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Wales (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Glamorganshire => Wales => Glamorganshire Lookup Requests => Topic started by: ddavies on Friday 09 October 09 17:37 BST (UK)
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Hello,
Trying to trace our family tree back from New Zealand. I have gotten as far back as a Morgan Davis who we think came out to NZ on a ship called GANANOQUE in 1860 and who was born in 1840-1841 in Merthyr Tydfil as far as my Grandmother can recall.
I don't have any other information at all.
If anyone can help at all with information or assistance on where I should look then I would greatly appeciate it
Darren Davies
Christchurch, New Zealand
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Hi Darren, took a look at the 1841 census for you, there is only one Morgan Davis age 1 in Merthyr, but there are several Morgan Davies's around that age, do you have any more info to narrow it down, like name of, siblings or parents, or failing that the names of Morgans children, because Welsh people often named their children after their parents.
Best Wishes Bethan
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Hi Bethan,
Thank you so much for helping. I do not have any info on parents or siblings but I do know that his eldest son was named David William Alfred Davies, his second daugther was named Mary Ann Davies and the 4th and youngest child was a boy named Morgan Davies Jnr.
Thats all I have at the moment - any help greatly appreciated.
Darren
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Hi Darren, through the wonder of the internet I was able to check the passenger list of the Gananoque for 1860, I could not find a Morgan Davies/Davis the only one near was a Mr Davis.
If your grandmother was certain that this was the ship and the year that he came to NZ then it is probable that Davis was his last name, as there was only one Morgan Davis on the 1841 census I will check the 1861 to see if he is still in Wales.
Best Wishes Bethan
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Hi Bethan,
Any luck at all with the search?
Darren
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Hi Darren, it was not Morgan Davis because he was still there in 1881, so it must be one of the Morgan Davies's, as there are several of around the right age I will take a look at them again in the morning, have you any idea of Morgans occupation when he came to NZ as that might be a help.
Best Wishes Bethan
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Hi Darren, tried to check various censuses and the only possibility I can come up with is this one.
Plymouth Street 1851 census
Thomas Davies Hd 43 Furnace Manager in Ironstone Mine born Merthyr Tydfil
Mary Davies W 40 ....................................................................Merthyr T
Elizabeth Davies D 17 .............................................................. Merthyr T
Morgan Davies S 9 ...................................................................Merthyr T
Magaret Davies D 4.....................................................................Merthyr T
Huldah Davies D 1 ........................................................................Merthyr T
Thomas Davies S 2 months..............................................................Merthyr T
I cannot find this particular family on later censuses, but as I only have Glamorgan censuses there is the possibility that they moved elsewhere in Britain, I have eliminated most of the other Morgan Davies family's, but Davies being such a common name in Wales means that I cannot say with certainty that this is the correct family, I am afraid that this is the best I can do with the information provided.
Very best wishes Bethan :-[
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Thank you Bethan.
I asked the family and it seems they are not so sure about which boat or year he came over on now.
He did marry in NZ in July 1868 but everything before that now seems open to speculation once again.
Can you perhaps give me a list of the other Morgan Davi(e)s and there families and I could see what names maybe pop up later in our family tree?
Just a thought as I am at a dead end ....
Many Thanks
Darren
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Hi Darren here are two more taken from the 1851 census
1851 Penyrheol Brynteg
Morgan Davies HD 61 Ironstone miner born Merthyr Tydfil
Magaret W 44 Penderyn
Mary D 25 Merthyr
John S 20 Ironstone miner ...........
William S 16....................... .............
Elizabeth D 9 ............
Morgan S 9 Scholar ............
David S 6 Scholar ...........
Gwenllian D 3 ..........
Charlotte D 1 ...............
Mary Davies M in Law Carmarthen
And the other one 1851 Llwycoed
Thomas Davies H 35 Iron miner Aberdare
Ann W 32 Llanquike
Morgan S 11 Iron miner Aberdare
Jane D 2 ............
Thomas S 6 ...............
Anne D 4 .............
The other two likely candidates both had families with common names ie David ,John and Ann
So I really do not think that you will find Morgan in this way, you could try Free BDM but I think there were an awful lot of Morgan Davi(e) s born in Merthyr around that time.
Best Wishes in your search, if you come across any more info please get in touch.
Bethan
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MORGAN DAVIS mid1800s, Wales, Ships Captain and slave trader. There is a monument located in Charleston SC where he owned a large parcel of the Slave trade quarters along the battery. The land was turned over to the state in late 1970's for back taxes.
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Did anyone in the Morgan family come to Victoria at all? A very important question. Does the name Ridgeway mean anything? A friend has a book with Morgan Davies Ridgeway written in it.
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Long time no update, but I do have a little info that may help narrow down things...
Its possible that Morgans fathers name was also Morgan Davis. Its also seems that Morgan arrived in NZ via Australia in the 1860s (he married in NZ in 1868).
Can anybody confirm if there is a Morgan Davis (born 1840-1841) with a father of the same name in the Breconshire/ Merthyr Tydfil area in 1851 and maybe still in 1861??
Any help much appreciated
Darren Davies
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Well you can cross this one off your list as he was still in Wales in 1861
Morgan Davies HD 61 Ironstone miner born Merthyr Tydfil
Magaret W 44 Penderyn
Mary D 25 Merthyr
John S 20 Ironstone miner ...........
William S 16....................... .............
Elizabeth D 9 ............
Morgan S 9 Scholar ............
David S 6 Scholar ...........
Gwenllian D 3 ..........
Charlotte D 1 ...............
Mary Davies M in Law Carmarthen
Best Wishes Bethan
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Hi, I might be able to help as we are related to the family listed above in the 1851 census (Morgan and Margaret). We descend from David who settled in Victoria Australia along with two of his brothers. Their sister Charlotte settled in America. David's son Owen Vivien Davies became a dentist and settled in Dunedin NZ. David's brother Morgan did marry in New Zealand, our records say this was 1872 though, he married Elizabeth Joseph in Hokitika. They then though moved to Victoria. It is possible some of their children settled back in NZlike their cousins. Does any of this connect to the names you have?