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Thomas Wolfe Morgan was born in New Orleans and received his education in Warren, Ohio, and New Orleans. 

Morgan came to California via the Panama route in 1857, arriving in December of that year, after which he engaged as an assistant to James Ferrill, United States department surveyor, then in Monterey County. He remained with him for four months, and having acquired a knowledge of the science in the University of North Carolina he continued his studies.In 1861 Morgan decided on an Engineering career and was soon engaged with Robert L. Harris in a survey of the first horse railroad in San Francisco. He continued with Mr. Harris for a period of four years, during which he did instrumental work on Point San Jose survey, and at Black Poi'nt Fort in 1863. and the following two years was transit man on the Harris work for the Central Pacific Railroad. He next surveyed under George C. Potter, of San Francisco, as leveler and computer, and later as chief draughtsman to Wheaton for two years.

In 1868, he formed the partnership of Morgan & Smith,  civil engineering and surveying. They had charge of the land party in the survey of the Oakland water front, and in 1870 were chief engineers in the survey of the first horse railroad in Sacramento. In 1872 they surveyed the town of Calistoga and in the following year began work as deputy to T. J. Arnold, Oakland city engineer, and made a map of the northern addition to Oakland. In 1873 Mr. Morgan was put in charge as chief deputy, and remained so until the death of Mr. Arnold in 1878, when he was appointed city engineer by the city council, holding the position until the new charter went into effect in April, 1889.

Morgan became his own successor by appointment of the board of public works. He made preliminary surveys of Cliff house, the steam railroad, and also laid off the grounds on Sutro Heights for the proprietor. He was a member of the Technical Society of the Pacific Coast, and also California Society of Civil Engineers. He was a man of great inventive ability and many excellent ideas of his were prolific of splendid results in a mechanical way. He was a man of diversified talents, home-loving to a degree, an excellent violin player, a good conversationalist and necessarily an entertaining companion. For some time he was associated with Apollo Lodge, I. O. O. F., the only secret society to which he ever belonged. He was far-sighted and of keen judgment, and made many investments in land in East Oakland, Piedmont Heights, and in Point Richmond, the last named town being laid out by him. His own residence was built from plans drawn up by his wife, to whom he deeded the property. Mr. M organ’s death occurred August 3, 1904, in the midst of his career, and many there were who mourned his loss and remember well his name and the good he did to his fellowmen while passing through this life.

Mr. Morgan was married in Santa Cruz December 25, 1865, to Miss Christina Agnes Ross, who was born in Oxford, Ontario, October 16, 1847, a daughter of Daniel and Janet (MacNeille) Ross, both natives of Scotland, in which land they were reared and married. They immigrated to Canada in 1843, with five sons and one daughter, a son and two daughters being born in Canada. They came to California in 1856. Of their thirteen children but three are living. namely: Daniel, of Los Gatos: Jennie. wife of W. A. Sanborn. of Watsonville; and Mrs. T. W. Morgan. To Mr. and Mrs. Morgan the following children were born: Ross, born in 1867, a graduate of the University of California in the class of 1891, and now engaged as a civil hydraulic and mining engineer; M. De Neale, born in 1868, a graduate of the school of design of San Francisco and an artist of marked ability; Janet H., born in 1870 and died in 1877; Thomas W., Jr., born in 1875, a graduate of the high school and a draughtsman; Dana Roberdeau, a student of civil engineering; James Wheat, born in 1881, a surveyor; and Jennie Christine, born in 1884, and a teacher of music.