between at least 1900 until his death in 1922, he resided at 819 South Westlake Avenue. (See "Octavius Morgan," Who's Who on the Pacific Coast, 1913, [Los Angeles: Harper Publishing Company, 1913,] p. 411.) By 1920, his wife had passed away, and he lived in the house at 819 South Westlake with his daughter Jessie, his son-in-law Walter S. McGilvray, Sr., (born c. 1889 in CO), his grandson, Walter S. McGilvray, Jr., (born c. 07/1917 in CA), and a servant, Johanna Kane (born c. 1875 in Ireland). (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation, Year: 1920; Census Place: Los Angeles Assembly District 75, Los Angeles, California; Roll: T625_116; Page: 5B; Enumeration District: 467; Image: 168, accessed 12/15/2016.) His son, Octavius Weller Morgan, Sr., lived nearby at 824 South Westake Avenue in 1921. (See Los Angeles, California, City Directory, 1921, p. 1853.)

Parents

His parents were both English. His father was Giles Chapman Morgan (born c. 1796-d. 01/13/1862), and his mother, Caroline Tyler Adams (born c. 1817). The 1841 Census of England listed Giles Morgan to have been a farmer. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Class: HO107; Piece: 475; Book: 8; Civil Parish: Preston Next Faversham; County: Kent; Enumeration District: 8a; Folio: 10; Page: 13; Line: 22; GSU roll: 306870; accessed 12/15/2016.) The 1851 Census of England indicated his occupation was that of "landed proprietor," and that he employed four men on his farm. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation, Class: HO107; Piece: 1623; Folio: 209; Page: 20; GSU roll: 193524,accessed 12/1652016.)

By 1861, Giles and Caroline had seven children, 4 daughters and 3 sons: Caroline (born c. 1841), Matilda (born c. 1842), Charles (born c. 1848), Elizabeth D. (born c. 1852), Charlotte (born c. 1854), and Walter (born c. 1857).

Spouse

He married Margaret Susan Weller Offenbacker (born c. 07/1845 in OH) on 10/16/1884 in Los Angeles, CA.

Children

He and Margaret had two children: a son, Octavius Weller Morgan, Jr. (1886-1951), who became a prominent and influential architect in Los Angeles, and a daughter, Jessie Caroline Morgan McGilvray (1887-1963).

Biographical Notes

At age 41 in 1892, Morgan stood 5-feet, 5-inches tall, had brown hair, brown eyes and a dark complexion, according to voters records of that year. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library, California History Section; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4 - 2A; CSL Roll Number: 20; FHL Roll Number: 976929, accessed 12/15/2016.)

Morgan traveled in England in early 1891 studying sewage treatment facilities in the cities of Canterbury, Birmingham and Croydon. He wrote his impressions of these facilities in the Los Angeles Times in his article "Sewage Disposal," 03/11/1891, p. 4.

He traveled aboard the Norddeutscher Lloyd ocean liner, S.S. Prinzess Irene, from Gibraltar to New York, NY, between 04/20/1914 and 04/29/1914. (This ship was impounded by the US during World War I and sold back to the Norddeutscher Lloyd line by the United States Mail Steamship Company in 1922.)

He was a member of the Freemasons and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF) fraternal organizations. He also belonged to the elite Jonathan Club and the California Club.

• Canterbury, UK (Architect's Birth)
  Canterbury, UK

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