Hi, new to this forum, posting here for information about a family named Morgan from Aston Ingham.

My starting point is a domestic servant named Elizabeth Morgan who was transported to Australias in 1829 following conviction at Worcester assizes for theft from her master's house. See details here: http://foundersandsurvivors.org/pubsearch/convict/chain/c40a4110

That site transcribes her birthplace from convict records as Asmingham or Assingham near Ross. With a little detective work (a map!) I found Aston Ingham which is 6 miles from Ross-on-Wye and I believe within the general area covered by this site. I think that is probably the correct birthplace.

Working on the assumption that I am right(!), I have found an Elizabeth Morgan baptised 1806 in Aston Ingham, parents James Morgan and his wife Sarah. She had brothers and sisters named Thomas, James, Sarah and Frances, all born at Aston Ingham. The parents were still alive in the same location as late as the 1851 census, now in their 70s. James was aged 72, born Brinsop c 1779. He was an agricultural labourer so it is reasonable for his daughter to be in service. His wife Sarah was born Newent around 1781.

I tried to find James' marriage and came up with one vague possibility worth mentioning. FamilySearch has a James Morgan and Sarah Thomas married March 1805 at Leominster. Looking at a map and considering distances between Brinsop, Leominster, Ross, Aston Ingham and Newent it is certainly believable but that is all. Needless to say I can't find a Sarah Thomas baptism in Newent.

I am wary of going any further with this as it obviously a little flaky. Comments are welcome, even if they help disprove my conjectures. Perhaps someone knows more about:

• The marriage of James Morgan and Sarah Thomas
  
• Elizabeth Morgan from Aston Ingham

Love to hear from anyone on this!

Thanks

Simon

Have you obtained the transcript of the Assizes Records - and when Elizabeth MORGAN married - what names did she give her children? i.e. family names.

As James & Sarah MORGAN gave their children these names

Thomas, James, Sarah, Frances, Elizabeth

There is a John & Ann JONES having children baptised in Newent from 1771
onwards and includes

Thomas 1771, Sarah 1780, Elizabeth 1786 etc. etc

----

James MORGAN born Brinsop age 72 (1851 census)

CLDS

James MORGAN - christened 3 May 1778, Brinsop, parents: John & Elizabeth

Worcester Journal 21 May 1829

REMOVAL OF CONVICTS.- On Monday last, the following female convicts were removed from Worcester County Goal to Woolwich:- Elizabeth Morgan, for robbing her mistress, Mrs Markham, of Severn Terrace. [details of other convicts]-The vessel to which they were consigned is named-The Lady of the Lake.

Worcester Journal 8 January 1829

Committed to Worcester County Gaol.- By Rev. J. Foley, and T.H. Bund, Esq. Elizabeth Morgan, charged with stealing wearing apparel from the house of her master, Mr. R. Markham, of Claines.

Robert MARKHAM and his wife Sarah - appear to be having children christened at Claines around that time -

Googling Robert MARKHAM Claines

pdf Download now - Worcestershire County Council

has the date of 9 February 1818 - Robert MARKHAM - Worcester
Admitted and sworn of this City the Apprentice of John BUCKINGHAM - John BUCKINGHAM Jnr. Thomas BUCKINGHAM - William PRICE, Glovers

Ancestry has this marriage,

Name: Sarah Taylor
Event Type: Marriage
Marriage Date: 24 Aug 1802
Parish: Whaddon, Gloucestershire, England
Parish as it Appears: Whaddon
Spouse: James Morgan
Register Type: Bishop's Transcripts

I imagine this is the Whaddon just south of Gloucester rather than the district of Cheltenham. I can’t tell if this of any relevance but there are two Sarah TAYLERs baptised in Newent in 1779, both on this site. (Later note - There are Sarah TAYLER marriages in Newent as well so maybe not so relevant).

To add to those supplied by Paul Andrews there is another entry in the BNA concerning Elizabeth MORGAN’s offence

Cheltenham Chronicle - Thursday 15 January 1829

A few weeks ago, Mrs Markham, who resides in the neighbourhood of Worcester, engaged a young female servant, who referred for her character to persons at Cheltenham. About five days after her engagement, she decamped with a variety of articles, including some spoons, children’s clothing, &c. After she was gone, it was ascertained that no such persons as those she referred to, lived in Cheltenham; had this been ascertained before the engagement, the subsequent mischief would have been prevented. The girl was traced to Ledbury, Cheltenham, and Newent, at which latter place she was apprehended with some of the stolen articles in her possession, and being conveyed to Worcester, she was committed for trial. Her name is Elizabeth Morgan.

On the Gloucestershire Genealogical Database - Goal

21 November 1828 Scindaniah MORGAN - age 17 - labourer, Aston Ingham

Fod records : On the 28 July 1829 at Aston Ingham

Scindiniah MORGAN, single woman - daughter Elizabeth christened 28 July 1829

This seems around the same time as Elizabeth MORGAN from Aston Ingham was 'up to no good'

Firstly thank you all for responding, your input has been very useful and some of it quite exciting!

The identification of Elizabeth MORGAN in the newspaper articles matches what I know. The convict ship "Lady of the Lake" is mentioned in her convict records, and also the Hobart registers at her marriage to fellow convict Francis EDESON, younger brother of my 3x great-grandmother. It is interesting to read of her crimes, she seems a foolish girl who probably got what she deserved!

The fact that she "laid low" in Newent strengthens my belief that she was the daughter of James and Sarah MORGAN as identified in my original post.

Whilst you have been beavering away on my behalf I have also been working on this. I tried looking for transcripts of the Worcester Assizes but the best I can come up with is ASSI 5 at the National Archives so I think a trip to Kew will be needed. Are there likely to be any records still in county archives? I tried looking at their website and couldn't see any.

Regarding names (being passed down the family), there is little to go on. The Edeson's eldest surviving child was Eliza, probably after Francis' sister. They had a daughter Sarah Ann. Then Eliza had children named Frances and Sarah Ann, so possibly these names are linked to their MORGAN heritage, also to Sarah JONES and her mother Ann from Newent. It's a bit flimsy though, but these names do not occur in the EDESON line. For now I conclude Sarah JONES is plausible but that is all.

In the Newspaper articles re: Elizabeth MORGAN - there is talk of Cheltenham

In previous reply regarding Scindaniah MORGAN age 17 of Aston Ingham - - can briefly see on British Newspapers

'Bath Chronicle & Weekly Gazette'

Cheltenham: January 27 1829

Hope for stealing a quantity of beans, oats, hay & c the property of Mr W Lane, Coach Proprietor, Bath 3 months Scindaniah MORGAN for fraudelently ......

?

Just wonder if this is Scindaniah MORGAN's baptism at Aston Ingham 19 May 1811

Child Forename: not stated - daughter of

parents: William & Ann MORGAN -

Ancestry has a record of an Elizabeth Morgan tried at the Lent Assizes, in Worcester, in 1829 for burglary. The sentence was given as Death, but, was commuted to transportation for 14 years. Not sure if this is the same Elizabeth Morgan.

Transcript of a report:

THE HOBART-TOWN COURIER.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1829.

Arrived on Sunday, the lst May, the bark Lady of the Lake, Captain James Pearson, from London, 12th June, with 79 female convicts and 14 children, besides Mrs. Scaddon, Stratton, Smith, Symes, Shacklock, Clark, Crisp, Booth, Smith, Harris, the wives of prisoners in the colony, with 19 children. Surgeon Superintendent — W. Evans, esq. One woman died on the passage, and one was lost overboard. Captain Pearson the commander of this vessel was here about 7 years ago.

The date 1 May appears to be an error as the vessel arrived 1 November.

Ancestry,

Name: Cyndeniah Morgan
Birth Year: abt 1809
Death Year: abt 1834 (burial 4/12/1834 according to the image)
Death Age: 25
Burial Date: 4 Dec 1834
Parish: Gloucester, St Nicholas, Gloucestershire, England
Parish as it Appears: St Nicholas