John Morgan of Abington MM and Richland, Bucks Co: Januar 2012

There are so many John Morgans that I try to separate them in separate blogs- susanaldridge2000@yahoo.de

At left is Abington Meeting House in Montgomery Co PA where John Morgan attended until he was barred for marrying Deborah Woodruff "out of unity," which could mean several things. One is he simply did not get their permission first. Another is that they were married by a magistrate. A 3rd reason could be that she was of another religion, yet she applied for membership at Richland Meeting in Bucks Co and was accepted. Apparently from 1720 on, it was an informal Meeting which did not turn in their records to the yearly meeting till 1743-5, at which she was officially enrolled and her daughter and one son were officially married on record. The archives show a Meeting house in 1721, but official records have it established 1742- twenty one years after it is first recognized as being a Meeting House in the town.

Burgess Foulke has this to say about Richland:

(Burgess is probably a descendant of Cadwalader Foulke of Gwynedd Monthly Meeting Montgomery Co in 1721.)
"In 1712 John Ball and his father-in-law John Lester actually moved into the township of Richland, a wilderness. They moved from a Welsh track near Gwynedd, a Quaker settlement, because it was becoming crowded. They probably wished it to become another Quaker settlement. The people who followed them until 1720 were mainly Quakers. In 1720 the town had 12 dwellings, 2 stores, 3 taverns and a Quaker Meeting House. " [Richland Monthly Meeting]

He is speaking of the monthly meeting Deborah became a member of. George Boone, brother of Squire Boone, was a member of Abington Meeting (called Abingdon in the early days) and in 1719 was assigned to complete the rewritten minutes started in 1716. Obviously he and John Morgan (husband of unknown 1st wife and Deborah Woodruff) knew each other. Source: Original data: Jenkins, Arthur Hugh,. A short history of Abington Monthly Meeting, with an account of the building of Abington Meeting House. 1981.

It does not mean that Sarah Boone and this John Morgan were related. There were many Morgan families around. Sarah's brother John Morgan married Sarah Lloyd and remained happily married. This John Morgan who moved up to Richland Twsp. was older and stayed married to Deborah Woodruff till he died in Bucks County at Richland. I read that he had been married briefly before.

There are 2 more John Morgan marriages I found. One is to Sarah Evans 17 Dec 1717 in Radnor, Chester, Pennsylvania but the other John Morgan family is claiming that marriage for their John Jr. but I am thinking this Abington MM John may have married her. Then there is another marriage record in Merion Meeting of a John Morgan to Hannah William but it gives a vague date of 1723 as the marriage which would be too late. I really can't say which girl either of the Johns married. But if the 1723 date were to be CORRECT, obviously the Radnor John Morgan would have that marriage because John Morgan was already happily married to Deborah Woodruff at that time.

Maybe John Morgan Jr in Radnor had both Hannah AND Sarah. How am I to tell?

By Roberta Stuart Sims

(Mrs. E. Kitteredge Sims)

of Shreveport, LA-

George Boone Sr. was a weaver by trade and a Quaker by religion. He was born in 1665 in the hamlet of Stoak near Exeter in Devonshire, England. In his time the Quakers were oppressed and George Boone therefore sought information of William Penn, his co-religionist, regarding the colony which Penn had established in America. In 1712 he sent his three children, George, Sarah, and Squire to spy out the land. Sarah and Squire remained in Pennsylvania, while their brother George returned to England with glowing reports. On August 17, 1717, George Boone arrived at Abingdon [spelled with a "d" at that time], the Quaker farming community. Later they moved to the northwestern frontier hamlet of North Wales, a Welch community which a few years previously had turned Quaker.

Map left 1681 of original residents in in Bucks Co. PA

One claim is that the father of James of Durham Furnace was John Morgan who lived down the road from Durham Furnace in Richlandtown, Richland Twsp., Bucks Co near Quakertown. This passage has turned out to be incorrect because his son James is proven thru his will and marriage at Richland MM to be born 1721 and too young for James Morgan, iron monger, of Durham Furnace.

Therefore the following is misleading and jumbled.

The source says:

"The Morgans, Welsh Baptists, settled in Chester county, Pennsylvania, about 1700, possibly earlier. Chester Delaware Co is the landing place for William Penn's ships. John Morgan removed to Richland township, Bucks county, where he died, 1743. John Morgan had 3 sons James, Isaac and John. Isaac Morgan, the brother of James, moved to what is Morgantown, then Berks county, PA and John the younger to Brownstown (West Earl Township in Lancaster County), where he died. The Morgans of West Virginia are descended from Isaac, John and Daniel Morgan [James' and Deborah Morgan's child Isaac had no issue, and according to NJ historians Isaac Morgan of Hunterdon NJ, was Gen Daniel Morgan's father- was he even in Durham? Which one of ca 12 Johns? John and Deborah had no Daniel]....After the death of Daniel Morgan's father [No mention of the father's name.], his home at Durham was occupied by Jonathan Dillion, whose son John died August 1, 1890, at the age of 91 years, who told Charles Laubach he had the honor of being born in the same house as General Morgan. The Morgan house was yet standing about 1800, in a tumble down condition. "

This last statement may be true, but it was not necessarily the cabin of a James Morgan, as it may have been the cabin of an Isaac Morgan, for instance. The statement should never have been combined with talking about John Morgan and wife Deborah Woodruff of Abingdon and Richland because they have no child Daniel. And as for the middle part of the statement, if Virginians were descended from an Isaac, it was not from John's son Isaac who had NO issue, but from Daniel Morgan's possible father Isaac Morgan of New Jersey. There is an old story that Gen Daniel Morgan visited a brother in northern NJ who was very poor- wasnt his name David?

According to the above quoted excerpt (if we can believe any of it), the brothers moved to where a Thomas Morgan had moved in VA and far from Bucks Co PA, but Thomas Morgan was associated with the Radnor community, not Abingdon / ABington MM. Actually there are several Morgantowns in PA. One is in Berks Co and one is in Wayne Co and another in Chester Co? I cannot rule out a mistake about which county they moved to.

John Morgan of Richland Twsp is NOT the one who married Sarah Evans. (See information at bottom.) John Morgan and future wife Sarah Evans arrived in the Colonies with John's father James born 1620 in Wales. They came to America from Wales aboard the ship "The Morning Star" in 1691. John acquired the lands in Pennsylvania purchased by his father. His brothers Evan and James became clergymen in the area. John remained on that land he received until his death in 1744. His will is recorded in Philadelphia. There is a good site about that John Morgan here: Linda Franks

Map left is a 1776 map of Bucks Co. DURHAM, at the extreme north point of Bucks county, and the last of the original townships to be organized, was one of the earliest in the upper end to be settled. Attention was drawn to this section at an early day. In the description of New Albion, published at London in 1648, there is

mention made of "lead mines in stony hills," ten leagues above the falls of Delaware, which probably had reference to the iron ore in the Durham hills, where a little lead has been found from time to time. The information must have been received from the Indians, who would not permit Europeans to explore the river above the falls An old map of Durham shows the location of a stamping mill. This suggests that iron was made prior to the erection of the blast furnace,1727, because it is not likely a stamping mill would be erected after the iron moulders method of reducing iron ore in a blast furnace was in operation. John Morgan and Deborah moved near there about 1722 and joined the informal Richand MM in Bucks Co.

About 1727 is when James Morgan, iron monger, went up the road to Durham and helped build the furnace but there is no proof John Morgan of Richland was related. And according to one source out of a book I have not been able to acquire, there is proof in a deed in Montgomery Co PA that James Morgan, iron monger, of Durham Furnace is the son of a Thomas Morgan and wife Jannet.

Richland MM at Bucks Co PA

John Morgan

Married: 26 JUL 1720 (ref Thomas Hall) in Philadelphia, (now Delaware Co.) PA to second wife Deborah Woodruff. They moved from Abington Meeting to Richland Township abt 1721 (not far from Durham Furnace) and had wills, so their children and relationships are very clear. John Morgan's son James was NOT James Morgan of Durham Furnace, ironmonger. John Morgan's son James was born in 1721, too late for James Morgan, iron monger of Durham Furnace. John Morgan of Richland Meeting had brothers Joseph, William and Morgan all of whom settled around Gwynedd. Pennsylvania. John Morgan was a member of Abington Monthly Meeting in 1716, and his name appears on the records of that meeting several times prior to 7 mo. 26, 1720, when he is reported as having married out of unity and his apology therefor was rejected "whereby he remains out of unity". John Morgan who married Deborah on 26 JUL 1720 (ref Thomas Hall) in Philadelphia,Delaware Co.,PA knew Squire Boone's brother George Boone as they were both members of Abington Meeting.

Who was John who died in Richland Township., a stone's throw from Durham Township?? He married 2^nd Deborah Woodruff and was a member of Abington Meeting (now in Jenkintown PA) and purchased a tract of land in Abington township, now Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, in 1699, and other lands in the same locality in 1706. "He removed to Richland Township (inc. 1734) Bucks Co. soon after his second marriage which occurred before 1721 which is when he was ostracised from Abington Meeting for marrying Deborah Woodruff "Out of Unity."

He purchased 400 acres of the Peter Lester tract in 1724 from Thomas Greasley. Richland Township is where Richland town is and is near Quakertown, not far from Durham Furnace. He continued to reside on a plantation of 200 acres, part of this purchase, until his death in 1743. His widow, Deborah made application for membership at Richland Friends Monthly Meeting in 1745, and their children seem to have been recognized as members when they came to adult age, but there is no record of their births at Richland Meeting because Deborah was not a member there till after they were born. The will of John Morgan dated January 11, 1741, was probated March 9, 1743, and is of record at Doylestown, Bucks Co PA. He described himself as "aged and infirm"...." See page 41 in rootsweb book- History of Durham Furnace

To "Deborah, my present wife late Deborah Woodruff" he gives use of all his real and personal estate for life or widowhood. At her death or marriage the 200 acres upon which he lived is to go to his son, James, and the other 200 acres to be divided equally between his other two sons. Isaac and John. He also devises to his wife Deborah 25 acres of land at Abington for life, at her death to pass to his daughters Sarah, Susanna and Deborah. Some of his children were still minors, and William Nixon and Morris Morris were named as guardians for them, and his wife Deborah was named sole executrix. Deborah continued to reside on the plantation in Richland until her death in 3rd mo. 1750. Her will made 9 mo. 11, 1749, devises to her son-in-law, Jonathan Heacock, all her estate, real and personal, to be sold to pay her just debts, the residue to be distributed, and he is made executor. She, however, devises to her son John Morgan, 100 acres of the land that is within the 200 acres that his father left him and Isaac, but "which I purchased of Joseph Jones, after my husband's death". Title to this land was disputed. John Morgan seems to have regarded it as part of the tract he acquired from Thomas Greasley, while Peter Lester, Jr., had a deed for 200 acres from his father, which he conveyed to Joseph Jones in 1741. Peter Lester had sold the same land to Thomas Greasley in 1724, but it cannot be determined whether this sale was made by Peter Sr. or Jr., as the deed itself is not of record, being only cited in the deed to John Morgan, Jr. Deborah Morgan also gives legacies to her three daughters, Sarah Dennis, Susanna Heacock, and Deborah Morgan, and to her three granddaughters, Rachel, Ann and Sara Heacock, who were the children of Jonathan and Susanna Heacock, and to granddughter Sarah Morgan and grandson Josiah Dennis.."

2.196. Click left for source. Debora Morgan, of Richland Twp., Widow.
9th mo., 11th day, 1749.  Proved March 30, 1750.
Son [in law] Jonathan Haycock, exr. Son John 100 acres and overplus of 30 acres
within the lines of the 200 acres left him and Isaac by his father, and
which I purchased of Joseph Jones, after my husband's death.
3 Daus. Sarah Dennis, Debora Morgan, and Susanna Haycock.
5 grandchildren, Rachel, Ann, Sarai Haycock and Sarah Morgan, and Josiah Dennis.
Wit: Jonathan, Benjamin, and Abraham Griffith.

2.35.  John Morgan, of Richland Twp., Yeoman.
11th mo. (January), 4, 1741. Proved March 9, 1743.
Present wife Deborah, late Deborah Woodruff, exr. Sons Isaac, John,
James. Dau. Sarah, Susannah, and Deborah. "All children of wife,
Deborah" 400 acres in Richland and 25 acres in Abington. Wm. Nixon and
Morris Morris, guardians. Wit: John Ball, Sr., John Ball, Jr., Chas.
Maycock.

John Morgan's daughters by Deborah Woodruff courtesey Donna Bentley Pitts:

I. Susanna married 3 mo. 9, 1745 at: Richland MM, Richland Twp, Bucks Co., Pa. to Jonathan Heacock, the second son of Jonathan the emigrant . Jonathan had presented a certificate from the Chester Monthly Meeting the previous month, 2 mo. 18, 1745, and was married before the Richland Meeting. He was by trade a weaver, and we may suppose that this is a continuance of the family tradition from his father, who was a wool merchant. Jonathan was the executor of the will of his mother-in-law, Deborah Morgan, (*)Roberts, "Early Friends Families".

upon her death in 1750. Under the will he received a part of the Morgan tract, and seems to have lived there for several years. Jonathan and Susanna may have returned to Chester county with their family before the children reached maturity. Their son, John, married into the Pyle family of Chester county in 1783, and another son, Jonathan, is shown by the minutes of the Richland meeting to have left Chester with wife and children, 4 mo. 18, 1782, to have remained two months in Richland and then gone to Haverford. This is the family which later settled in Canada. The date and place of death of Jonathan and Susanna are not known.

See Will of Deborah Morgan.

II. Sarah married 11 APR 1747 at: Richland MM, Bucks Co., Pa. to Charles Dennis

III. Deborah born after 1721 and before 1740 still unmarried at time of her mother's will in 1749

Sons :

IV. John Jr died in Brownstown, Lancaster Co PA married 1758 Mary Gaskill at Richland MM What happened to him?

V. Isaac (no issue) died in what is now the area of Morgantown, Lancaster Co (now Berks) PA married 9 Mar 1745 Richland MM, Bucks Co. In Lancaster Co he may have had a possible kinsman he was staying with.

VI. James Morgan was born in Abington, Pennsylvania, in 1721, but was taken by his parents to Richland while an infant. His marriage to Ann Heacock occured on 5 mo. 23, 1745. After their marriage James Morgan and Ann moved to Darby, near Ann's father, where James operated a mill. In 1753 they returned to Richland, and lived there and in Rockhill for several years. Ann's brother, William, owned the mill in Rockhill, and James Morgan may have worked for his brother-in-law. James Morgan inherited 200 acres of land in Richland under his father's will, and on the death without issue of his younger brother Isaac, he inherited the share of the land Isaac had received from their father, but the title was disputed by reason of a double conveyance. James and Ann later returned to Chester County, and James died there 7 mo. 2, 1790. Their daughter Sarah married her cousin Jeremiah, son of William Heacock. Their son Isaac born 8 OCT 1788 in Edgemont Twp, Chester, PA died 21 OCT 1868 in Pennsbury Twsp,Chester, PA married in 1816 Hannah PENNELL b: 12 FEB 1788 in Middletown Twp, Chester, PA Twp, Chester, PA died 2 DEC 1864 in Aston Twp, Chester, PA .

Resources for the area of Durham Furnace and beyond to NJ and Delaware

Marriages at Richland MM, Bucks PA

Hunterdon Maps

NJ Maps

Freepages NJ land outside of Bucks PA

Other resources for other Morgans:

MORGAN DNA not all descendants are uploaded to the first group

Philadelphia and Chester Co Morgan David Morgan Blog

Morgan Log House 850 Weikel Road, Towamencin, PA 19443 (215) 368-2480

Early residents map of Chester made by George Smith, but I cannot find a full blown up copy online-referred to on this site
Landholders of Philadelphia County, 1734

Primitive Baptist Welch Tract in Delaware

Bucks County history-copy of 1876 book

Richland History in Bucks Co PA

Bucks County individual family files (not much)

Bucks County local History (not much)

Bucks County index to files on genweb

Bucks County information from freepages on genweb (very nice)

Northampton Co PA genealogy page (county where some of the Morgans migrated

A few Chester Co wills on rootsweb

Information about the old lost Chester Co web site

Genweb Files for all counties in PA

US Genweb all states