MORGAN, WILLIAM (e.1775-e.1826) . An American Mason, whose disappearance under pe culiar circumstances in 1826 caused the organi zation of the Anti-Masonic Party. He was born probably in Culpeper County, Va., and is said to have served under General Jackson in the defense of New Orleans, and afterwards settled in York, Upper Canada, removing thence to Batavia, N. Y. In 1826, shortly after news had spread abroad that he intended, in conjunction with one David C. Miller, to publish a book exposing the secrets of Freemasonry, he suddenly disappeared, and, despite much search, was never seen again, It was charged that be had been kidnapped and murdered by Masons, but whether this was true is not known certainly to this day. He was traced with some degree of certainty to Fort Niagara, whither he was said to have been con veyed by Masons in a (Armed carriage and where he was said to have been imprisoned for a time. It was alleged that, refusing to withdraw his book or to give an oath of secrecy, was finally drowned by his abductors in Lake On tario. A body found near Fort Niagara was for some time supposed to be his, but was later shown to be that of another man. It was in
referenee to this body that Marlow Weed. recog nizing the political value of the anti-Masonie excitement. remarked that it was "a good enough Morgan until after election"—a phrase which has since been frequently used in American politics. Norgan's disappearance caused pro fnund excitement throughout the North, and re sulted ih the formation of an Anti-Masonic Party. Morgan's hook, Illustrations of Free 'masonry. by One of the Fraternity Who Has Devoted Thirty Years to the Subject, was pub lished in IS2G, and was republished at various times thereafter, sometimes under the title Free masonry Exposed and Explained. 'Much has been written concerning his disappearance. Con sult: Morris, History of the Morgan Affair (1852) ; Greene, The Broken Seal, or Morgan's Abduction and Murder (1870) ; O'Reilly, anwri can Political Anti-liasonry (1879) ; Mackey and Singleton, History of freemasonry, vol. vi. (New York, 1898). See ANTI-:MASONS.