ORIGIN OF THE MORGART & MORGRET SURNAMES
There is some conjecture and speculation as to the origin of the MORGART
and
MORGRET surnames.
No substantiated proof has yet been found. Some believe that the MORGRET
name originated in France, possibly from the name
MARQUARDT.
Others think that the MORGART name may have originated in England or Wales,
perhaps from
MORGAN.
One thing is fairly certain, both of the surnames, MORGART and MORGRET,
originated from the surname
MORGERT.
In Peter Morgert's Revolutionary War Pension Application, he signed his name
MORGERT.
His name is also signed
MORGERT
in his several Tavern License Applications. Peter's Will is signed
MORGERT.
He is listed in the 1785 Tax Assesment of Providence Township as Peter
MORGERT.
George is clearly listed in early Census Reports as
MORGERT.
In
George's Will, his name goes from
MORGERT
to
MORGRET,
although he signed it
MORGERT.
Philip and his younger brother, Peter Junior, are both listed as
MORGERT
in Colerain's 1814 Tax Assessment. In Bethel Township's 1814 Tax Assessment,
George's surname is spelled
MORGART,
while his son's (John) name is spelled
MORGERT.
Three yers later, in Bethel Township's 1817 Tax Listing, both George and John's
surname is
spelled
MORGERT.
Peter and George are believed to be the sons of Philip
MORGERT,
who has been traced to Sussex County, New Jersey, later moving to Loudoun
County, Virginia.
From information available, it is believed that the MORGART & MORGRET surnames
may have originated in Germany, possibly from the name
MARCKERT.
In the book "Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Adams, Clay, Hall and
Hamilton Counties, Nebraska" (Published in 1890 by Goodspeed Publishing,
Chicago),
on page 222,
"J. B. Cessna, attorney, Hastings, Neb…was born in Bedford County,
Pa., on the 24th of March, 1840, and his parents, William and Rachel
(Mogart)(sic) Cessna, were natives also of the Keystone State. The mother was
born in 1789 and died in 1860. She was of
German descent
, while the father was
of French and Italian."
In "History of Texas, together with a biographical history of the cities of
Houston and Galveston" (Published in 1895 by Lewis Publishing, Chicago), on page
504, it talks about Nathaniel Chapman Wilson and his wife, Christiana Deal.
"His wife, whose maiden name was Christiana Deal, was born in 1820, and also
resides in Houston. She is a daughter of George and Mary (Morgart) Deal, who
were born in Bedford county, Pennsylvania, February 28, 1788, and February,
1791, respectively; but during the early history of this country her ancestors
were residents of the State of New Jersey. They were of
German extraction
, and
they inherited many of the most worthy qualities of that race, which made them
valuable American citizens."
And thirdly, in "A twentieth century history of Erie County, Pennsylvania: a
narrative account of its historical progress, its people and its principal
interests" (Published in 1909 by Lewis Publishing, Chicago), page 404,
"William
Cessna, father of Judge Cessna, was born in Pennsylvania in 1780 and died in
Bedford county in 1864. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Rachel Morgart,
was also a native of the Keystone State, born in 1789. She was of
German linage
and died in 1860."
In a Family Bible that belongs to Shirley Russell, Lavina Williams
recounts, in 1914, a family history lesson from her mother, Margaret Diehl,
concerning the Morgart Family.
"Their ancestors had come from Germany".
Finally, in notes found at the Pioneer Library in Bedford, Pennsylvania,
Lena Morgart remembers
her father telling her "originally three Morgarts came to Bedford County, West
Providence Township area.
They were Hessians from Hessack Castle, Germany; and
fought in the American Revolution in Trenton, New Jersey. They stopped at Ray's
Cove. Lena believes the present Shaw property at the old Morgart graveyard
along Graceville Road was the original Morgart Home Place. The original deed
has the property stretching to the river from the Shaw Farm. A stagecoach road
known as Forbe's Road once ran across the farm at the area known as Juniata
Crossing."
Although no conclusive proof as to the origin of
the Morgart and Morgret Surnames has been found, available evidence leads us
to believe that the Surnames are of German descent.
Ronald Keith Morgart
March 10, 2005
MORGART, MORGRET, & MORGRETTE FAMILY GENEALOGY
