Charles Morgan and James Lord Pierpont

 

Charles Morgan

7th July 1914, The Cambria Daily Leader, published a story about the death of a Swansea man, Charles Morgan.

The Cambria Daily Leader
7th July 1914

Charles Morgan, 37, who drowned in the Savannah River, which formed the boundary between Georgia and South Carolina.  His parents, Mr and Mrs David Morgan, received of his death via a letter.

Charles was employed as a furnaceman at Cwmfelin Tin Works. 

For three years prior, Charles, had made three sea trips as a fireman.  The last voyage on board the tram steamer Ryburn from Swansea on the 10th March was making a voyage to the port in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Savannah River
Whilst the Ryburn was on the Savannah River, 21st June, Charles, went ashore to pay a visit to a friend onboard another vessel, which was leaving. When he didn’t return, Captain Douglas, thought that he leave, and that Charles would come back on a tug. 

Charles, never made the visit, and that he went ashore, to purchase some tobacco, and making his way back to his ship, when he fell off the wharf and feel into the river, wasn’t able to swim and drowned.  It was thought that Charles was a little worse for drink.

When Charles’s body was recovered remained unidentified as the face was badly disfigured.  Captain Douglas eventually identified the body as that of Charles Morgan.  He was finally buried at Laurel Grove Cemetery.

Also buried at Laurel Grove Cemetery is James Lord Pierpont.

James Lord Pierpont

James born 1822, Massachusetts.  He was the son of Unitarian minister, poet and fervent abolitionist.     Aged from 14 to 21, James was a seaman.  Before his journeys ended and returning back home, James, he was drawn to California during the Gold Rush.

Returning back to Savannah, James, wrote the song “Jingle Bells”, finally published under the title of “The One Horse Open Sleigh” and copyrighted by 1857.  After the conclusion of the American Civil War, James, stopped writing songs.  The family made truly little money from the song.

“Jingle Bells”, was originally to be sung by a Sunday School choir, or a drinking song, it was it originally had no connections with Christmas.

James died 1893 and is also buried at Laurel Grove Cemetery.

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