John Morgan Stanley was the son of Valentine Chapman Stanley and Rebecca Mingus.

He married Ann (maiden name Casey or Wilson*) sometime between 1861 and 1865, probably in Pennsylvania. He was single when he joined the Union forces in 1861, but there is a record for a Morgan Stanley, age 25, in Madison Twp., Clarion Co., PA in July 1863 - and that Morgan is married. Morgan had brothers living in Clarion Co., PA, and Ida Mae and her sister Mary were born in PA in 1865 and 1868, so it seems quite possible that he was in that area around 1863-1868 (but has not been verified).

They had at least four children; two died in early childhood.

• Ida Mae Stanley Love Saddler Lee (1865-1903); m. Charles William Love; Richard P. Saddler; Dallas W. Lee
• Mary Stanley (abt 1868-bet 1870/80)
• Hetty Jane Stanley (1870-bet 1870/80)
• Thomas Valentine Stanley (1873-1920) m. Addie McKnight

Morgan was a private in Co. G, 53rd Reg. O.V.I. during the Civil War. He enlisted on 06 Nov 1861 and mustered out on 10 Apr 1862. Morgan applied for a pension but never received one. His personal description on the application reads: Height - 6 ft., complexion light, hair black, eyes black. For some reason, his signature on the papers is "M. M. Standley".

Morgan married Hester Ann Van Valkenburg on 24 Nov 1875 in Hocking Co., OH. They did not have any children.

__________

In a letter from Ida Mae Jewell Stoneburner (Morgan's great-granddaughter):

"...great-grandfather Morgan Stanley was a Civil War veteran. Picked up a sea shell from the beach on Sherman's March to the Sea, & brought it home from the war. He sang all the old Civil War tunes to his great-grandchildren, 'Tenting on the Old Campgrounds' and 'Sound the good old bugle boys, let's have another song. Sing it with the spirit to send the word along, sing it like you used to sing it, fifty thousand strong, while we go marching through Georgia, harrah, harrah, sound the Jubilee, harrah, harrah, the flag that set us free, so we'll we'll sing the chorus from Atlanta to the sea, while we go marching through Georgia.' I was just a kid about 9 to 12 years old when I remembered these things about grandpa. He had white hair around his head, the top of his head was bare. I used to comb his hair & curl it into a roll around his head like George Washington. He lived with his granddaughter who he raised, (Gertrude Jewell) as he had no other relatives. Great-grandfather had an old army buddy by the name of Christman, whom he visited. Great-grandpa made things at home. Made pick & axe handles also. He liked Mom's blackberry wine and we caught him nipping on it & he would draw in his breath & say "Aah." He had a brother named Frank & I thought he had one named Jim."

__________

* NOTES ABOUT ANN STANLEY'S MAIDEN NAME (Morgan's first wife):

Thomas Valentine Stanley's marriage certificate lists his mother's name as "Sarah Wilson". Ida Mae Stanley's marriage record for her marriage to D. W. Lee lists her father as "Martin Stanley" and her mother as "Ann Wilson". Her given name in census records was listed as "Ann".

However, a transcript of a document from the Athens County Home Register, Vol. 1, 1857-1884, pg. 190, states: "Ida Stanley, age 6 years and Thomas Stanley, age 2 years were admitted into the infirmary by order of the Trustees of York Township June 18, 1875. Birthplace not known. Length of residence in Township one year. Present condition helpless & destitute, abandoned by their father. Mother in the Insane Asylum. By order of B. LeFever, Director. Jack Sanders, Supt. Taken away by their Grandpa Casy July 7, 1875." - indicating that their mother's maiden name was Casy/Casey. Of course, it's possible that Ann's mother remarried a man named Casy/Casey, and he was the one to pick up the children. However, I have only seen a transcription of this - not the original document. It's also possible that it was transcribed incorrectly and the name was Cary/Carey or Cavy/Cavey - both names that were common in that area (although he could have certainly traveled from another area/state to get them).