Thomas W. Morgan, publisher of the "Daily Republic," Ottawa, Kan., was born in Benton county, Missouri, April 18, 1862, and is the son of Thomas T. and Kate (Monroe) Morgan, who were respectively of English and Welsh descent. His father was born in 1826 in a part of Virginia which is now included in West Virginia, and there grew to manhood. His business career was begun in Missouri when a young man, but in 1880 he removed to Eureka, Kan., where he continued to reside until his death in 1890. He was a successful merchant, beginning his business career as a clerk. During the Civil war he was a government employee at Washington, D. C. Politically he was a Democrat, and in church faith was a Presbyterian. William Morgan, grandfather of Thomas W., was a Virginian by birth, and William Morgan, his great grandfather, was one of Washington's stanch supporters during the dark days of the Revolution, and raised and equipped a company at his own expense, and joined Washington's forces. William Monroe, the maternal grandfather of Mr. Morgan, was a life-long resident of Missouri, where he engaged in farming and where as a Democrat he became prominent in political and public affairs. He served as state auditor two terms and also held a number of county and minor offices. His military service was given in some of the earlier Indian wars, in one of which he served as a captain.

Mr. Morgan was educated in the common schools of Missouri and in the high school at Eureka, Kan. For three years he taught school, and then on the Fourth of July, 1884, he bought the "Eureka Messenger," which he continued to publish until 1901 when he sold it and removed to Ottawa, purchasing the "Daily Republic," which he has since edited and published with gratifying success. Mr. Morgan has always been a prominent worker in public and political affairs. For twenty-two years he has been a member of the State Democratic Central Committee, and has twice been a delegate to the Democratic National Convention. He is a member of the state board of penal institutions, and by Cleveland's appointment he was postmaster at Eureka, Kan., from 1894 to 1898. Mr. Morgan is a Knight Templar Mason and a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.

On May 10, 1888, Mr. Morgan married Jennie Stillwell, daughter of Robert L. and Sallie (Morin) Stillwell, now residents of Spokane, Wash. Mr. and Mrs. Morgan have a daughter and son, Miriam, a graduate of Ottawa High School, and Maurice, who is a student in the same school.