# Morgan's Grove

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**Morgan's Grove** is a rural historic district near [Shepherdstown, West Virginia](/source/Shepherdstown,_West_Virginia). The area is noted for its abundant springs. Several historic houses and farms are in the district, including:

- **Old Stone House** and springhouse, c. 1734, belonged to the original settler and family patriarch, Richard Morgan.
- **[Rosebrake](/source/Morgan-Bedinger-Dandridge_House)**, or **Poplar Grove**, built in 1745, with dependencies including a barn and outbuildings
- **[Falling Spring](/source/Falling_Spring-Morgan's_Grove)**, c. 1831–1837, with dependencies. The nearby woods were a [Civil War](/source/American_Civil_War) encampment. Belonged to Jacob Morgan and his son William.
- **Springdale** c. 1760, home of Richard Morgan's son William, and dependencies. "Morgan Fort" was located on this property.
- **Fountain Rock** in [Morgan's Grove Park](/source/Morgan_Grove_Park) with the foundations of the Fountain Rock house, burned in 1864 by Federal troops.

## History

### 18th century

Richard Morgan (*ca.* 1700–1763) bought lands in 1730 that included much of present-day Shepherdstown. In 1734 he received one of the first grants of 500 acres (2.0 km2) from [Lord Fairfax](/source/Lord_Fairfax), selling some land to Thomas Shepherd, who founded Shepherdstown. During the [French and Indian Wars](/source/French_and_Indian_Wars), Morgan was active in raising troops from the area.

During the [American Revolutionary War](/source/American_Revolutionary_War), local men began drilling in Shepherdstown, and two companies of riflemen were organized in July 1775 at the request of the [Continental Congress](/source/Continental_Congress). By this time, William Morgan was a colonel in the [Continental Army](/source/Continental_Army), and, under Morgan's command, the troops began the [Bee-Line March](/source/Bee-Line_March) on July 17, 1775, marching from Morgan's Grove to [Boston](/source/Boston) in 24 days, covering 600 miles (970 km). The troops joined [George Washington](/source/George_Washington)'s forces on August 11, 1775, and were the first units from the South to join the fight.

### 19th century

During the Civil War a number of [Confederate](/source/Confederate_States_of_America) and Federal units camped in the area, including General [John B. Gordon](/source/John_B._Gordon) and General [George Armstrong Custer](/source/George_Armstrong_Custer) in the [Valley Campaigns of 1864](/source/Valley_Campaigns_of_1864). About this time, Fountain Rock, which was then owned by Confederate Colonel [Alexander Boteler](/source/Alexander_Boteler), was burned by Federal troops under General [David Hunter](/source/David_Hunter).

By the late 19th century the area was used as a [fairground](/source/Fair), with its own siding off the [Shenandoah Valley Railroad](/source/Shenandoah_Valley_Railroad_(1867%E2%80%931890)). The Fountain Rock property was purchased by the Morgan's Grove Agricultural Association in 1889. In 1900 [William Jennings Bryan](/source/William_Jennings_Bryan), then candidate for [President](/source/United_States_President), gave a speech to a crowd estimated at 15,000. Fairs were held until 1931, when the land was sold and the structures were torn down.[2]

A portion of the site is now a county park.

## References

1. Diana Sutterfield with Katherine Jourdan (August 30, 1998). ["National Register of Historic Places Nomination: Morgan's Grove"](https://wvculture.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Morgans-grove.pdf). National Park Service.

## External links

- ("Rose Break" or "Dandridge House")
- ("Falling Spring" or "Steptoe House")

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Morgan's Grove](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morgan's_Grove) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morgan's_Grove?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.