Research Report: Samuel C. Morgan Cordell — Finding His Parents

Subject

Samuel William "Sam" Cordell (born Samuel C. Morgan)

Born as Samuel C. Morgan, raised by a Cordell family and took their surname
Married Annie May Gum in 1913 in Pocahontas County, West Virginia
3 sons (Russell, James, Charles) and 6+ daughters (Anna Davenport, Martha Church, Myrtie Guinn, Ethel Potter, Odell Fields, Mary Licharowicz)
Occupation: Spinner at a rayon mill (1930 Census); later a retired farmer
Member of East Side Christian Church, Elizabethton
Resided at Rt. 1, Bluefield Avenue, Elizabethton at time of death

Year	Location
1894	Shell Creek, Carter County, TN (birth)
1913	Pocahontas County, WV (marriage)
1930	11th Civil District, Carter County, TN
1935	Rwanda (possibly Roan Mountain area), TN
1940	Cranberry Township, Avery County, NC
1971	Elizabethton, Carter County, TN (death)

Surname almost certainly Morgan based on:
- Samuel's birth name was Samuel C. Morgan
- His obituary lists two half-brothers with the surname Morgan, including Henry Morgan (Rt. 5, Austin...)
The "half-brother" designation suggests they share the same Morgan father but had different mothers, OR same mother with a different father

State: Tennessee
County: Carter
Township: 11th Civil District
Occupation: Spinner
Industry: Rayon mill
Occupation Code: 77X8 (census office classification code for textile spinner)

The rayon mill was almost certainly the American Bemberg or American Glanzstoff plant in Elizabethton, which opened 1926-1929.

Source: Johnson City Press-Chronicle, 26 July 1971, Monday, Page 2
Key excerpt: Lists "two half-brothers, Henry Morgan, Rt. 5, Austin..." (obituary image is cut off at bottom — full text needed)

Source	URL
Find a Grave Memorial	https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/147286245/samuel_william-cordell
Find a Grave Obituary Image	https://images.findagrave.com/photos/2021/281/147286245_5af1c800-4cc6-4dc1-9a74-900937bb558a.jpeg
FamilySearch Person Page	https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/K4GV-6X7
1930 Census Occupation Codes (Steve Morse)	http://stevemorse.org/census/ocodes.htm
1930 Census Codes Overview (Steve Morse)	http://stevemorse.org/census/codes.html
National Archives 1930 Census	https://www.archives.gov/research/census/1930

Obtain Tennessee Death Certificate (1971) — Should list parents' names. Order from Tennessee Vital Records.
Get full obituary text — Johnson City Press-Chronicle, 26 Jul 1971, Page 2 (available on Newspapers.com). The bottom is cut off and likely names the second half-brother.
Find Ettie May Cordell in census records — Search 1880, 1900, 1910 Census in Carter County, TN.
Research Henry Morgan (half-brother) — Alive in 1971 at "Rt. 5, Austin..." — tracing him back could reveal the shared Morgan father.
Carter County marriage records — Look for any marriage between Ettie May Cordell and a Morgan man.
1900 Census — Search for a 6-year-old Samuel in Carter County (Shell Creek area) under both Morgan and Cordell households.
1910 Census — Search for a 16-year-old Samuel in Carter County or Pocahontas County, WV.
WWI Draft Registration (1917-1918) — Search under both "Samuel Cordell" and "Samuel Morgan" — the "nearest relative" field may name a parent.
West Virginia marriage record (1913) — Pocahontas County marriage records may list his parents.

What does the "C" in "Samuel C. Morgan" stand for? Could it be "Cordell" (added after being taken in)?
Is "Rwanda" in 1935 actually Roan Mountain, Carter County, TN?
What is the relationship between Ettie May Cordell and Samuel? Was she his biological mother, or another Cordell relative who raised him?
Who was the Morgan man? Did he marry Ettie May, or was Samuel born out of wedlock?
Where exactly is "Rt. 5, Austin..." from the obituary? (Austin, TX? Or is the text cut off — could be another town?)

Report compiled: May 2026