Thanks for your story. My ggrandfather, James Morgan, was born in Wicklow in 1853. His family were Church of Ireland. I wondered whether his Morgan surname was from Welsh ancestors or if it were an anglicised form of an old Irish surname. But, given his family were Church of Ireland, as was your Owen Morgan, I am leaning towards a Wales connection. And if that is the case, I have yet to find when James' ancestors arrived in Ireland from Wales. Can't get past his parents on my family tree. Best wishes, Marea
Place of migration
Migrated to/Born in Australia
Owen Wynne Morgan was born in Dunlavin in 1815 to Margaret (nee Conway) and the Rev. Moore Morgan, who was the Rector of St. Nicholas Church of Ireland and the local magistrate. The family lived in the Glebe House where Owen was likely born. He was their third child and second son, brother to Sarah Morgan (later Mrs William Watson of 25 Fitzwilliam Place Dublin) and William Conway Morgan (later a barrister at 19 Clare Street Dublin). In time another brother, John Morgan (later the Church of Ireland Dean of Waterford) was born.
Owen and his brothers were students of Trinity College Dublin.
Owen and his wife Sophia Powell travelled on the "Westminster" in 1839 to the fledgling colony of Melbourne, where they raised a large family..
He was for many years the shipping master of the colony.
Owen died in 1886 in Sandridge (now Port Melbourne) and was buried in the Melbourne General cemetery, together with his wife and several children.
| Additional Information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Date of Birth | 15th Oct 1815 (circa) | |
| Date of Death | 14th Mar 1886 | |
Comments
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Marea
Thursday 13th August 2020 09:01PM -
Thanks for your message, Marea.
We have good reason to believe that we are descendants of the Morgan family from Llantarnam Abbey, near Newport in Wales. There is good evidence to indicate that Owen Morgan's father, the Rev. Moore Morgan, believed himself to be of Welsh descent. There is also evidence in a biography of Sir Charles Watson, son of our Sarah Morgan and thus nephew of Owen Morgan, that the family believed firmly that they were of Welsh blood. ("A record of The Life-Work of Sir Charles Moore Watson... " by Stanley Lane-Poole, Page 46)
The Morgans of Llantarnam were descendants of the Morgans of Tredegar House in Newport. Tredegar House was in the Morgan family for several centuries or more.
On a list of "Rectors and Prebendaries, St Nicholas Church of Ireland, Dunlavin" there is for 1788-1789, a Rev. H. Morgan, who may be of interest to you. I have not had a chance to pursue his ancestry but we may well be related to us.(The "H" may well be for Hamilton Morgan, and if so, he is likely be a distant family member). It is possible that one or more of his children stayed in Dunlavin and your James Morgan could be a descendant.
I hope this is of some help to you. And I do hope we are related :-)
Rodney53.
Rodney53
Friday 14th August 2020 12:18AM -
Hi Rodney,
Thank you for that!
The furtherest I can go with my Morgan ancestors is James Morgan, born circa 1790, who married Margaret Callaghan (I think). I would love to be able to link him to Rev. H Morgan!
My Morgan family were poor, however, and my great, great grandfather, James Morgan, had a small shoe repair business in Baltinglass, Wicklow. His son, James, was born in Wicklow but moved to Rathvilly, Carlow.
I'll investigate Rev H Morgan and keep my fingers crossed.
Warmly,
Marea
Marea
Friday 14th August 2020 07:47AM -
Hi Marea,
Sorry I couldn't help further.
I am intrigued that a Church of Ireland Morgan family was in Dunlavin around the same time as mine. I tend to think that may not be a coincidence. Dunlavin was not a big village in those days.
That your Morgans and mine were not Irish Catholics suggests further the Welsh connection, and part of the Welsh/English occupation of Ireland. Nothing conclusive except that religion was a very big deal in those times. And most likely, your family was connected to St. Nicholas church, where our Rev. Moore Morgan presided. As an aside, does the name "Moore' appear in amongst your research? Are any of your ancestors buried in the St. Nicholas churchyard? Or married in that church?
All the best.
Rodney.
Rodney53
Sunday 16th August 2020 01:46AM -
Hi again,
No, I don't have a 'Moore' I'm afraid and I don't know of any relataives buried in St. Nicholas churchyard.
I can find no identifiable record of my ggrandfather, James Morgan's birth in Ireland, but his death record says he was born in 1813. He is buried (and I believe his wife and at least 2 of his children) in Baltinglass.
So frustating when you hit a brick wall!
Warmly,
Marea
Marea
Sunday 16th August 2020 03:23AM
