Marriage of Theophilus Morgan c1786, Narberth area

[teiloeye]

Rhosgoch

I should like to come in on the family descendants of, as i have recorded in my research as, Theophilus 1757-1845 who was married to Esther 1752-1837.  My family line is through David Morgan 1787-1866 and his wife Mary 1782-1865 and then down via Theophilus John Morgan 1813-1898.  I am interested in establishing the children of Theophilus Morgan 1787-1845 and also his siblings.  Of recent I have come upon the family of Rev William Morgan 1818-1884 his ascendants and descendants and have a suspicion that his branch fits into that of Theophilus 1757-1845.
Any comments on the coming together of these pieces of the jigsaw would be much appreciated.

Teiloeye

[Rhosgoch]

Hello Teiloeye,

I am not sure where Rev William Morgan fits in with "our" Theophilus Morgan. That William is descended from the iron masters of Forge, Llangan. I feel there must be a connection, perhaps much further back, as they seem to be the only Morgan families baptising in Henllan Chapel.

It is difficult to be sure of anything with only surnames used in most baptisms. I think Theophilus 1757 - 1845 is the son of John Morgan of Llangan. Siblings being Rebecca bap 1755, possibly Elizabeth also 1755 and David 1760. I wonder if this John Morgan is related to David Morgan of Forge, the  G Grandfather of Rev William.

Theophilus Morgan Sr had the following children I am sure of - David 1787, born Blaenwernddu, Llangan, Esther 1791 and William 1796-  Blaenwernddu. Other likely children are John 1778, Mary 1781, Martha 1784, and John again 1789.

My link comes through Theophilus Jr's eldest son William Rees Morgan and his daughter Lizzie Lord Morgan. William was a linen draper and after serving his apprenticeship in a Narberth shop run by his uncle, another William, went to St Pancras, London to carry on his trade. I can't find the reference at the moment but one of the Forge Morgans founded a drapery business in London, and before that in Narberth so there could be a definite connection there. William's wife died young and his daughter Lizzie Lord Morgan was brought up by Theophilus and his wife from 1 year old.

I  hope this is some help but I fear the jigsaw will never be completed.

Rhosgoch

[teiloeye]

Rhosgoch
Greeting form the Tywi Valley.  At last I find a fellow traveller in the search for ones ancestors.
First I refer to the Rev William Morgan of whom I have a biography and series of sermons put together by his son John Lloyd Morgan, barrister and Liberal MP for the county of Carmarthenshire in the early 1900’s. 
The first page (see below) indicates the connection but needs a little adjustment to fit the pieces in place.

LIFE OF THE REV. W.MORGAN

CHAPTER I.
Birth and Parentage.—Early Life.—Business Experiences.— College Course.—Settlement in the Ministry.

WILLIAM MORGAN, the second son of David and Elizabeth Morgan, was born on the 22nd of August, 1818, at a farm called Forge, which was built upon the site of an old abbey, called Whitland Abbey, in the county of Carmarthen. His ancestors were puritans of that good old stock which has done so much for the evangelization and general welfare of the Principality of Wales.
In 1774 his grandfather, John Morgan, of Forge, became a member of the Independent Church at
Henllan, and was the first of that branch of the family who joined that body, his parents being members of the Established  Church.   But on his grand-mothers side his Nonconformist ancestry can be traced to a much earlier period.

So I shall have to increase my efforts to have the jigsaw set in place!

I move on to Lizzie Lloyd Morgan who I have spent many an hour endeavouring to follow her journey through life after the tragic loss of her mother.  Am I right in recording that she married twice.  Firstly a John Rowlands of whom she had two children Wilmot and John, and John Snr died in 1887.
Her second husband Thomas James with whom she had five children Martha, Thomas, Ben, Margaret and Edith, the last three children being born in Middlesex.  She then for me vanishes off “the radar” and in my notes I query her going to live in Canada!  Also in my notes I have her, in her early years, at private school in Narberth, then a governess with an artist in the north of England. 

Or were there more than one Lizzie Lord Morgan around at the time?

I now must retreat to bed but look forward to further Rootschats

[teiloeye]

Hello
I feel i should put you in the picture in regard my line in our Morgan Family Tree.
Your William Rees Morgan had a brother named Daniel who married a Mary Rowlands, they had amongst others Theophilus John Morgan who married an Edith Mary Rees.  Their son Kenneth Lloyd Rhys Morgan was my Father.  So not all that far away.

 

[Rhosgoch]

Hi Teiloeye,

I had made the connection of Daniel Morgan. I expect you know that Daniel's wife Mary is the sister of John Rowland who married Lizzie Lord Morgan.

John Morgan of Forge, and Theophilus "Hoffi'r gof" Morgan were both baptising children in Henllan Chapel at the same time - John Morgan's children identified as "of Forge". There were 13 although I have only identified 11. Of the other Morgan baptisms I have identified the ones listed before as being Theophilus's. Therefore if there is a connection between the two families it would have been at least a generation before.

It took me a very long time to trace Lizzie Lord Morgan and her husband John Rowland back to Lampeter Velfrey. They married in the Methodist chapel in Liverpool with no indication of where they were from. I traced Lizzie in Lancashire in 1881, born Middlesex, but I couldn't find her earlier. The only Morgan - Lord marriage of the right time was in Bristol so I took a chance and got the marriage certificate and found Theophilus Morgan. A look at the Lampeter Velfrey census showed Theophilus practically next door to John Rowland Sr - I found both families at once.

You are correct in most of what you know of Lizzie. The one thing you didn't know is that John and Lizzie had 3 sons, the oldest William Sydney is the direct ancestor of my cousin. John Rowland was the son of Blaengwaithnoah which your Daniel married into. Thomas James was from Loveston, and joined the police force before moving to London. Thomas and Lizzie and their family emigrated to Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1908, later moving to Niagara Township, Ontario and eventually to Toronto. Lizzie died in 1929 in Toronto.

Lizzie certainly led an eventful life, and I was so pleased to make the breakthrough and find the fascinating Morgan story. The Rowland story was much easier once I found them as they lived in Blaengwaithnoah for many generations.

Rhosgoch