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James Morgan (c. 1607–1685)
Margery Hill (c. 1670/85)
James Morgan was born about 1607 in England. [1] He died in 1685 and is buried in the Spring Grove Cemetery in Hartford. [2] He married Margery Hill on 6 August 1640 in Roxbury. [3]
Margery's origin, birth date, and death date are unknown. [1] She is referred to by name only in her marriage record. She died between 5 October 670 and 1685.
James and Margery have a cenotaph in the Avery-Morgan Burial Ground in Groton. [4]
James and his family went to New London, arriving in March 1651. [5: 70] James received a grant of land in south Groton and was a resident farmer there by 1652/3. [5: 96]
James was a deputy for New London in May 1657, August 1657, October 1658, March 1658/9, October 1661, May 1663, October 1663, May 1665, October 1665, October 1666, October 1669, and May 1670. [6: 297, 300, 323, 330, 372, 399, 410][7: 2, 24, 47, 116, 127]
James was frequently called upon to lay out land. Deacon Caulkins, James Avery and James Morgan were appointed to lay out the governor's land in June 1659. Goodmen Avery and Morgan were appointed to lay out land for James Rogers in June 1659. Major Mason, Goodman Morgan and Uncas, Wawequa or some other Indian were appointed to view the land Mr. Tinker desired in March 1660. Matthew Griswold, Thomas Tracey and James Morgan were to try the bounds of New London and make a report in May 1661. [6: 338, 340, 359, 366] Lieutenant Avery and James Morgan were appointed to lay out land for the Coassatuck Indians and also land for Thomas Minor and John Gallop in October 1665. They were to lay out a farm for Thomas Stanton in May 1668. Mr. Thomas Stanton and James Morgan were appointed to lay out land for Lieutenant James Avery in May 1669. Ensign Waller and James Morgan were appointed to lay out land for Lieutenant Bull in October 1771. Lieutenant James Avery and James Morgan were appointed to lay out land for Mr. Simon Bradstreet in May 1775. [7: 36, 87, 113, 165, 251]
About 1661, Mr. Tinker, James Morgan, and Obadiah Brown were chosen to seat the meeting house. [5: 132]
James is usually called "Goodman," but in May 1670 he is referred to as Mr. Morgan. [7: 127]
James Morgan, Sr. and his wife were admitted to communion in the church in New London on 5 October 1670. [8]
James's estate was settled in 1685 by a division among his four children, James, John, Joseph, and Hannah, the wife of Nehemiah Royce. [5: 311]
Children of James Morgan: Baptisms recorded in Roxbury as the children of James. [3]
i. Hannah Morgan was born on 18 July 1642 in Roxbury. [3] She married Nehemiah, the son of Robert Royce, on 20 November 1660 in New London. [9]
Caulkins says that Nehemiah was the son of Robert and Elizabeth Rice. [5: 294]
Nehemiah and his family moved to Wallingford. [5: 294]
i. Captain James Morgan was baptized on 3 March 1643/4.] He died on 8 December 1711, probably in Groton. He married first Mary Vine of Old England in November 1666 in New London. [9] She died in 1689, age 48. [DLG] He married second as her second husband Hannah Brewster. James and his wives are buried in the Smith Lake Cemetery in Groton, New London County.
James wrote his will on 25 June 1708; it was proved on 23 January 1711/2. He mentions his wife Hannah, his sons James and William Morgan, and his daughters Mary, Hannah, Elizabeth, and Jerusha. [DLG]
The inscriptions on James and his wives' gravestones say: [4]
Here lies ye body of Cap James Morgan died Decmr 8 1711 aged 69 y.
Here lies ye body of Mrs Mary Morgan wife of Ens Morgan desesd 1689.
Here lies ye body of Mrs Hannah Morgan ye wife of Capt James Morgan who died Decm 1711 aged 71 yers.
ii. John Morgan was born on 30 March 1645. [2] He was baptized on 30 March or 30 September 1645 (duplicate record). He died in February 1712 and is buried in the Spring Grove Cemetery in Hartford. [2] He married Rachel Dyman on 10 November 1667 in New London. [9] He married second Elizabeth ___, "supposed to have been a daughter of William Jones, of New Haven" and a granddaughter of Governor Eaton. [5: 311]
iii. Joseph Morgan was born on 29 October 1646. He was baptized on 29 November 1646. He died before 5 April 1704. He married Dorothy Parke.
iv. Abraham Morgan was baptized on 3 September 1648. He was buried on 2 August 1649, age about a year, in Roxbury. [3]
v. Daughter Morgan was baptized on 17 November 1650. The infant daughter of James was buried on 20 November 1650. [3]
References:
1. Gary Boyd Roberts, "The New England Ancestry of H.R.H. The Princess of Wales," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 36 (1982): 85–103.
2. "Connecticut, U.S., Hale Collection of Cemetery Inscriptions and Newspaper Notices, 1629-1934,"database with images, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2900) > Connecticut Headstone Inscriptions Vol 20, image 477.
3. Vital Records of Roxbury, Massachusetts to the End of the Year 1849 (Salem: Essex Institute, 1925), vol. 1: 248 (births); vol. 2: 285 (marriages), 595 (deaths).
4. Find a Grave, database and images (accessed 08 March 2023), memorial pages for
James Morgan (5 Apr 1607–6 Aug 1685), Memorial ID 10863663, citing Avery-Morgan Burial Ground, Groton, New London County; Maintained by William DeCoursey (contributor 46613311).5. Frances Mainwaring Caulkins, History of New London, Connecticut (New London: H.T. Utley, 1895).Capt James Morgan (3 Mar 1644–8 Dec 1711), Memorial ID 10863583, citing Smith Lake Cemetery, Groton, New London County; Maintained by Mary Harr ell-Sesniak (contributor 46488639).
Hannah Brewster Morgan (3 Nov 1641–11 Dec 1711), Memorial ID 10863575 and Mary Vine Morgan (1640–1689), Memorial ID 10863589, citing Smith Lake Cemetery; Maintained by Cynthia Kaley (contributor 51056978).
6. J. Hammond Trumble, The Public Records of the Colony of Connecticut, vol. 1 (Hartford: Brown & Parsons, 1850)
7. Trumble, The Public Records of the Colony of Connecticut, vol. 2 (Hartford: F.A. Brown, 1852)
8. "Connecticut, U.S., Church Record Abstracts, 1630–1920, database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/3032) > New London > 300.
9. "Connecticut: Vital Records (The Barbour Collection), 1630–1870," online database, AmericanAncestors.org > New London, 217–8.
08-Mar-2023