Once Upon a Time in the Northeast

Among the homes that made Tacony St. one of the garden spots of the borough, was what was known as the Morgan Mansion, which stood overlooking the Port Royal estate, at the northwest corner of Church st. It was built by Charles Washington Morgan's father-in-law, John Briggs, about a 100 years ago and became Morgan's residence after his marriage to "Sally" Briggs, one of the belles of the period. He was a prominent engineer, with interests as far south as Cuba, where he took his bride on their honeymoon. Her letters describing the voyage in a sailing vessel of 1859 have been preserved in the family. John Briggs was the owner of the print works bearing his name, which became a legend after being wiped out by a fire, the greatest the town had ever known. The newspaper accounts are in the archives of the Historical Society of Frankford under date of July 12, 1866. The mill, never replaced, where the Frankford Creek met Tacony st., was a great loss to the industry, since there were few calico Prints as fine as those made by the local factory. They were designed by a French artist employed by Briggs, who always submitted them to his wife, also skilled in the art of pencil and brush, who often made suggestions or re-drew the sketches to her husband's satisfaction. The Briggs-Morgan house, a show place, built in the dignified Virginian period, was set in a pacious lawn, graced by urns of flowers and beautiful shrubbery. The long French windows qpening on a wide porch, with central entrance gave the house an air of hospitality. A drive led to stables at the rear. It was in this old homestead that Dr. William Jefferson Gurensey was married to Miss Marian Morgan. But time marches on, and in 1885 the property was bought by the Smedley Co., and the house torn down. A coal yard occupied the portion near the railroad at Church st ,.J

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