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| The Morgan Surname
Originally Morgan was a personal forename found throughout the Pre-Roman Britain, except in the far north. The Morgan name also became associated as a sept of the Clan MacKay in Scotland illustrating the relationships between the Celtic peoples of the islands. The power base of the Morgans after the Roman invasion of AD43 was centered in the area that we know today as South Wales and is demonstrated by the name even being represented in the county names of Glamorgan. The area between Cardiff (Caerdydd) the capital of Wales and Bridgend (Pen-y-Bont ar Ogwr) and including some of the most popular coast resorts in Wales is known as the Vale of Glamorgan. This piece of history was contributed by historian, John Orchard. I have conducted my own research on the Morgan Family back to the early to mid-1800's, and with the help of cousins, Vivian Sauders Kivett, Gerry Berry and Fred Morgan, was able to verify an illegitimacy that caused a road block in my research for several years. I am very grateful for their help. Much of the historical information I've obtained on our Morgan line in Moore County, NC before 1803 is from the research of Stella Morgan through Vivian. The information I've presented on the Morgan emigration from Glamorgan, Wales to America is from the early research of Michael A. Morgan (who has more detailed info on his website) as well as Stella Morgan. My direct line is in bold. I will continue to research and verify more as time permits. |
| The Morgans of Glamorgan, Wales
Our Morgans originated in Glamorgan, South Wales on a farming estate that was then known as Llanrhymney. They had family connections to the Morgans of Tredegar House in Monmouthshire. The Morgans were loyal to King Charles I of England, who visited the Morgans at the Tredegar House in 1645. Sir Thomas Morgan was thought to have built Pencoed Castle in the early 1600's. (See Pecoed Castle photos. Thomas had a son, Sir Edward Morgan, who became Colonel-General of the Loyalist Army of South Wales under the Earl of Carbery. In 1649, King Charles I was beheaded and Sir Edward Morgan went into exile in Germany where he met and married Lady Anna Petronnella, daughter of the city mayor of Lippstadt, Germany. In 1651 King Charles II was crowned as the King of England. He appointed Sir Edward Morgan as the Lieutenant-Governor of Jamaica. In 1665, Edward died of a heart attack while raiding the Dutch colony of St. Eustatius Island. Edward's nephew, Sir Henry Morgan married Edward's daughter, Mary Elizabeth Morgan. Henry was the son of Robert Morgan, Edward's brother. While he and Elizabeth had no children, he cared for Edward's family. Even though Sir Edward Morgan and Sir Henry Morgan held royal commissions from the King of England as privateers, they are listed in history as Pirates of the Carribean, especially Sir Henry Morgan's exploits. After England signed a peace treaty with Spain, Sir Henry Morgan was put on trial, but was acquitted with the help of his kinsman Sir William Morgan of Tredegar. Soon England was warring with Spain again, and King Charles II knighted Sir Henry Morgan. John Dorian Morgan was born about 1648 as the youngest child to Edward Morgan. In the 1680's he emigrated to Essex County, VA where he settled with this wife, Hannah. He had a son named John Morgan who married Ann Barbee. They settled in Essex County, VA in St. Ann Parish on Occypacia Creek. After John's death, Ann married Dr. Thomas Caruthers who sold all her property rights in 1739. Ann moved to Onslow County, NC where she died. Her sons had to start over acquiring their own property. Her son, Joseph Morgan, became one of the first Judges of Onslow County, NC. His brother William became the county Constable. Their brother Nathan opened a trading post in the wilderness, mostly trading with the Indians. Their brother, Mark Morgan (1712-1792), obtained 400 acres in Bladen County, NC on October 9, 1747, (now Orange County). The property joined the South side of Newhope on Morgan Creek. Mark lived there with his wife Sarah Hinton until his death. |
| Our Morgan Family
John Morgan (1742-1800), son of Mark Morgan and Sarah Hinton, migrated to Moore County, NC in 1785 with his wife Elizabeth. He sold his portion of his father's estate. His sister was Nancy Ann Morgan, whose married name was Nancy Morgan Hart. She defied the Tories during the American Revolutionary War. She stood six feet tall and had flaming red hair. She was renowned for her marksmanship with a musket. The neighboring Indians called her "Wahatchee," meaning "The War Woman". John�s brother, Solomon Morgan, owned a portion of the land that the University of North Carolina is located. His tombstone is still on campus grounds. John Morgan died in 1800 leaving a will, transcribed below. His sons George, William, and Joseph moved West, settling in Wilcox County as squatters until the land opened for official settlement. The Morgan�s staked claims in today's Wilcox County. James Pleasant Morgan (1780-1848) married Elizabeth Webb Estes. She is referred to as Webby in some records. They lived in the Cabin Creek area of Moore County, NC. Their son John Morgan was born in 1803. He married Malinda Richardson. Their children were Susan, Nathan, Sarah, John, Malinda, Elizabeth, Jane, William, Thomas, Lovedy, George, Jenny, Mark, Lydia and James. |
| John Andrew Morgan is on the top row with a pipe in his mouth. His wife Camillia Deaton is right beside him. They are pictured with their daughters, two son-in-laws, and three sons in WWI miliary uniform. Their first grandchild is the baby. This photo was dated 1917-1918. |
| Jenny Ann Waity Morgan, daughter of John Morgan and Elizabeth Webb Estes, was referred to by several names. It appears that she was officially named Jenny Ann Morgan, but somehow acquired the nickname "Waity" or "Wadey". Her first child was born out of wedlock and we do not know his father's identity. Her son, John Andrew Morgan was born around 1871 and is my gg-grandfather. For so long I spent time looking for John's father and began to suspect that he had no father when I found a Waity Deaton in the census with a son John at the right age. I marked it and left it in my files until fellow researcher and cousin Vivian Saunders Kivett contacted. She verified that Waity had married an Isaac Deaton and John was listed as a Deaton in the 1880 census. However, as an adult, John did not take his stepfather's surname. He went by his mother's maident name, Morgan. John married Camillia Deaton on February 11, 1891 in Moore County, NC. Their marriage license was applied for by a Haywood Morgan and unknown was listed as John's father. His mother was Wadey Morgan and she was still living at the time of their marriage. The couple later settled in Guilford County where they raised ten children on their farm. Camillia died on November 28, 1919. John married a second time to Maude Candlin. Frances was the only child born of the second union. She married and moved to California. |
| The children of John Andrew Morgan and Camillia Deaton
Ida Morgan Ila Morgan Ethel Morgan Ethan Morgan Renzie Morgan Ernest Morgan Felicia Morgan This page was last updated January 18, 2009. |
