Notes for: William Morgan
Some researchers I found have not carried out an indepth study of their subject, an important example of this, to me anyway, were three publications which carried profiles on William Morgan, my 4 x great grandfather, his biography included that of two and possibly three other William Morgans who were in the NSW Colony at the same time as my Ancestor.
As there is a great deal of conjecture about various biographies on William I have decided at this stage only to compile a chronological profile on him and have endeavoured to include all accumulated data no matter if fact or fiction.
No Date - William is listed as being born in Warwickshire. (First Fleet Families of Australia by C.J. Smee)
Morgan William (1), enlisted-no levy paid, (here 1811), emb. 21-1-1790, arr. with wife, ch. all born Concord: Ann 1797, Lucy 1800, William 1801, Sarah 1804, Richard 1806. (A Colonial Regiment - New Sources Relating to the NSW Corps. Edited by Pamela Statham)
25 Jun 1785 - He married Mary Jones at Shropshire England. (First Fleet Families of Australia by C.J. Smee)
Dec 1789 - William enlisted as a private in the NSW Corps and appears to have embarked on the "Neptune" transport a few days before the ship sailed from England three weeks later. Appendix 7 - NSW Corps: Officers and Men - lists William as being part of that contingent. (The Second Fleet 1790 by Michael Flynn)
28 Dec 1789 - ENLIST UK (A Colonial Regiment - New Sources Relating to the NSW Corps. Edited by Pamela Statham)
28 Dec 1789 - RANK PRIVATE (A Colonial Regiment - New Sources Relating to the NSW Corps. Edited by Pamela Statham)
26 Jun 1790 - ARRIVE NEPTUNE (A Colonial Regiment - New Sources Relating to the NSW Corps. Edited by Pamela Statham)
No Date - William arrived on the "Neptune". (His Burial Certificate NSWDC 1828 1126 Vol.12)
29 Sep 1791 - Arrived in Australia as a Convict aboard HMS Gorgon which formed part of the Third Fleet. (First Fleet Families of Australia by C.J. Smee)
Note:In C.J. Smee's later book "The Third Fleet" there is no William Morgan listed.
1791 Sometime after - William Morgan began living with Eleanor Frazer after the death of her husband. (The Second Fleet 1790 by Michael Flynn)
1793 - According to an unconfirmed statement in the Concord Centenary History, Morgan had previously lived in Hopesay, Shropshire; another William Morgan in the NSW Corps arrived in the Colony in 1793; (ML MSS; LTO old reg. no.2 pg20.)(The Second Fleet 1790 by Michael Flynn)
1794 - GRANT 25ac PT JACKSON (A Colonial Regiment - New Sources Relating to the NSW Corps. Edited by Pamela Statham)
20 Feb 1794 - Three land grants were made in Concord, Charles Westney and William Morgan, privates in the NSW Corps, received twenty five acres each and Eleanor Frazer, an ex-convict, was given twenty acres. The three grants were adjacent to each other.(Concord - A Cententary History)
Feb 1794 - he was granted 25 acres at Concord.(The Second Fleet 1790 by Michael Flynn)
Jun 1794 - Or after, he began living with the First Fleet convict Ellen (Eleanor) Fraser. (The Second Fleet 1790 by Michael Flynn)
24 Nov 1794 - DISCHGE (A Colonial Regiment - New Sources Relating to the NSW Corps. Edited by Pamela Statham)
24 Nov 1794 - He was discharged from the Corps. (The Second Fleet 1790 by Michael Flynn)
0-0-1795 - GRANT 55ac CONCORD (A Colonial Regiment - New Sources Relating to the NSW Corps. Edited by Pamela Statham)
22 Jul 1795 - William received another fifty five acres of land north of his original land grant in Concord.(Concord - A Centenary History)
Jul 1795 - He was granted a further 55 acres at Concord. (The Second Fleet 1790 by Michael Flynn)
0-0-1796 - 425ac FM (with 16) (A Colonial Regiment - New Sources Relating to the NSW Corps. Edited by Pamela Statham) FM abbrev. for FIELD of MARS
1797 - Their first child, Ann was born. (The Second Fleet 1790 by Michael Flynn)
3 Nov 1798 - Ellen takes legal action to recover some pigs held by William which she claimed were her property. It was stated that they had recently seperated after co-habitating for seven years. (The Second Fleet 1790 by Michael Flynn)
Mar 1800 - Sometime after, there appears to have been a reconciliation as their second child, Lucy was born. (The Second Fleet 1790 by Michael Flynn)
[interesting to note that her surname and that of all the children except the first born Ann have been recorded as Fraser on either their Birth or Baptism Certificates]
1800 - William had sold his grants and held a farm at Concord by purchase with 3 acres sown in wheat and 12 acres in maize. (The Second Fleet 1790 by Michael Flynn)
1800 - 1802 - William Morgan land purchase at Concord. Date of settlement was 20 Feb 1796. He had 3 acres of wheat sown and twelve acres of maize to be planted and was off Government stores. (Muster List for NSW & Norfolk Island 1800 - 1802 - Settlers' Muster Book 1800 List One - Land and Stock held by Free Settlers, and Emancipated or Expired Convicts in 1800. [AA0058])
1800 - 1802 - William Morgan is listed as arriving on the ship "Neptune" . He was granted Seventy acres of land in July 1795. Thirty acres of which were cleared with sixteen acres in either wheat or maize. This land was granted by Governor Paterson. His livestock consisted of three hogs and one person was on Government stores. (Muster List for NSW & Norfolk Island 1800 - 1802 - Kings Lists 1801 List Three - List of Settlers from Discharged Marines, Soldiers of the New South Wales Corps and from His Majesty's Vessels serving on this Station, with the Quantity of Ground Cropped, Stock & C. in 1801. [BC024])
1802 - He held 100 acres, 13 acres in wheat and 17 acres in maize. He owned 7 pigs, held 15 bushels of maize in store and employed three free workers. (The Second Fleet 1790 by Michael Flynn)
July 1805 - William was experiencing financial difficulty and his effects were advertised for sale by execution unless his creditors claims were met. (The Second Fleet 1790 by Michael Flynn)
1806 - Saw him being recorded as owning 100 acres which he had purchased. It was recorded as containing 4 acres of wheat, 6 acres of maize, 2 & 1/2 acres of barley, 1/2 acre of orchard and garden and a 1/4 acre of potatoes. He owned 4 sheep and six pigs and was recorded in the Muster List as supporting a woman and three free workers.
1802 to 1806 - Their next child William was born in 1802 followed by Sarah in 1804 and Richard in 1806. (The Second Fleet 1790 by Michael Flynn)
1806 Post - William and Ellen separated permanently. William leased his farm to his stepson John Fraser. (The Second Fleet 1790 by Michael Flynn)
1811 - William Morgan is listed as residing in NSW as a free person. (PRO No. n4805 Aust Arch. No. 0000)(General Musters of NSW & Norfolk Island & Van Diemans Land 1811 - [4217])
1814 - William had sold his land and was employed as a Wheelwright in the Windsor area. (The Second Fleet 1790 by Michael Flynn)
1814 - William Morgan is listed as arriving on the ship "Neptune", his status was as a free person and he was off stores, in the remarks column he is stated as being a Wheelwright. (General Muster of NSW 1814 - [0084])
1819 - He was employed by John Blaxland as a Wheelwright. (The Second Fleet 1790 by Michael Flynn)
1822 - Saw him employed as a Carpenter at Appin. (The Second Fleet 1790 by Michael Flynn)
1822 - William Morgan's Arrival Status is listed as "CF" which indicates that he came free to the Colony. His ship of arrival was the "Neptune". Occupation at the time of the Census was stated as being a Carpenter living at Appin. (Census of 1822, [A15109])
October 1828 - died. (The Second Fleet 1790 by Michael Flynn) (His Burial Certificate NSWDC 1828 1126 Vol.12)
22 Oct 1828 - William passed away.
27 Oct 1828 - Died aged sixty four years and was buried at St Lukes, Liverpool. (Concord - A Centenary History)
Nov 1828 - William Morgan is listed as 64 years old, under the column Free or Bond he has been marked as "CF" indicating that he came free to NSW. He arrived on the "Neptune" in 1790, indicating that he arrived with the Second Fleet. His religion was Protestant, and that he was living at his son in law William Willson's residence in Liverpool. (Census of NSW of 1828)
27 Oct 1828 - William was interred.