The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and
Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 469

FRED A. MORGAN.

Fred A. Morgan is a prominent and successful seed merchant of Yakima,
conducting business as a member of the Morgan-McKaig Company. He was born in
New Hampshire, August 13, 1859, his natal town being Tuftonboro. His parents
were Henry B. and Martha A. (Jones) Morgan and his ancestors were among the old
colonial families of New England. His paternal grandmother belonged to the Avery
family, long prominent in that section of the country. Henry B. Morgan was in
the express business and spent his last days in honorable retirement at
Sacramento, California.

Fred A. Morgan acquired a public school education in the Old Granite state and
then entered the employ of Henry B. Scuddy in the capacity of errand boy. He
worked along various lines and ultimately took up clerking in the store. When
twenty-one years of age he made his way westward to Sacramento, California,
where he was employed in clerkships for six years. On the expiration of that
period he and his brother, Frank Morgan, opened a produce store in Sacramento,
where later they engaged in the ice business for three years. They afterward
established an ice trade in Seattle and in Tacoma, but eventually Mr. Morgan of
this review sold his interest and in 1903 came to Yakima, where he established
the business in which he is now engaged and which was organized under the style
of the Morgan-McKaig Company in 1910. It was founded as F. A. Morgan & Company
in 1903 and in 1905 he entered into a partnership arrangement that led to the
adoption of the firm style of Morgan & McKaig. In January, 1910, articles of
incorporation were taken out for the Morgan-McKaig Company, with D. F. McKaig as
the president, F. A. Morgan, vice president and treasurer, and J. H. De Young
as secretary, J. H. Hysom also being a stockholder. On the 11th of January,
1911, Mr. De Young sold his interest to O. D. Thygeson and in June, 1917. Mr.
Morgan purchased the interest of Mr. Thygeson. He also purchased a part of the
stock owned by Mr. Hysom. In July, 1917, he was elected to the presidency of the
company, while Elizabeth H. Morgan became one of the directors and C. W. Marlin
was made secretary but is not a stockholder. The business was located on the
corner of First avenue, South, and Yakima avenue, West, and later a removal was
made to No. 304 West Yakima avenue in 1910. In 1914 new quarters were secured at
No. 15 North First street, where the company has one floor and basement in a
building twenty-five by one hundred and forty feet. They handle seeds, spray
materials. Hardie sprayers, hand pumps and all fruit growers' supplies. This is
the oldest firm in their line in the valley and they conduct an extensive
business, their patrons coming from all points in the valley. They also sell to
the wholesale trade. They are general agents for the Insecticide manufactured by
the General Chemical Company and they also handle the Black-Leaf Forty. Their
business has steadily and constantly grown, meeting the needs as the orcharding
of the district developed, and today the Morgan-McKaig Company ranks with the
leading commercial enterprises of this section.

In 1888 Mr. Morgan was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth H. Hanscom, of
Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and they have two children: Ray, who was born in 1890
and is now in the United States Signal Corps, having enlisted for active service
in March, 1917; being on duty at the present time at Nulato, Alaska; and Ruth,
who is pursuing a training course as a nurse.

Mr. Morgan is prominently known in Masonic circles, belonging to Yakima Lodge,
No. 24, F. & A. M., of which he served as worshipful master in 1913. He also
belongs to Yakima Chapter, No. 21, R. A. M., to Yakima Commandery, No. 13, K.
T., and to Afifi Temple of the Mystic Shrine. He is an active supporter of the
republican party and a firm believer in its principles. He belongs to the
Commercial Club and co-operates heartily in its well defined plans and purposes
for the upbuilding of the city, the extension of its business relations and the
development of its civic affairs. Aside from his interests as a seed merchant
Mr. Morgan has developed a fine fruit ranch of twenty acres on the Tieton and he
is able to speak with authority upon the best methods of fruit culture and the
protection of the trees.

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Submitted to the Washington Bios Project in December 2007 by Jeffrey L. Elmer.
Submitter has no additional information about the subject of this article.