George Morgan’s Status at the Philadelphia Mint 0

[RWB]

Contrary to common belief and older hobby books, George T. Morgan was not made an assistant engraver at the Philadelphia Mint when he arrived from London in October 1876. That happened in January 1880.

 

Morgan was a direct employee of Mint Headquarters in Washington D.C., and given the title “Special Engraver” reporting directly to Mint Director Linderman, but paid from Philadelphia’s contingent funds. He was not the first “Special Employee” of the Mint Bureau. Several others were, or had been hired by Linderman to make examinations of the various mints or to report on sensitive situations. Linderman wanted independent information and he wanted it from people he personally appointed and trusted.

 

The Special Engraver title had never been used before and created confusion at the Philadelphia Mint. William Barber was the official, Presidentially-appointed, Senate-approved “Engraver of the United States at the Philadelphia Mint.” He was supervised by the Mint Superintendent James Pollock, and also took direction from Linderman, but could only be removed by the President, or for cause. Thus, Barber was technically top dog. However, Linderman’s Special Engraver title made Morgan the practical superior authority since he answered only to the Mint Director.

 

As can be imagined, it was tough going for all concerned after Morgan arrived. Superintendent Pollock resented Linderman’s authority, Barber resented Morgan’s every breath, and Linderman relied on Philadelphia Post Master A. Loudoun Snowden (formerly Coiner) for advice rather than Pollock and Barber.  Morgan worked in his apartment rented from Mrs. Eckfeldt and appeared at the mint only when necessary.

 

The tense situation was only resolved in April 1878 when Linderman threatened to send Charles Barber to San Francisco to harden dies, unless everyone worked “heartily and cheerfully” together. By late 1878 an uneasy truce was in place as everyone struggled to procure, refine and coin $2 million in silver every month.

 

The story doesn’t end there. Director Linderman died in January 1879. The new director, Horatio Burchard retained Morgan with the same terms and title as before. On September 1, William Barber died while vacationing at the New Jersey shore. That left Morgan, Charles Barber and William Key as engravers of one title or another. Morgan was the most experienced and held the superior title, but Burchard wasn’t quite sure what to do and left much in the hands of Pollock who favored Charles Barber. To add a layer of confusion, the Secretary of the Treasury wasn’t notified of William Barber’s death for two months. There was no open investigation of possible “Engraver” candidates and recommendations favoring Morgan from Royal Mint Deputy Master Sir Charles Fremantle got lost. It appears that Morgan took a leadership role during the last part of 1879, but there’s nothing clearly official to this effect.

 

With no official recommendations, Pollock arranged for Charles Barber’s name to be put forward to the President. Morgan was not a U.S. citizen at that time, which left the Younger Barber as an obvious candidate. Charles Barber was approved in January as the next “Engraver of the United States at the Philadelphia Mint,” Morgan was offered and accepted the senior “Assistant Engraver” position and William Key remained an “Assistant Engraver” doing mostly wreaths, ornaments, logo punches and the like.

 

This is a summary, but it might be of interest to collectors.

[Timely]

Soap opera central!

[bsshog40]

Nice info Roger. I still have the book "The private sketchbook of George T. Morgan" that I won win NGC use to have trivia contests. Actually I have a few books I won. Lol 

Edited November 20, 2019 by bsshog40

[DWLange]

I highly recommend Roger's latest book, Girl on the Silver Dollar. In addition to addressing the story of Anna Williams, it goes into great detail about the step-by-step evolution of Morgan's 1878 dollars and also the 1918 Pittman Act that destroyed so many of them.