David Morgan (c1798-1895)

David was born on the 5th April 1800 in St Brides Major, Glamorganshire. His parents were Thomas and Ann.

Llantrisant
David was of the parish of Llantrisant and a bachelor when he married Catherine Jones of the parish of Coity, spinster, on the 31st October 1823. Witnesses to the marriage were Thomas Jones (a possible relation to Catherine) and Jenkin Williams. The minister was Henty Phillips.

His occupation was shoe maker, bootmaker and cordwainer.

David and Catherine had 9 children together, born in the towns of Bridgend, Coychurch and Llanwonno. Two of the children died in infancy (likely to be Catherine and Margaret). Catherine died herdelf when the youngest child was only two years old, on 18th April 1841, aged 35, at Nolton. She was buried in the local Nolton parish church with the two infants.

In the 1841 census, David is recorded at Llantirsant, Glamorgan, with sons Thomas (a collier), John (also a collier), and the remaining children.

Second marriage
By 1851, David had remarried a woman by the name of Ann (surname currently unknown). They were living with David's son's Joseph and Richard.

Son Evan was killed in a mining accident on the 13th February 1854 at Aberdare, when aged only 20 years of age. He was killed in a coal mine by a fall of rock from the roof. The mine was owned by Werfa, Nixon and Co.

Australia
By 1857, David's second wife had died. He and his son David decided to emigrate to Australia on board the ship "Dragoon" and arrived in Victoria on 29/8/1857. They came by unassisted passage.

Father and son moved inland to the Ballarat area where they took advantage of the Gold Rush occuring at the time. Progress must have been slow at the start, but by 1862, they appear to have had some success. Eventually, six of David's son's and one daughter would all move out to Australia to join them.

Old age
David's success in the Gold Rush era does not appear to have lasted into old age. He died at age 95 od old age asthenia at the Benevolant Asylum in the city of Ballarat. He was a labourer at the time and was buried in the Old Cemetery Ballarat, section 2DN number 11 with 5 great grand children. He had outlived six of his own children.

Children

 * colspan="3" bgcolor="#FFfce0" style="color: #000000;" |Children of David and Catherine Morgan
 * colspan="3" bgcolor="#FFfce0" style="color: #000000;" |Children of David and Catherine Morgan