In the late summer of 1937, the train brought a teacher to Clyo to be interviewed for a job. That petite lady was Miss Edna G. Quinby.
She met the school board, got the job and stayed in Clyo boarding there and becoming my father’s first grade teacher. She honored him with a gift of a book for reading the most books in her class during the year. Arthur Exley, now 78 years of age, still prizes his book.
Miss Quinby was very energetic and soon became well liked in the community. She brought life to school programs, operettas, closing events and soon took the eye of a certain gentleman in Clyo.
Edna, a native of Charleston, S.C., was a daughter of Bertrand A. and Lillie (Burn) Quinby. Born in 1913, Edna had five sisters and one brother. She is now the eldest of four surviving sisters.
Graduating from Julian Mitchell School and Memminger High School, she attended the College of Charleston graduating with an A.D. degree with majors in Latin and mathematics. In 1939, she received a Masters degree from George Peabody College for Teachers in Nashville after four summers. She also took graduate courses through the years at what is now known as Georgia Southern University in Statesboro.
After her first two years of teaching in Clyo, Edna returned to Charleston and taught for one year at Sullivan’s Island.
Edna met future husband Hollis Morgan at Wingard Memorial Lutheran Church in Clyo. He visited her after she went back to Charleston and on July 14, 1940, she married Hollis Albert Morgan in the Church of the Holy Communion, where she was a member and former Episcopal Sunday School Teacher. They made their home near Clyo and became parents of three children: B. Ryal Morgan, Ashley A. Morgan and Sylvia (Morgan) Hendrix. They have one granddaughter and four grandsons.
After 52 years of marriage her husband passed away in September 1992. Edna enjoys her seven great-grandchildren and looks forward to the birth of her eighth great-grand, which will make daughter Sylvia a first time grandmother.
She either taught or substituted when needed after her marriage except for a few years when she stayed home having her own children. Edna taught for a total of 31 years in the Effingham County School system, 18 years at Clyo Consolidated High School, two years at Effingham Junior High School and retired in June 1975 after 11 years at Effingham County High School. During her career, she taught on every level from first grade through the 12th.
Mrs. Edna’s memory is still good and she told much about her life in an oral history video made by the Historic Effingham Society in 2001. After she married, they lived in her husband’s family home. She learned how to can and preserve produce and fruit from her mother-in-law Susan Googie Morgan, with whom they lived.
They were members of the beef club that Edna later documented as a community custom before refrigeration explaining the details of it for Historic Effingham Society’s history they were preparing. It was after marriage before Edna learned or was licensed to drive as she and her family had always walked everywhere in Charleston. Driving a Model A with shifting gears, she passed her first driving test, requiring her at one point to back up, which she has always avoided as often as possible when parking.
Edna has led an active life in church, community and school affairs. After having been a First Class Scout and Scout Leader for several years in Charleston, she organized the Clyo Girl Scout Troop, the first in Effingham County. She served on the Effingham County Library Board.
During World War II, Morgan served with other teachers in the Clyo School in registering people in the Clyo School District for gasoline and food ration stamps. In addition, she took turns as a volunteer at Mallory’s store as airplane spotter for the Aircraft Warning System. Edna was a member of the PTA and served as officer, holding all offices except president.
As an active member of Wingard Memorial Lutheran Church, she is a former teacher and superintendent of the Sunday School and former President of the WELCA (formerly called LCW). She is a member of the Clyo Homemakers Club, for which she has written a thirty year history.
As an alumna of Peabody College, she joined the Alumni Association of Vanderbilt University when the two colleges merged. Edna holds life membership in the following organizations: College of Charleston Alumni Association, Georgia Salzburger Society (Associate), Historic Effingham Society, Effingham Retired Teachers Association and Georgia Retired Teachers Association. Edna joined the United Daughters of the Confederacy Effingham County Hussars Chapter No. 2285 and has enjoyed attending their annual conventions. She still enjoys attending meetings and socializing with people who have similar interests.
When the Georgia Retired Teachers Association asked members to send articles about their early teaching experience for a bicentennial book, Morgan was a contributor. Rebah Mallory asked Edna to help write an article about John Adam Treutlen and one about Tuckasee King for the History of Effingham County, Georgia 1733-1976. After doing this, she compiled two more articles and assisted with typing and proofreading. Edna helped her daughter-in-law, Norma, do a history of Mizpah School and Mizpah United Methodist Church.
From recorded minutes, Mrs. Edna also authored a history of Zion Baptist Church of which only a cemetery exists. In 1998, Mrs. Edna compiled materials left to Historic Effingham Society by Rebah Mallory, becoming the author of John Adam Truetlen- Georgia’s First Constitutional Governor-His Life, Real and Rumored. She was also a valuable contributor to River to River the History of Effingham County when it was published by Historic Effingham Society.
Not only is Edna a beloved citizen of the county, she counts herself as a lucky lady in the face of a tragedy that her family faced on a Thursday in 1964 when the Morgan home burned. The family all safely exited the home only saving a few clothes, a cedar chest, a few important documents and their automobile.
On the same day the Allen brothers, George and Albert, of Clyo offered the Morgans a choice of three empty homes they owned for a temporary residence. After the Morgans chose the temporary home, the community came together under leadership of Edna Allen, Juanita Allen and Carolyn Morgan. By late Saturday they had completely cleaned and furnished the home. On Sunday afternoon, the ladies held an open house in the temporary home where people in the community turned out to further offer aid to the Morgans. That furniture they collected, later moved to the Morgan’s rebuilt home, still serves Edna to this day. She describes the support and aid of the community in such a rapid manner as “remarkable.”
Although she is a survivor of heart attack, angioplasty and open heart surgery in 1999, she states, “I got over that OK.” She has had cataract surgery improving her sight to be able to continue to read, one of her pastimes. No longer getting about quite as much, “Mrs. Edna” still enjoys going to church, driving to the hairdresser, visiting with her friends or family and attending social events including Clyo Club meetings.
The 1937 train brought Clyo a great lady who has been and still is a teacher, delightful friend, fount of information and vital citizen in our community. This was made very evident in June of 2009, when Mrs. Edna Q. Morgan received the John Adam Treutlen Award, awarded by the Effingham County Chamber of Commerce, indicative of her lifetime of community service. State Rep. Jon Burns, a former student, presented a proclamation from Gov. Sonny Perdue in her honor on the occasion. I am sure we all agree that Effingham County is indeed very lucky that the 1937 train brought us this well respected and loved 96-year-old lady who made Clyo her home and now means so much to her family, friends and our community.
This was written by Susan Exley of Historic Effingham Society. If you have photos, comments or information to share, contact Susan Exley at 754-6681 or email her at: susanexley@historiceffinghamsociety.org.
