Garrard and Eliza Morgan's Children [Updated...Again]

This post is from September 8, 2009. My father just sent a question about the 1880 Census, since Luella's name is transcribed "Love" in online resources although the census taker wrote her name as "Loue." Besides adding the 1870 and 1880 Census to this post, there are a number of different resources that have been found on the Morgan family since I put up this post in 2009, many due to the ongoing efforts of Morgan cousins Bessie at Ancestral Ties and Karen Matthews. See Ancestral Ties or Ancestry.com for more information.

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In an 1863 letter home to his mother during his Civil War service, John mentions several of his brothers and sisters:

I get letters frequently from Will. Reced one from Lu[ella] last evning also one from Morg [Perhaps Morg Hamilton buried in South Park Cemetery in Greensburg, Indiana]. Kiss Jap for me. [His dog?] I would give a thousand dollars to see. Is Lon [Leonidas] studying any now. Tell him to improve his time above everything else. Let novels and such trash alone. Let him have something solid and something that will give him information to read. Knowledge is more than gold and silver. Poor Jimmie. I am sorry his jaw troubles him yet. He is a good boy and has the go aheaditiveness about him to make a man of himself one that will make his mark.

The Life and Ministry of John Morgan reports that Garrard and Eliza Morgan had six children: William Woodson, John Hamilton, Leonidas, James, Luella, and Garrard IV. No dates for any life events for any of the children are given in the book, except for John.

New Family Search and other sources list seven or eight children, and the dates do not always agree.

So, how many children did Garrard and Eliza have?

The 1900 census states that Eliza had six children with five still living. (John died in Idaho in 1894).

The 1900 Middletown, Henry, Indiana census showing William, Emeline, and Eliza Morgan.

The 1850 and 1860 entries list a total of six children.

Here are the family entries from the 1850 United States Census for Decatur, Indiana:

Gerrard Morgan — 44 years — Estimated birth year: 1806 — Birthplace: Kentucky
Eliza Morgan — 34 years — Estimated birth year: 1816 — Birthplace: Kentucky
William H Morgan — 10 years — Estimated birth year: 1840 — Birthplace: Indiana
John Morgan — 9 years — Estimated birth year: 1841 — Birthplace: Indiana
Sarah T Morgan — 5 years — Estimated birth year: 1845 — Birthplace: Indiana
Leonidas Morgan — 3 years — Estimated birth year: 1847 — Birthplace: Indiana

Here are the family entries from the 1860 United States Census for Mattoon Township, Coles, Illinois:

Girard Morgan — 54 years — Estimated birth year: 1806 — Birthplace: Ky
Eliza Morgan — 44 years — Estimated birth year: 1816 — Birthplace: Ky
Leonidas Morgan — 12 years — Estimated birth year: 1848 — Birthplace: Ind
James Morgan — 10 years — Estimated birth year: 1850 — Birthplace: Ind
Girard Morgan — 6 years — Estimated birth year: 1854 — Birthplace: Ind

Here is the 1870 United States Census for Whitley, Moultrie, Illinois:

George [sic] Morgan — 64 years — Estimated birth year: 1806 — Birthplace: Kentucky
Elizabeth Morgan — 53 years — Estimated birth year: 1817 — Birthplace: Kentucky
Louisa Morgan — 24 years — Estimated birth year: 1846 — Birthplace: Indiana
James P Morgan — 19 years — Estimated birth year: 1851 — Birthplace: Indiana
George [sic] Morgan — 14 years — Estimated birth year: 1856 — Birthplace: Indiana

Here is the 1870 United States Census for Stanford, McLean, Illinois:

George [sic] Morgan — 74 years — Estimated birth year: 1806 — Birthplace: Kentucky
Eliza Morgan — 64 years — Estimated birth year: 1816 — Birthplace: Kentucky
Loue Morgan — 34 years — Estimated birth year: 1846 — Birthplace: Indiana
[Two boarders, W. O. Campbell and Charles Huffield]

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Here is a list of all the possible Morgan children with all the various dates given for their births. Based on census and other records, I will bold the date which I believe to be the most accurate:

William Woodson (or Harrison) Morgan (27 July 1840 - 17 April 1907). This is the red-haired Civil War soldier mentioned in a previous post. Various records show his middle initial as either "W" or "H." According to census records (see the image above), he married a woman named Emeline and lived in Middletown, Henry, Indiana, in 1900. He is listed in the census as a physician. He and his wife had three children, two alive in 1900. New Family Search provides the name of his wife: Emeline E. Bradley, and a marriage date of 1865, but no primary sources are listed.

John Hamilton Morgan (8 August 1842 - 14 August 1894). Our ancestor. Click this link for a post on his early life and Civil War service.

Sarah T. Morgan (1845 or 1850). This would probably be the daughter called Luella, since there is never a Luella listed in the census records. A family record lists Luella as Sarah Lue Morgan (but without citation of a primary source).

Leonidas Morgan (1847 or 1850 or 1860). There are three Leonidas Morgans born in Indiana listed in the 1860 census: a 13-year-old in Ohio, Indiana, a 9-year-old in Bloomington, Missouri, and our relation, the 12-year-old son of Garrard and Eliza living in Mattoon, Coles, Illinois.

James Morgan (1846 or 1849 or 1850 or 1860). James is not listed in the 1850 census, but he's listed in the 1860 census as being born in 1850. I will have a separate post tomorrow with a question about James Morgan.

Garrard Morgan IV (1848 or 1852 or 1854).

Luella Morgan (1850). See note above for Sarah.

I would be happy to add more information or photos about any of the children. Please contact me at the address listed on the sidebar if you have any other primary sources about this family or their descendants.


Coming next... a question about James Morgan, followed by a brief history of Garrard III and Eliza Ann Hamilton Morgan.

[See Bessie's fascinating information about James Morgan here and her information on Garrard and Eliza. See my posts on Garrard and Eliza.]