Morgan Manor

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The Proffit-Morgan House served as a station in the Underground Railroad. When we moved to Petersburg, we rented that house & eventually sold it.

Construction of the home of JRE Goodlet Morgan & Emily Proffit-Morgan began in 1850 & was completed 2 years later. Some visitors to this page may wonder about our plans for such a big house now that we're empty-nesters. After staying at the Kintner House in Corydon, IN, 20+ years ago, we talked about someday finding & restoring another old home where we could operate a Bed and Breakfast. Our first 'project' was a 2-story Victorian in nearby Washington, IN, which was our home for 2+ years. We stayed busy the next 20 years raising 2 terrific kids & tackling about every type of DIY project possible, remodeling, & adding onto our 60's Ranch home. We remained huge fans of This Old House & subscribed to the magazine for years, dreaming that someday we'd find a big historic house for a B&B--not realizing for 20 years that the PERFECT house--size, history, & floorplan--was less that 2 miles away from where we raised our family! Anyone who has ever owned an old house knows there are surprises in store when even small improvements are being made, & shouldn't be shocked that we were a bit too optimistic to think we could be ready to start business within a year of buying the Morgan house. (I'm known as "The Eternal Optimist"!) So while it may appear to the casual observer that we aren't progressing quickly enough, please remember that making "band-aid" fixes wouldn't do justice to such a magnificent house. We're making every effort to maintain the historic features and use period-appropriate materials whenever feasible--while doing most of the labor ourselves AND paying as we go, rather than financing improvements and repairs. We have been assured that the Proffit-Morgan house will qualify for both State & National Historic Landmarks due to its age, unique architecture for this area, and historical significance of the Proffit and Morgan families. We also plan to document the home's role in the local Underground Railroad, where slaves from Kentucky on their way to freedom in Canada were transported from Oakland City in Gibson County, to the Morgan house & other home in Pike County, & from here on to Daviess County. We plan to host several Open House events: 1st for family & close friends; 2nd for current & past coworkers; & finally, one or more for the community. When that time comes, an announcement & invitation will be posted on Facebook & in local newpapers. We hope to meet many of you then, if not before! :-)

P.S. Please visit our blog for more history on our house and the Proffit & Morgan families. Better yet, plan to visit us after we finish restoration and open for business! Map: https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Petersburg,+IN&hl=en&ll=38.478387,-87.268267&spn=0.025231,0.038409&sll=38.685554,-87.508952&sspn=0.201263,0.307274&hnear=Petersburg,+Pike,+Indiana&t=m&z=15

10/24/2026

This is another piece we recently adopted. Without cheating, does anyone know the name of this style of desk?

If 2 or more post the correct answer, the following questions will serve as tie-breakers:
(1) Which room will this desk occupy?
(2) What purpose will it serve? (Hint: Not as a desk!)

10/12/2026

How did I never hear about this gem of Hoosier trivia until today?

Without cheating, does anyone where this early 20th C. photo* was taken? Bonus points are awarded for posting its name. (*The historic B&W photo was colorized by Gemini.)

I'll share a link to the story after this post publishes.

10/10/2026

Like most people, the Fixer & I have become creatures of habit. We rarely watch movies at home or even follow new TV shows.

That explains why every weekend we can be found binge-watching shows we only recently became aware of, including 2 series filmed over a decade ago. After finishing the first 2 seasons of Castle Impossible, we discovered Escape from the Chateau DIY. Now that we're well into the 3rd of 9 seasons, this show will stay in our lineup for at least a few more months. At this pace, we may be caught up by the time Season 3 of Castle Impossible is released, in early 2027!

Both series reveal that few owners of ancient buildings are independently wealthy. Just keeping up with utilities & taxes could quickly drain a renovation budget. That explains why both young & "seasoned" owners understand they'll have to tackle improvements & repairs themselves, even though it involves continuing research & learning new skills. Obviously, contractors have to be consulted for HVAC, plumbing, foundation, or structural issues, but sometimes the owners serve as assistants or take the wheel back after a plan has been made. As for routine cleaning & maintenance, newbies quickly realize the owner's entree is served with a heaping side of sweat equity.

Both series expose that restoring a historic building is far from glamorous. It's refreshing to see the owners scout for bargains, or even get dirty when a job calls for it. Even those operating businesses in very posh properties---B&Bs, restaurants, or wedding/corporate venues---often observe quite modest lifestyles. In one episode, the owner dredged algae from a large koi pond, crawled through a dank aqueduct to determine why the drain had failed, & finally installed a new fountain pump. Most people would wretch just surveying the situation & speed dial a professional, but the owner didn't even flinch when scummy water overflowed his hip waders. His maître d’ stood by the pond, calmly assembling rods to snake the drain---still wearing a tux. 🤔

Most owners share that not all major projects had been addressed when they first opened for business. Some even began welcoming guests before all mechanical systems were updated, & many still have a long list of projects in the queue.

After watching several episodes, we decided extra help was drafted for several projects, because they always miraculously finish just MINUTES before a big event or arrival of guests. Even though bookings would serve as powerful motivation, that type of drama would be stressful for everyone involved.

Between these episodes & touring Culbertson Mansion, I accepted that not only will the Morgan house NEVER be perfect, it's unrealistic to expect every project to go as planned. Mr. Fix-it usually needs sketches, photos, & multiple explanations---& still may raise an eyebrow---but rarely questions my plans. Nor does he shy away from disgusting jobs---such as removing desiccated rat carcasses from behind a wall, dredging composed leaves & earthworms from a clogged sewer, unearthing dead moles, & occasionally relocating other critters out to the wild.

10/08/2026

Another little mystery solved!

We inherited this watercolor from Mr. Fix-it's mother, who was related to Indiana Governor James "Bluejeans" Williams of Monroe City. The painting was reportedly a work of the Governor's teenage daughter.

While we still haven't had it professionally repaired & framed, I've always wondered about the words between "Souvenir" & Oct. 1874. After updating our cover photo late this afternoon, I asked Gemini (Google) to repair the torn upper right corner & lower edge, then darken the lettering inside the wreath.

The first couple of images made errors in the text, so I decided to search for names of the Governor's daughter(s). I learned he & his wife, Nancy Huffman Williams, had 7 children. Only 4 survived infancy or childhood---John, Eliza, George, & Harriet---but only John & Eliza lived until adulthood.

Based on that information, I realized this watercolor was painted by Eliza. Once I consulted Gemini again, it corrected "Land" to "Eliza". Eliza married Richard H. Dunn.

09/28/2026

And now, Back to the Beadboard!!! (Beadboard Bébé, Part 3)

Some probably wonder why we don't just build a replica of the cellar door. Others may assume old materials are more affordable. While this door actually was a bargain, architectural salvage is often more expensive than new materials. The short answer is that we value history, even if that means waiting for the right piece. For structures connected to local or state history, it's even more important to use authentic materials.

Obviously, that rule isn't written in stone, because old buildings are usually altered or modernized over time. In this case, the back wing was added as space for the Morgans' household staff. Hints exposed when 19670s era paneling was removed & 1870 Census records suggest the 1st floor room may have served as a parlor for Arthur & Rosa Parker, with sleeping quarters on the 2nd floor. It's only been a kitchen the last 5-6 decades.

Like other large 19th C homes, meals were prepared in a detached summer kitchen located S/SW of the house. Clues indicate the cellar was not only used for food storage, but maybe for some meal prep. One section of the floor was about 1' foot lower, later filled with concrete. The location suggests dairy products were cooled with water supplied by a line from the well, roughly 20' away. There was also a fire box vented to the back wing's chimney that was demolished years ago. While the cellar is a very cool place---not just because it's comfortable even on muggy summer days, but because it has an arched brick ceiling---I wouldn't want to cook down there.

Renovating the existing kitchen will be the most challenging project to date, since it has to stand the test of time. Photo #3 shows the 15' x 17' kitchen, with a 9' x 42' alcove under the rear wing's staircase. The cellar is accessed through the East side vestibule, with stairs under the alcove. Another vestibule on the West side opens to the front wing & also provides access to the back staircase.

Based on the above clues, can anyone guess where our salvaged beadboard door will be installed, &/or for what purpose? 🤔

09/26/2026

One recent afternoon, while the Fixer resumed the never-ending task of wrangling the lawn into submission, I returned to searching for a link between James Ralph Erskine Goodlet Morgan & a namesake that was born in 1869 in Pike County. I'm sure the younger Goodlet was grateful his parents didn't burden him with the full version though, because historic records list him as Goodlet C. Morgan.

This wasn't the first time I'd attempted to connect the dots between both Goodlet Morgans. I'd previously confirmed the younger Goodlet wasn't a grandson, & that only 1 grandchild survived to adulthood--George Cary "Dink" Morgan. Dink & his first wife, Helen Traylor, named their son Goodlet Ralph Morgan, but the baby died within hours of birth. After their divorce, Dink married Laura Kell of Gibson County. Their first child, a son, died in infancy, & their daughter Blanche never married.

Each time I tried to find more information about the younger Goodlet's father, I ran into a brick wall.

As far as I knew, none of Goodlet's brothers named a son in his honor. However, I hadn't found names of 3 of his 7 siblings, so that seemed a possibility. Eventually I learned that only 4 of Goodlet's siblings lived beyond infancy---2 girls & 2 boys.

After going in circles again, I decided to ask Gemini about a Robert W. Morgan that seemed to be related to the younger Goodlet. I learned that Robert's father was James Morgan, who came to Indiana from Virginia---as had Goodlet's father, Col. Simon Morgan, 1 of of Dubois County's earliest settlers. That suggested James was Simon's brother.

Well, until I noticed James was born a few years after Simon's mother died. So I began to check Ancestry again for names of Simon's siblings. Sure enough, Simon had 3 siblings---except no brother was named James.

Back to square one. I knew widowers with young children often remarried within a few years. The only other option was to divide the family, sending 1 or 2 children to live with relatives. That's exactly what Col. Simon Morgan did after (Elizabeth) Rose Reed Morgan died, when Goodlet was 11 years old. I still haven't found where Goodlet's siblings were raised.

A bit more back & forth with Gemini provided the answer: Simon's father Zaccheus DID remarry after the death of his 1st wife, Margaret. That means James Morgan was a half brother to Simon Morgan--& an uncle to the original Goodlet!

But I still hadn't made a connection with the younger Goodlet Morgan. A few years back I'd found his death record in Oklahoma, which listed his father as Robert W. Morgan. Robert Morgan moved from Pike County to Kansas, & later from Kansas to Oklahoma.

Long story short, here's what Gemini & I concluded after comparing more records:

Robert W. Morgan was the son of James Morgan, JRE Goodlet Morgan's uncle! That means Robert & Goodlet were 1st cousins. Robert named his son in honor of his 1st cousin, who was well-known throughout SW Indiana in both political & social circles.

Now I just have to update our records with this new information. I'm still unsure when & where James Morgan died. 🤔 For anyone wondering if they might be related to either Goodlet or Emily Proffit Morgan, Goodlet Morgan's family tree is public & can be viewed without a subscription to Ancestry.

For those who know they're related to either Col. Simon Morgan or his half-brother James Morgan, please share the connection below!

09/24/2026

Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis is the 3rd largest private cemetery in the US, covering approximately 555 acres. The cemetery was established in 1863 on the highest natural elevation in the city---842' above sea level!

The cemetery contains 25 miles of paved roads as well as over 225,000 graves, with roughly 1,500 burials added each year. Crown Hill is also a certified arboretum where more than 150 species of tress & plants thrive.

Designed by Indianapolis architect Diedrich A. Bohlen & originally known as the Gothic Vault, the chapel is equipped with 96 crypts that served as temporary holding places during inclement weather or when arrangements hadn't been finalized. Most recently restored in 2005, the Gothic beauty is now a centerpiece of the grounds. Today the chapel is not only featured in tours, but is also available for weddings & special events.

After enjoying a half hour presentation of Negro spirituals, our group was led to gravesites of Civil War veterans (both Union & Confederate), notable Black citizens & soldiers, as well as several citizens who were involved in Indiana's Underground Railroad.

Thankfully, an early morning rain offered a reprieve from a week-long period of extreme heat. I was especially grateful that trees offered protection from UV rays---otherwise I would've been red as a lobster by the tour's end.

In addition to those remembered for their contribution to society, a few notorious individuals were laid to rest at Crown Hill. Among the notable citizens are President Benjamin Harrison, 3 Vice Presidents, Indiana Governor Oliver Morton, Hoosier poet James Whitcomb Riley, Eli Lilly, former Colts' owner Jim Isray, & several famous athletes. Topping the "Naughty List" is John Dillinger, who was buried despite the objections of citizens who defended the cemetery's predominately honorable legacy.

I hope to find more information about 2 people who piqued my interest---a young drummer boy, & a man whose life story became a lead character in 1 of my all-time favorite books. (Can anyone guess which book?)

After the tour, we drove to the top of the hill to take in a panoramic view of the city 3 miles away. Due to the cloud cover & mist, only a blurry outline of downtown Indy was visible. Until we can revisit on a clear day, I borrowed a few photos from Crown Hill's website.

Address

New Albany, IN
47150-47151

Website

http://1853morganhouse.blogspot.com/

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