Sunday, August 2, 2009

Morgan Family

I searched on FamilySearch for Anne Clarke Morgan, hoping to find a birth extraction for her. I found an Anne Clarke Morgan, daughter of Antony Morgan & Catherine christened 11 Feb 1844 in Langelynnin Parish, Merionethshire. Also a Hugh Morgan same date, place and parents. I speculated that these might be the children of the witness of the marriage, Anthony Thomas Morgan and that was why Anne married Charles Taylor there, as his wife wasn't able to travel. But then I wondered if it was possible that Anne Clarke Morgan, herself was being christened as an adult.

I put up a request on the Merionethshire Message Board at Rootsweb for the parish entry for Charles Taylor and Anne Clarke Morgan's marriage. I received a couple of responses and pieces of information, although not the record I had asked for. I asked if it was possible that these christenings could be for adults. The answer I got was it is possible and that there was another christening in the same location for the same parents, a week later, for Margaret Morgan. The parent's residences for all three christenings are listed as Hendre, however, there are no notations that say whether the entry was for an adult or an infant.

In addition, I received a note (see comment) of a will held in the National Library of Wales for an Anthony Morgan dated 1845. He is of Hendre, Llangelynnin, Merionethshire. In tracking down this will I found another for Anthony Thomas Morgan (the witness) in 1855, also a death record for him in both FreeBMD and North Wales BMD in Dolgelly District. Also a marriage in 1850 to a Sarah Coslett or Wood, in Llangelynnin Parish. (see North Wales BMD)

At the National Library of Wales I searched the Will database for Hendre, Llangelynnin & Merioneth. There were several wills. The earliest was in the 1695 and was for a gentleman named Anthoney Thomas. A couple for widows and a spinster through the 1700s and then an Mary Thomas, widow in 1785 which would be right around the time that Anthony Morgan and Catherine ought to be born. The final one was 1809 for Mary Morgan, widow although she was not listed as living at Hendre. Is it possible that Mary Morgan is a daughter of Mary Thomas, possibly the only living child and therefore receives the home estate, thereby passing into the Morgan family? There was also a will for a Evan Morgan of Llangelynnin Parish 1820. How is he related to Anthony? Possibly a father? That means Mary must have been his grandmother, since she was a widow in 1809.

I noticed a Marriage Bond database at the National Library of Wales and searched for Morgan at Llangelynnin and found only two. Anthony Morgan married Catherine Evans 2 Oct 1804 and Richard Humphreys Richards married Gwen Morgan 21 Dec 1835. This database only comes up to 1837, since the Civil Registration started then. So apparently the Gwen christened in 1813 married Richard Humphreys Richards.

So what I have right now on this family is:

Anthony Morgan (b. abt 1780 d. 1845) md. 2 Oct 1804 Catherine Evans (b. abt 1782 d. ?)
children:
Anthony Thomas Morgan (b. 1811 d. 1855) md. 1850 Sarah Coslett or Wood
Gwen Morgan (b. 1813) md. 1835 Richard Humphreys Richards
Hugh Morgan (b. abt 1815)
Margaret Morgan (b. abt 1817)
Anne Clarke Morgan (b. 1820 d. 1856) md. 1844 Charles Taylor

That leaves an awful gap between their marriage and their first child. Hmmm... I'll have to work on that.

I searched for any Ant(h)ony Morgan marrying between 1837 (beginning of Civil Registration; the Marriage Bond Index covers prior to 1837) and 1844. None listed on North Wales BMD site. One listed with FreeBMD an Anthony married Margaret Butler in 1841. But there were no Hugh, Anne or Margaret Morgan in FreeBMD or North Wales BMD that matches the 1844 christening dates. So, this suggests that these three children are the children of the Anthony Morgan & Catherine Evans married in 1804 and are christened as adults in 1844.

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