Résumé

Engineer, Morgan and Walls, Architects, Los Angeles, CA, c. 1910; Partner, Morgan, Walls, and Morgan, Architects, Los Angeles, CA; Partner, Morgan, Walls, Morgan and Clements, Architects, Los Angeles, CA, 04/1910-c. 1918; upon his father's retirement from the firm, Octavius Morgan, Jr., became a partner in the firm. By 1920, if not earlier, he had become the head of the firm.

In 1917, Morgan, Walls and Morgan operated in Room #1136 of the Van Nuys Building in Downtown, Los Angeles. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives at Washington, D.C.; Washington, D.C.; Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at San Pedro/Wilmington/Los Angeles, California; NAI Number: 4486355; Record Group Title: Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, 1787-2004; Record Group Number: 85, accessed 12/13/2016.)

He was a 1st Lieutenant in the US Army Engineers during World War I.

Partner, Morgan, Walls and Clements, Architects, Los Angeles, CA, c.1920-1937.

College

A.B.C.E., Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 01/1910. At Stanford, Morgan was a member of the Sigma Nu Fraternity. He joined in 1909. (See Stanford Quad Yearbook, 1911, p. 208.)

Relocation

According to the US Census of 1900, Octavius Weller Morgan, Jr., resided with his parents and sister, at 819 Westlake Avenue in Los Angeles.

He resided at 824 Westlake Avenue, Los Angeles, CA, in 1920. (See Stanford University Alumni Directory and Ten-Year Book, (Graduates and Non-Graduates) III, 1891-1920, [Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 1921], p. 378.) The US Census of 1920 stated that he had two Mexican-born servants--Juana Bastida (born c. 1876) and Ramona Mesa (born c. 1902)-- living in the house, along with a 9-year old child, Teresa Bastida. The latter two women may have been Juana's children. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1920; Census Place: Los Angeles Assembly District 75, Los Angeles, California; Roll: T625_116; Page: 6B; Enumeration District: 467; Image: 170, accessed 12/13/2016.)

In 1930, he resided at 181 South Alta Vista Boulevard in Los Angeles with his son, Octavius W. Morgan III and his brother-in-law, Franz Krueger (born c. 1921 in CA). (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1930; Census Place: Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Roll: 136; Page: 11A; Enumeration District: 0113; Image: 1003.0; FHL microfilm: 2339871, accessed 12/13/2016.) According to the US Census of that year, his house was worth a sizeable sum, $55,000. On 04/26/1942, Morgan continued to live at this address with his wife, Selma. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; Draft Registration Cards for Fourth Registration for California, 04/27/1942 - 04/27/1942; NAI Number: 603155; Record Group Title: Records of the Selective Service System; Record Group Number: 147, accessed 12/13/2016.)

Octavius Weller Morgan, Jr., died in Los Angeles County, CA, at the age of 65. His last residence was in the 91007 zip code of Arcadia, CA. He was buried in the Inglewood Park Cemetery, Inglewood, CA.

Parents

Both of his parents were English. His father was Octavius Morgan, (1850-1922) an early, prominent architect in Los Angeles, CA. His father was not named "Octavius Weller Morgan, Sr.," as was indicated in earlier versions of PCAD. (Noted 12/14/2016/) His middle name is currently unknown, but he may not have had one. "Weller" was a name from his wife's family. and was passed on to Octavius Weller Morgan, Sr., his son. Octavius Weller Morgan, Sr., also had a son, he named "Octavius Weller Morgan, Jr.," sometimes mistakenly referred to as "Octavius Weller Morgan III."

His mother, Margaret Susan Weller Offenbacker (born c. 07/1845 in OH) managed the household; she was five years older than his father.

Spouse

Octavius Weller Morgan, Sr., married Maria Arriold on 11/04/1912. They divorced c. 1929. In 1940, She resided in an apartment building at 5533 Fountain Avenue in Los Angeles with two of her sons, Perry and Robert. A "Lupe Mesa" (born c. 1901 in Mexico) also lived with the family as a servant. It is not clear if she is the same person as "Ramona Mesa" listed as living with the Morgans in 1920. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1940; Census Place: Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Roll: T627_399; Page: 13B; Enumeration District: 60-155, accessed 12/13/2016.)

He wed Selma H. Krueger c. 1929.

Children

He had children, including Octavius Weller Morgan, Jr., (12/12/1913-11/11/2004), Carlos (05/08/1916-07/19/1988), Perry Arriola (05/12/1920-07/07/1994) and Robert (born 12/16/1924 in CA).

Octavius Weller Morgan, Jr., attended Stanford University, like his father, and spent his life living in Southern CA. In 1955, he worked for the Oil Well Manufacturing Company in Los Angeles. (See See Polk's Monrovia-Arcadia [Los Angeles County, Calif.] City Directory, 1955, p. 505.) From the Stanford University Alumni Magazine: "Octavius Weller Morgan III, '36 (economics), of Arcadia, Calif., November 11, at 91. A member of Delta Kappa Epsilon, he played in the 1934 Rose Bowl against USC. He was a founding member and past president of the Glendora Country Club, which established the Morgan Cup golf tournament in his honor in 2002. His wife, Juanita, died in 2001. Survivors: one son, Kent; two daughters, Robin Reynolds and Debra Dooley, '56; six grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren." (See "Octavius Weller Morgan III," Stanford Alumni Obituaries, 05-06/2005, accessed 12/13/2016.)

Biographical Notes

Likely because his wife was Mexican by birth, Morgan may have traveled to that country on at least two occasions to visit her family. He sailed to Los Angeles from La Paz, Mexico, between 12/14/1917 and 12/20/1917, aboard the S.S. San Pedro. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives at Washington, D.C.; Washington, D.C.; Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at San Pedro/Wilmington/Los Angeles, California; NAI Number: 4486355; Record Group Title: Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, 1787-2004; Record Group Number: 85, accessed 12/13/2016.) Between 06/27/1926 and 07/20/1926, Morgan traveled between the Oaxacan city of Salina Cruz and Los Angeles, aboard the S.S. Mexican Bolivar.(See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives at Washington, D.C.; Washington, D.C.; Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at San Pedro/Wilmington/Los Angeles, California; NAI Number: 4486355; Record Group Title: Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, 1787-2004; Record Group Number: 85, accessed 12/13/2016.)

At age 56, he was described on his World War II Draft Registration card as standing 5-foot, 8-inches tall, weighing 175 pounds, with brown eyes, black hair and a ruddy complexion.

Morgan was a Freemason.

SSN: 549-07-6732.

• Los Angeles, CA (Architect's Death)
  Los Angeles, CA

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