Levi Morgan, (sculpture).

Levi Morgan, (sculpture).

Stewart Granite and Marble Works, fabricator.

Critchfield, A., sculptor.

Emslie, McLeod & Company, carver.

Levi Morgan, (sculpture).

Dedicated July 4, 1902.

Digital Reference:

Figure and base: Barre granite; Rifle and plaques: bronze; Foundation: concrete.

Figure: approx. 6 ft. x 24 in. x 24 in.; Base: approx. 19 x 8 x 8 ft.; Foundation: approx. W. 8 ft. D. 8 ft.

(Front, East side, on plaque:) PURSUANT TO AN ACT OF THE LEGISLATURE OF/THE STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA, THIS MONUMENT IS/ERECTED IN APPRECIATION OF THE SERVICES RENDERED/AND IN MEMORY OF LEVI MORGAN, A SOLDIER AND/SCOUT OF THE EARLY BORDER WARFARE./COMMISSION; (List of six names) (On stone in raised letters, below plaque:) LEVI MORGAN/1736-1826 (Etched in base below the preceding:) UNVEILED/JULY 4, 1902 (On rear, West side of base:) HON.AARON MORGAN/SPONSOR OF THIS MONUMENT/MAR.5,1832-SEPT.30,1916/SERVED FOUR TERMS IN HOUSE OF/DELEGATES OF WEST VIRGINIA/FROM WETZEL COUNTY./A FAITHFUL PUBLIC SERVANT (Plaque on South side of base:) RHS (Etched in border top right of plaque on North side of base:) AC signed

A full-length standing posthumous portrait of Indian scout and fighter, Levi Morgan. Morgan wears buckskin attire with fringe around the chest area and along the hem of the shirt. Over his proper left shoulder is a strap holding a powder horn and pouch, which falls at his proper right waist. He also has what appear to be scalps attached to his waist. He faces west with his head turned slightly to the proper left. He stands with his full weight on his proper right leg. His proper left leg is raised, with his foot on a pile of stones. He holds a flintlock rifle horizontally in front of his hips, with his proper left hand resting on his elevated proper left thigh. He wears a coonskin cap and his long hair is pulled back and falls below his shoulders in back.

The granite base consists of a tapered upper section and a 3 foot lower section made of cut stones. The base has bronze plaques on all four sides. The East and West plaques consist of text. The South and North plaques are low reliefs which depict weapons modeled from authentic artifacts. The South plaque depicts native-American weapons, including tomahawks, a knife, a bow and arrow, and a quiver. The North plaque depicts the weapons of the settlers, including a flintlock rifle, knives, powder horn, a shot mold lead ladle, etc. The East side of the base also has a low relief of the seal of West Virginia. The base rests on a concrete foundation that is flush with the ground.

Portrait male -- Morgan, Levi -- Full length

Occupation -- Military -- Soldier

History -- United States -- Westward Expansion

Dress -- Historic -- Pioneer Dress

Object -- Weapon -- Bow and Arrow

Object -- Weapon -- Gun

Outdoor Sculpture -- West Virginia -- New Martinsville

Administered by Wetzel County, Wetzel County Commission, Main Street, P. O. Box 156, New Martinsville, West Virginia 26155

Located Wetzel County Courthouse, Main & Washington Streets, Southeast corner of grounds, New Martinsville, West Virginia 26155

IAS files contain related articles from: Wetzel Republican (New Martinsville, WV) July 10, 1902, and Wetzel Democrat (New Martinsville, WV), Jan. 10, 1902, pg. 1; May 30, 1902, pg. 1, and July 11, 1902, pg. 1. The monument was funded by the West Viriginia State Legislature at a cost of $3,500. The subject is Levi Morgan who died in 1836. Since no portrait of him was known to exist, the likeness is largely speculative. Mr. A. Critchfield, who created and designed the reliefs, was an employee of the Stewart Granite & Marble Works. Governor A. B. White presented the statue to the citizens of Wetzel County.

Save Outdoor Sculpture, West Virginia survey, 1992.

National Park Service, American Monuments and Outdoor Sculpture Database, WV0006, 1989.

Wetzel Republican (New Martinsville, WV), July 10, 1902, pg. 1.

Wetzel Democrat (New Martinsville, WV), Jan. 10, 1902, pg. 1.

Wetzel Democrat (New Martinsville, WV), May 30, 1902, pg. 1.

Wetzel Democrat (New Martinsville, WV), July 11, 1902, pg. 1.

New Martinsville Weekly (New Martinsville, WV), May 30, 1902, pg. 1.

Monumental News, Nov. 1902, pg. 659.

Monumental News, Nov. 1902, pg. 659.

Wetzel Republican (New Martinsville, WV), July 10, 1902, pg. 1.

The information provided about this artwork was compiled as part of the Smithsonian American Art Museum's Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture database, designed to provide descriptive and location information on artworks by American artists in public and private collections worldwide.

Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture, Smithsonian American Art Museum, P.O. Box 37012, MRC 970, Washington, D.C. 20013-7012

Control Number:

Horizon Information Portal 3.0

Powered by SirsiDynix

About | © 2020 Smithsonian | Terms of Use | Privacy | Contact

SIRIS - Smithsonian Institution Research Information System