Thursday, April 28, 2011

Robert Morgan (1601-1675)

My 10th great grandfather was Robert Morgan, born in Tredegar, Monmouthshire, Wales, son of Thomas Morgan of Llanrumney and Catherine Herbert. 


PAINTING OF TREDEGAR TOWN CLOCK

It is believed that Robert migrated on his uncle Richard Morgan's ship The Phillip, which landed in Jamestown Virginia in 1635.  He soon migrated north to Salem.

Records of Salem first sees Robert in 1636 when he was given an allotment of 20 acres there.  He married on 27 Jan 1638 to Margaret Norman, b. abt 1620 Somersetshire, England, daughter of Richard Norman Sr and Margaret Alford. Together they had eight children:

Henry Morgan (the pirate and namesake of Captain Morgan rum) - to be verified
Samuel m. Elizabeth Dixey (Samuel was my ancestor)
Joseph m. Deborah Hart
Luke m. Susannah Clark
Robert died without issue
Arron died infantcy
Moses
Bethia m. Samuel Weed
Bejamin

Robert was admitted to the church of Salem in 1650, he baptized his sons 23 Apr 1650. In 1667 he was one of the founders for the First Parish Church of Beverly. In a deposition in 1671 he gave his age of being 70 years old.(1601 birth year fits with this). Robert died some time between 14 Oct 1672, when his will was written and signed, and 10 Dec 1672, when an inventory of his estate in Beverly was taken

In A History of Salem, Massachusetts, Vol II 1638-1670 by Sidney Perley (1926), Robert Morgan is listed in 1667 as one of the "leading men" helping to build a meeting house for a pastor named Mr. Hale before the town of Salem was founded. A Lieutenant Dixey (probably William Dixey, whose daughter Elizabeth married Robert Morgan's son Samuel) was also one of these men.

In 1685 Robert Morgan was fined 1 pound for "being overseen in drink."

Jan 29, 1637-38 Robert Morgan owned 25 acres
1652 Owned lot on Cape Ann Side
Dec 24, 1655. The court thought about putting a ne'er do well, John Talboy, as a servant to Morgan, but another victim was found who would supply him with a cot, some corn etc.

Robert's son Samuel (1637-1698) died in Beverly, and must have bore witness to the Witch Trials, even though he wasn't directly involved.  His son, Samuel Jr., and grandson Samuel III, were each my ancestors.

2 comments:

  1. Hale was the name of the Pastor involved in the Witch Trials!

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  2. Robert Morgan is also in my lineage. He is something like the great great great grandfather of my great great great great grandmother. Have you see 'The Yates Book' it is about my family. The first two words of the first paragraph are 'Robert Morgan'. All of your information here seems to coincide, some of it even looks like it's from the book.

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