Freitag, 16. November 2007

The children of David Morgan and his legacy

Left Click on picture to enlarge
Descendant of David Morgan
professor Dr. John Morgan, Surgeon General in the Revolution

I have taken on the task of separating the Morgans of the Philadelphia area, as best I can, in order to get some clarity as to which Evan was which and which George was which. And who was this Morgan and that. Through Wills I have been able to sort out quite a few. This is one family. Judging from the accomplishments of his from the results of his offspring, they were an exceptionally educated family. Grandson John was the founder and first professor of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania Medical School. John Morgan also became Surgeon General of the Revolutionary armies. These Morgans were exceptional in every way. They were generally kind, brilliant, brave, adventuresome and successful.

David Morgan came to Pennsylvania between 1700- 1717 with at least 4 children. David may have been in Philadelphia/Chester by 1700. He was possibly born 22 NOV 1669 in Radnorshire,Wales IGI (I cannot verify that-so do not quote the date). David Morgan either returned to Wales or died 1718 in Radnor,Chester Co. ,Pa. leaving his American family the inscription on the flyleaf of the family Bible which son John Morgan willed to his niece, the granddaughter of David and the daughter of David (Jr.). Her name is unknown. Quote courtesy of- click here.

"I, David Morgan, Gentleman of Wales, bequeath to my descendants in America the comfortable certainty: They came neither from Kings or Nobles but from a long line of true Gentlemen and women with unstained Names. "

David Morgan's grandson George Morgan once wrote that their "ancestors retired to the mountains rather than be enslaved by William of Normandy, called William the Conqueror."

Great great great granddaughter Sarah Morgan became the Civil War's most brilliant diarist. She died in Paris, France where she had moved after she was deeply disappointed by the morals of her fellow country men in Charleston who cheated her of her inheritance from her husband Francis Warrington Dawson, a Charleston newspaper owner. Her son Phillip Hickey Dawson brought her body from Paris to SC and buried her in Charleston. (See her family tree at bottom of page.)
Sarah Morgan: The Civil War Diary Of A Southern Woman by Charles East (Paperback - Oct 1, 1992)

David's son Evan Morgan had property in Chester Co, as well as interest at the Mt Holly NJ Iron works in Burlington Co. Evan Morgan bought a lot and built a house in Chester in 1725, and soon acquired other property in NJ at Mt Holly and near Princeton. At the Sign of the Two Sugar Loaves in Market Street (where for a time the mathematician Theophilus Grew was his partner), he dealt in a wide variety of goods.

By the terms of Evan's will the children's uncle, Thomas Morgan of Chester (I do not know WHICH Thomas of Chester-there were several) and Evan's friend, Samuel Hazard of Philadelphia were named executors. In addition Evan appointed four trustees for the minor children. One of these was the Baptist minister Jenkin Jones; another was William Allen. A neighbor of Evan Morgan in Water Street, downtown Philadelphia, William Allen was said to be the wealthiest merchant in the city. Evan's brother John had already died:

John Morgan, son of David, lived in Providence, Chester Co and his wife Margaret Powell of Chester died in Trydifferin, Montogomery/Chester Co PA. Trydifferin is on the far eastern corner of Chester and taking part of the life in Radnor which is partly in Chester and officially in Delaware Co. Providence must be on the border to Montgomery Co and Delaware Co- the far corner. Trydifferin adjoins Montgomery at Lower Merion. Merion Quaker Meeting is a sister meeting to Radnor Meeting and Gwynedd Meeting. Montgomery Co. So your relatives are probably in in 3 counties. This also makes it difficult to discern between them all. The family in general were of the intellectual sort, as were many Welshmen. They could read, write, and believed in education. I picture them doing farm work by day and burning the candles at night to write poetry and do astronomical calculations.























Where online trees turned out to have useful and correct information, I included the links in blue. Please click on them to obtain email contact with the descendants.
Known children of David Morgan Sr. of Wales (there could be more):
  1. Has Children Evan MORGAN b: 1700 - married Joanna Biles in 1724 in Chester/Delaware, Pa, grand-daughter of William Biles, one of the earliest Quaker settlers of Bucks County, who had preceded William Penn to America. Spendlove Leatham Genealogy William Biles was a justice of the Upland Court, and it was at this house that the first known meeting of Friends at the Falls of Neshaminy was held in 1683. Of Joann's great-grandfather Blackshaw, family tradition states that he was a country gentlemen of Cheshire, who commanded a company in the army of Charles I. Randall Blackshaw, son of the Cavalier captain, became a Quaker and , in 1682, migrated to America, where he purchased 1,500 acres of land near the Falls of Neshaminy. Joanna Biles was thus descended from two of the earliest and staunchest Quaker families in the colony. When she married Baptist Evan Morgan she was, of course, promptly disowned. His son John MORGAN received a classical education at Nottingham Academy in Chester County, Pennsylvania, before entering the College of Philadelphia (now the University of Pennsylvania) on May 25, 1754. He was the Surgeon General for the Revolution. Will: Date: 2 Jul 1743 Prove Date: 2 Dec 1748 BookPage: G:355
    Remarks: Morgan, Evan. City of Philadelphia. July 2, 1743. December 2, 1748. G.355. Brother: Thomas of Chester. Children: Morris, Evan, John, Thomas, Benjamin, George, Martha, Mary, and Hannah. Exec: Thomas Morgan and Samiwell Hazard. Trustees: William Allen, Septimus Robeson, Jenkin Jons and Evan Morgan.
  2. Has No Children Thomas MORGAN b: 1700 in Philadelphia, PA (?) I can't decide which one he is-there are 3 which I can find. There may be more:
    Name: Thomas Morgan - most likely
    Description: Decedent
    Prove Date: 22 Dec 1756
    Remarks: Thomas Morgan of Chester. December 22, 1756. Adm. to Joseph Ashbridge and John Taylor.
  3. Has No Children John MORGAN b: ca 1697 married Margaret Taylor Powell born 1701 in Chester PA no children known and no children in his will
    Will of David's son John Morgan Wills of Chester Co ( outside of Philadelphia)
    Name: John Morgan
    Title: Yeoman
    Description: Decedent
    Date: 5 Aug 1731
    Prove Date: 11 Oct 1731
    Book/Page: A:337
    Remarks: Morgan, John. Providence, yeoman. 8/5/1731. October 11, 1731. A.337. To wife Margaret all lands and plantation forever. To 3 brothers David, Evan and Thomas Morgan a bond of Wm. James. To my niece, brother David's second daughter, my bible. To Owen Thomas the baptist minister £10. To ye baptist meeting at Philadelphia £3. To John Beckingham £5. Executors: wife Margaret, brother Thomas and father in law John Powell.( Daughter of John Powell and Elizabeth Taylor):
    Margaret Taylor Powell b: 1701 in Chester County, Pa who died 14 Sep 1764 in Tredyffrin Twp., Chester, Pa and buried Great Valley Bpt, Churchyard, Tredyffrin, Pa (Thanks to Spendlove Leatham Genealogy) it was a community bound by deply religious Quakers and Baptists. The Quakers got disowned for marrying the Baptists which is why there are more Baptists today than Quakers. My family was one of the disowned Quakers around 1800.
  4. Has No Children David MORGAN b: 1700 in Philadelphia, PA or Wales at least 2 girls. 2nd girl mentioned but unnamed in Will of John Morgan
  5. ?George Morgan?
    Title: Yeoman
    Description: Decedent
    Date: 1 Aug 1746
    Prove Date: 6 Aug 1746
    Book/Page: B:202
    Remarks: George Morgan of U. Providence, yeoman. August 1, 1746. August 6, 1746. B. 202. To the friends of Goshen and Newtown Meetings £5 each. To my 2 daughters, Elizabeth wife of John Rowels of Carolina and Susanna wife of Henry Philips of Chester Co, and granddaughter Gennet Morris, all remainder of estate real and personal. Executors: friends Geo. Ashbridge Jr and Ellis Williams. Letterst to Ashbridge the other renouncing. Witnesses: John Wm. son (Williamson), Abraham Hoopes, John Pritchet.
    George Morgan married unknown children:
    Elizabeth m John Rowls
    Susanna m Henry Philips
    unknown girl married Morris child Gennet
  6. ?Benjamin Morgan?
  7. who else?
Evan Morgan and Joanna Biles' children
  1. Morris MORGAN ( b: ABT 1730 in Chester, Delaware, Pennsylvania- Morris, the oldest, "open, generous & brave, " died of yellow fever in the West Indies after 1748, and his only son died young, as a family record states, by some unspecified "Act of Bravary.") appears in Burlington New Jersey Wills page 346 Name: Morris Morgan
    Date: 12 May 1748
    18 years of age, son of Evan Morgan, late of Philada. Peter Bard, of Philada., appointed guardian. Bennet Bard, of Burlington Co., fellow bondsman. Peter and Bennet are sons of Peter: Page: 36
    Name: Peter Bard
    Date: 09 Oct 1732
    Location: Burlington Co.
    will of. "At the first opportunity for London, a letter shall be sent to Mr. John Monteaud, who will give information as to whether my father, Benoist Bard, be living, and, if so, £50 is to be remitted to him in France." Children--Benoist, Peter, Samuel, John, William, Mary and Rebecca. Real and personal estate. Wife, Dinah, sole executrix. Witnesses--Edmund Cowgill, Jun., Edward Shippen. Proved Aug. 16, 1734.
    Lib. 3, p. 427.
    Burlington Wills, 4185 C.
  2. Evan MORGAN-(Will Proved: 15 Jun 1775 in Philadelphia) m. Mary
    Date: 1 Jul 1774
    Prove Date: 15 Jun 1775
    BookPage: Q:174
    Remarks: Evan Morgan. Phila. 1 July 1774. 15 June 1775. Wife: Mary. Execs.: Mary Morgan and brothers John and Geo. Morgan. John, son of Geo. Morgan. Sister: Hannah Stillman. Niece: Mary Gordon. Q:174.
  3. John MORGAN (b. 16 Oct 1735 - 15 Oct 1789 in Philadelphia) Surgeon General during the Rev., Founder and first professor of medicine in Penn's medical school
  4. Thomas MORGAN ( - died of yellow fever in Jamaica )
  5. Benjamin MORGAN ( - d. 1762 lost at sea- on a ship from Jamaica? while John was studying medicine at Edinburgh)
  6. Hannah MORGAN ( ca 1837 PA-1821 Boston ) married Rev. Samuel Stillman b: 27 FEB 1737 in Philadelphia, PA. "one of the best of Men" The pair moved first to James Island SC and then to Boston MASS. click for children- Samuel [Sr Rev] Stillman
  7. Mary Morgan- see below
  8. Martha MORGAN ( ca 1740-1758 ) married Feb 1758 ? Chester PA to John Austin b: 1739 in FREDRICK CO, MARYLAND one child known- VIOLINDA AUSTIN b: 1758
  9. George Morgan (click for all children) (b: 14 FEB 1743 in New Jersey, buried Family burying ground at Morganza, Washington County, Pennsylvania ) had a long career as an Indian trader, land speculator, and scientific farmer, and left his name at Morganza in western Pennsylvania. Hemarried Mary Baynton. Daughter of John Baynton and wife Elizabeth. George, had a long career as an Indian trader, land speculator, and scientific farmer, and left his name at Morganza in western Pennsylvania. He and John were often associated, and his son was John's principal heir-John's children: Morgan, Thomas Gibbes b: 12 JUN 1799 in Prospect,N. J., Near Princeton at his grandfather's plantation -grew up in Pennsylvania- father of the famous Civil War Diarist-Sarah Morgan who brought up on a LA plantation and was one of the most brilliant minds of her era Has Children Ann MORGAN b: WFT Est. 1791-1815Has No Children Morris Morgan b: 1808 in Pennsylvania Bedford Morgan b: BEF 1819 James B. Morgan b: BEF 1819 in New Jersey. Name: Geo. Morgan [son of Evan] and Joseph Bullock.
    Description: Sons-in-law
    Date: 3 Mar 1773
    Prove Date: 22 Jan 1776
    BookPage: Q:255
    Remarks:     John Baynton. Phila. Merchant. 3 March 1773. 22 Jan 1776. Wife: Elizabeth (ELIZABETH Chevalier b: 9 Oct 1726 in Philadelphia) Children: Peter, John, co-exec., Elizabeth, Benjamin, Jane, Susannah, Rebekah, Ann, Charlotte, Mary, wife of Geo. Morgan, and Esther, wife of Joseph Bullock. Execs. and Guardians: Robt. Morgan, Abel James, Joseph Fox, Cadwalader Evans, Samuel Howell, John Morgan, John and Peter Chevalier and son in law Joseph Bullock [husband of Esther]. Q:255.
There is some question about the following children because of what was written in some older books (1876). It is my experience that although many old books have a core of truth in them, they often mislead because much which is written is not proven, being word of mouth, and in fact later proven to be partly untrue or wholly untrue.
  1. Mary MORGAN ( - died 1831 in Menallen,Adams,Pa. or in Robbstown,Westmoreland Co.,Pa Burial: Round Hill Presbyterian Cem.,Elizabeth.,Allegheny Co.,Pa) m. 30 JUL 1762 in St. Pauls Church Philadelphia,P Frederick Warren
  2. Anne MORGAN (b: in Philadelphia- ) m. Thomas Bond

Click to enlarge image-

Other resources for other Morgans:
Resources for the area of Durham Furnace and beyond to Nj and Delaware
Hunterdon Maps
NJ Maps
Freepages NJ land outside of Bucks PA
MORGAN DNA not all descendants are uploaded to the first group
Philadelphia and Chester Co Morgan David Morgan Blog
Morgan Log House 850 Weikel Road, Towamencin, PA 19443 (215) 368-2480
Early residents map of Chester made by George Smith, but I cannot find a full blown up copy online-referred to on this site
Landholders of Philadelphia County, 1734
Primitive Baptist Welch Tract in Delaware
US Genweb all states
Main Directory for rootsweb
Notes on Morgans from the Morgan Society
History of Radnor Township
Chester Co PA Wills for Morgan on Ancestry.com
Article about Edward Morgan
Some information and thoughts about the tree of Lewis Morgan
Ancestry docs for Morgan
Rootsweb discussion of Edward Morgan with correct and incorrect information
Ancestry tree by Pamela Clem for s/o Edward- Joseph Morgan's children
but very questionable information about him being the son of James Morgan
Merion Monthly Meeting PA Burial and marriage records on rootsweb
Landholders of Philadelphia 1734 on rootsweb

Who is this David Morgan? I have no added him as our David because there are no daughters mentioned.
Name: David Morgan
Residence: Bristol, Philadelphia Co., PA
Description: Decedent
Date: 3 Jan 1728
Prove Date: 8 Jan 1728
Title: Millwright
BookPage: E:95
Remarks: David Morgan. Bristol, Co. of Philadelphia. Millwright. January 3, 1728/9. January 8, 1728/9. E.95. Wife: Esther. Children: Evan, William. Exec: Esther Morgan, Henry Pastorious, John Lucken, Junr.
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