Irish & other Celtic ancestors

For St. Patrick's Day, I thought I'd post a summary of ancestors we know of who emigrated from Ireland, Scotland, Wales, or Cornwall. When I went to double-check some of these "roots" last night, I found some information which was new to me about a couple of the families, so I'm a day late here! Although Haynie is said to be of English-Irish origin, our Haynie ancestors came to America from England, not Ireland.

The following are surnames coming from areas with persistent Celtic traditions. The Irish names actually represent Scotch-Irish (Scots-Irish) or English-Irish families, who had previously migrated to Ireland, probably during the Ulster Plantation.

See the Wikipedia article: Plantation of Ulster


Ireland:

Houston -- The mother of Lucindy Johnson Morgan (1827-1863) was Jennie or Virginia Houston, said to be a cousin of Sam Houston. Sam Houston's emigrant ancestor, according to a family tree in RootsWeb.Com, was John McClung Houston (1703-1754), who arrived in the colonies circa 1730. He is said to have been born in Antrim, Ulster, Northern Ireland. In earlier times, this surname was spelled differently, e.g. Houseson.

Johnson -- Jennie Houston, who was born in Virginia, married Patrick Johnson. Patrick Johnson was born in Ireland 1780, of English-Irish descent. Therefore, he emigrated after the U.S had become an independent nation. This couple had their children in Abbeville District, South Carolina, where they were neighbors to John C. Calhoun; then they moved to Talladega County, Alabama, and from Ala. they moved to Texas. This was in the late 1840s after Texas joined the Union; being relatives of Sam Houston may have had something to do with their decision to go there!

Johnson -- Elizabeth Frey (b. 1812), mother of Bascom Covington, was the daughter of Mary Johnson (Frey). Mary's father, according to online information, was Henry Johnson, who was born 1738 in Antrim, Northern Ireland. He married in Pennsylvania and then served in the Revolutionary War; so he had emigrated at quite a young age, perhaps as a child. This Johnson couple ended up in Robertson County, Tennessee...Family lore says that Elizabeth Frey's mother was related to Reconstruction-era President Andrew Johnson, but to date I've not been able to find data supporting this kinship.

[Patrick Johnson and Henry Johnson may have been related to each other, back in Ireland. Their descendants Ione Morgan and Bascom Covington, respectively, were joined in marriage in 1890, in Callahan County, Texas.]


Scotland:

Campbell -- George W. Campbell (1828-1905)'s grandfather was a Scotsman who lived in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina (vicinity of present-day Charlotte), and served in the Revolutionary War (1775-1783). As of yet, we know nothing else of this Campbell family's American beginnings; the descendants moved from N.C. to eastern Georgia and from Ga. to Macon County, Alabama.

Smith --The immigrant ancestor of both Anne W. Smith (d. 1871) & her husband-cousin Benjamin M. Smith (d. 1877), of North Carolina & then Arkansas, was Alexander Smith, a Scotsman who died 1696 in Virginia. Col. Samuel Smith, descendant of Alexander, was a Revolutionary War officer in N.C. Smith descendants also fought for the Confederacy during the Civil War (1861-65), although not in our direct ancestral line.


Wales:

Evans -- The maternal grandmother of H. A. "Gus" Tillett was Pamela Evans (Wyche), of Virginia and North Carolina. Pamela's father was William Evans, who was born circa 1756, moved to Va., and served as an officer in the Revolution. William's father was Lewis Evans, of the Welsh Quakers in southeastern Pennsylvania, Bucks & Chester Counties.

Evans -- Samuel Haynie's wife was Hannah Maria Evans (Haynie); I posted her obituary recently on this blog. Although she was born in upstate New York, her paternal ancestry, too, was of the Welsh Quaker Evanses of southeast Pa. In fact, their line of descent has been traced back to the 14th century & earlier. Her immigrant ancestor was Thomas Evans (1651-1738), who is said to have arrived in 1698, or when he was in his late 40s. Thomas's great-grandson Samuel B. Evans was an officer during the Revolution, and Samuel's son & grandsons participated in the Texas Revolution (1836), with one dying in the Alamo.

[Although Lewis Evans was very likely related to Thomas Evans' family, so far I haven't found a direct connection. Their respective descendants were united with our own parents' marriage in 1948.]

Morgan -- Our Morgan ancestors descended from Col. Haynes Morgan, head of the Colonial Virginia Militia for part of the Revolutionary War. His exact ancestry hasn't been traced, but he is said to have been born in Wales circa 1742 & there is at least a tentative link to Morgans in Pa., although Haynes Morgan lived in Virginia. Many of the Colonel's great-grandsons served in the Confederate Army, some giving their lives for that cause; the Civil War veterans are not in our direct line because our own great-grandparents were young children in the 1860s.

The large website on which I found the Pennsylvania Welsh Quakers' ancestry information (URL updated 10/10/2016) is:

Gwynedd Friends Meeting Genealogy


Cornwall:

Blewett -- Bascom Covington's paternal grandmother was Winifred Covington, born in 1780s Richmond County, North Carolina. Her mother was Susannah Blewett; Susannah's father was William Blewett, who had several royal land grants in the area, near the Pee Dee River bordering South Carolina. William Blewett was born 1706 in Cornwall and came to the colonies as a child. The name is said to have probably originated in France, arriving in England at the time of the Norman Conquest.

Tillett? -- It strikes me that our other family name ending in "-ett" may have a similar historical path. It is said to have been a French Huguenot name, a group which was discriminated against in Catholic France. The Tilletts apparently migrated to England & lived there for some period of time before settling in colonial North Carolina, along the coast.

Visited Caldwell Parish, La.

On January 12th I visited Caldwell Parish for the first time, where Mary Ione Morgan, of our maternal line, grew up in the 1860s and 1870s. This is in northern Louisiana, south of Monroe.

I stopped there while en route to Texas, having lunch in the parish seat of Columbia -- on the Ouachita River, which winds down from Arkansas. In the afternoon I set off to find a remote cemetery in an area called Hickory Springs. After going the farthest I've ever driven alone on unpaved roads, I found the old wooden country church and the graves of our great-great grandparents Susan Lucinda Johnson Morgan and Haynes Lawrence Morgan.

Here is the link to the pictures I took there:

http://picasaweb.google.com/floridasand/2010Jan12?feat=directlink

Letter from a Virginia cousin to Ione Morgan in Louisiana

Marion Smyth County Va April 2 1876

My dear Cousin,

I thought that you owed me a letter but Lizzie says not. I ask your pardon for not answering your letter sooner. My dear cousin, Lizzie, told me of your troubles. I do sincerely sympathize with you, but we all have our trials and I think love scrapes are by far the most heart-breaking. I have had some experiances in such things myself, but the question is, ought we give way to our feelings? Ought not we willingly submit to our father's will? For nothing he does is to harm his children; every thing is for the best. Do you Cousin Onie, think it right to harbor revenge, malice, and hatred in your heart toward those who prevented your union with him you loved? Think how forgiving Jesus was and he everywhere admonishes us to do the same, you may some day have cause to bless them for that interference, when you have become happy [with] the love of another, then you will look back, and wonder how you ever could have loved any but your husband.

I will give you a little of my experiance about three years ago I had a good beau as smart as he could be and well educated, he "courted me." I knew that the family would never consent for me to marry him for though his morrals were good, yet his family was not of the same circle [as] mine and I myself thought that if I could not marry my equal I would live an old maid so "I declined." But cousin, it was a terrible struggle for me to make myself believe I did not love him and still worse to tell him so and every one now tells me I love him and sometimes I think I do but fortunately he has gone to California, so I live on in hope that I may yet like someone else better. I let the other boys wait on me and try to forget my troubles and I advise you to do the same for [it's] a splendid Antidote.

I fear cousin you think I ought not to write to you about this matter. I hope you will not be offended for I assure that none but the best intentions were exercised. Look above for help in this your great distress and God will enable you to stand all of the afflictions sent for your good. Again I ask you not to think hard of what I have said.

Marion is as dull as usual. We see nothing but books and boys quite a contrast. You will think yes but both alike are so common as to be considered monotinous by most of us no doubt. But they would become very indignant were they to know I said so, but it is true for all that. It is only about eight weeks until school is out and I shall be very glad, for I feel as though I could rest a while and feel invigorated very much. I only wish you could come to school here. I know you would enjoy it very much, the girls are all so gay happy and bright that it matters not who comes they must of necessity partake of the same spirit of mirth and glee to a greater or less extent. We snowball which is delightful fun especially with the boys which is quite seldom but that makes it all the better, for "variety is the spice of life."

I hope you will answer my letter very soon. I also hope you will try to be cheerful and Happy that is the best remedy for people in love. I have written this in such a hurry I hope if you should find mistakes either in orthography or in grammar you will excuse. Expecting to hear very soon I remain as ever your true and sympathizing Cousin

Minnie B. Sexton

This is my whole name Bettie Manerva, Sexton

Post script: Non-electric sewing machines

Since Alice Morgan Powell's letter of 1888 discussed her new sewing machine, it occurred to me that this was probably too early for electricity in rural Texas, so she must have been talking about a mechanical sewing machine.

I found a picture in Wikipedia of a treadle model, which apparently meant that a foot pedal was used to move the parts. That's interesting when you think about it, because the foot pedal was retained on 20th century electric models --- adapted as a way to engage the power.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singer_Corporation#Singer_Buildings

Letter from Alice Morgan to her sisters

Ione Morgan Shapard (later Covington) had three sisters, Lizzie, Emma, and Alice.  Lizzie, the eldest, moved from Louisiana to Virginia in the 1870's and was married there.  Later she and her family moved to Arkansas.

The other three moved to west Texas in the early 1880's, after their father died.  (They had been long preceded to Texas by their mother's family, the Johnsons, who migrated there from Alabama about ten years before the Civil War.)  The youngest in the Morgan family, a brother named Haynes -- after his father and their Revolutionary War ancestor -- also moved to Texas.  At this time Haynes Morgan and Onie Shapard lived in Callahan County, whereas I believe that the Mixons resided in neighboring Taylor County.

At any rate, the youngest of the sisters, Alice, had married a man named Powell and moved to Fort Davis, which is roughly 300 miles southwest of Abilene & about 5000 feet in elevation.  Emma (Mixon) had been married the longest and had several children.  Onie had recently become a widow for the second time and had a ten year-old son & a month-old daughter at the time this letter was written.  Alice herself was eight months pregnant with her first child:

Ft Davis, Tex.
Apr. 11th, 1888

Dear Emma and Onie

As Bud is fixing to [go] out there, I will just send my letter by him, as I reckon he will want to take you a little by surprise.  It makes me feel so lonely to think he is going away but know he will want to see you all and do what he thinks best.  I wanted to send the babies something, but couldn't go down in town 'tis so cold and wet, and I feel so awfull bad today I can hardly navigate.  I got Emma's ans. to my card, do hope you will all get on alright with the measles, 'tis a good time to have them.

Hope Onie is alright by now.  Think Cassie's hair looks so sweet, nearly as long as Lawrence's was, would like so much to see the sweet little thing.  Will send you all a pattern to make little shirts, under shirt waists, or you can cut it on down, and make little chemise for Vera and Mattie.  Trim round the top, and button on top of sleeve.  I made the waists of all my little shirts by it.  Have got all of my little things made at last, made one like Emma's pattern, one like Onie's, and one Mother Hubbard with embroidered yoke and sleeves, bottom ruffled with embroidery.  All think them real pretty.

Jim bought me a new machine, called the Premium, like it so well.  Runs nearly like the Singer but has all the late improvements.  Gave a Mrs. Dr. Isaacs of _____ City $25.00 for it, she got it last summer.  And I needed it right then.  Thought I would rather take it than send off and get one like Aunt Fanny, as it is nearly the very same machine.  Have got me a rocking chair also.

Drura, Wagner, Wert, and _____ are fixing to go to a dance to night.  Guess they will have a cold trip.

I want you all to be sure and write to me how you get on.  And Bud will tell you all the news, and I am bound to stop and fix up his things.  I will close for I feel so bad I can't write worth reading.  Kiss all the little children for me and be sure to write soon.

Your loving sister
Alice Powell

Cemetery in Callahan County, Texas

There are a few graves of interest listed on line as being located in Tecumseh Cemetery, Callahan County, Texas. Tecumseh was probably a tiny rural community. It is where Ione "Onie" Shapard lived, before she married Leroy Bascom Covington.

The family's graves are as follows:

Haynes J. Morgan (1863-1890), age 26, the young brother of the Morgan sisters who moved with them to Texas from Caldwell Parish, Louisiana, in the early 1880's.

Charles R. Shapard (1840-1888), age 47, second husband of Onie Morgan and father of Aunt Cassie Shapard.

Mary A. Martin Covington (1853-1890), age 36, second wife of Bascom Covington who moved with him & their children to west Texas from Robertson County, Tennessee, in the late 1880's. This is a new discovery on my part, to confirm the date of death for Mary and to know that Bascom did not arrive in Callahan County as a widower. He and Onie were said to have married each other in 1890; they lived in the community called Dudley, later moving to Abilene in Taylor County.

[Another Charlie Shapard is buried in Tecumseh, who may have been a son of Dr. Shapard from an earlier marriage. The years listed here are apparently incorrect as they are shown here, for both of the Shapard men.]

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~clearcreek/tecumseh.html

Picture of Mary Ione Morgan - Circa 1879

This picture was taken in Monroe, Louisiana.  I believe it shows Ione "Onie" Morgan at about age 21, with her first husband Oliver Hill and son Lawrence Hill.

Mary Ione Morgan was born in 1858 and married Mr. Hill in 1877.  Lawrence was born in 1878.

Around December 1882, after Dr. Haynes L. Morgan had passed away, Ione Morgan Hill and three of her siblings moved to Texas. 

Oliver Hill died some time between 1879 & 1886; because 1886 is the year in which Onie married Dr. Charles Shapard of Tennessee.

1860-61 Morgan purchases

I love this!

The Morgan family history, written by Aunt Emma Morgan (Mixon), states that the family of Dr. Haynes L. Morgan moved to Caldwell Parish, Louisiana, south of Monroe, in November of 1859. This shows their purchases starting in January 1860, in Pine Bluff, Ouachita River, La....Isn't it wonderful that the Covingtons saved this 150 year-old item for us? It is the oldest item of family life that we have, I believe.

Words I can identify, after the lady's saddle: 1-1/2 yds. linen, 6 yds. domestics (cloth), 1/2 doz. fine goblets, tobacco, 2 prs. shoes, 22 yds. calico, 20 yds. muslin, 1 pr. hose, 1 doz. buttons, 5 spools thread, 1 gal. soda, salts, grind____, small book (10 cents), red russets (potatoes), 33 yds. calico, snuff, handkerchiefs, file [?], 10 lbs. nails, 1 sack salt, 5 lbs. nails, 2 yds. flannel, 1 umbrella, tobacco, coat, dishes, plates, saucers & cups, 10 lbs. nails, and 4 lbs. shot.

For the New Orleanians among us, note that Rial & Company had their forms printed at a shop on Magazine Street in N.O. This is right before the Civil War.

Morgans in Louisiana

Here is the story of the Morgan family, told by Mema's first cousin Mattie or "Patty" McCluer, in a memoir kept by the Rogers, Arkansas, Museum. I've corrected a few errors:

...Not long after Papa took over this project, he met and married Elizabeth Morgan, a native of Louisiana. Her father was Dr. Haynes Morgan, and her great grandfather was Col. Haynes Morgan, who was at the Battle of Guilford Court House in North Carolina. He was a Virginia landholder. Mama's father, Haynes III, later moved to Alabama, where Mama was born, at Talladega.

The Texas fever was spreading over the Southeastern states about this time. Our grandfather, Haynes III, decided to go West. He and a large party of immigrants started to Texas. They were delayed at Jackson, Mississippi, where Aunt Ione was born.

By the time they reached Monroe, Louisiana, all their money was gone, so they rented a place near Monroe and put in a cotton crop. They were getting along fine, and had every prospect of moving on to Texas as soon as the cotton was picked, but the Civil War broke out and the Yankee soldiers drove off all the stock; the slaves were scattered; and the big general store grandpa owned was burned. His wife died in childbirth for want of a doctor. Everything except the house they lived in and one old mule (too old for the Yankees to use) was carried off or destroyed.

Grandmother Morgan was Lucinda Johnson before her marriage. She had two brothers, one named Patrick. Her family were directly from Ireland, settling in Virginia not far from the Morgan estate. There is nothing told of why Haynes went to Alabama to live.

After Lucinda's death, grandpa was indeed in a sad state. He was well past middle age, being much older than his wife, and left with four young daughters and an infant son, with no one to care for them. Mama, the eldest, was ten. A negro ex-slave, called Aunt Julie, came to him and said, "Dr. Morgan, (he was a dentist), I'se gwin stay with these chillun." So, from that day, Aunt Julie was the only Mother they ever knew...

Colonel Haynes Morgan

Here is a website established by a man named Danny Ricketts in Virginia, which describes the Revolutionary War contributions of our ancestor Colonel Haynes Morgan:


http://pittsco.rdricketts.com/morgan.html

Vincent Shelton Morgan's 1892 letter

Here is the third letter in the trio having to do with the trip made by Lawrence Hill to visit his Aunt Lizzie and cousins in southwest Virginia. Vincent S. Morgan (1818-1894) was the patriarch of the Morgan clan at this point in time; he had served as a State legislator, as well as Smyth County sheriff. He was called Uncle Vint by his nieces and nephews.

His great-grandson told me recently that Vincent Shelton Morgan was wealthy, at least in terms of land ownership. He lives today on part of that land, the Morgan farm, in the vicinity of Saltville.

"Mattie" referred to here was one of V. S. Morgan's three children, Martha Elizabeth Morgan Miles. She was a first cousin of Lawrence Hill's mother, Onie Morgan Covington. The son-in-law referred to here was Mattie's husband and quite an accomplished man, George Miles.

Marion, Va.
Nov. 22nd, 1892
Dear Onie,

I just got home yesterday from a visit to Mattie & found your letter awaiting me. Lawrence is here & well & hearty. He can stay here until it is convenient for you to send him money to go home, he is no incumbrance to us. I would lend him the money to go home if I were in a condition to do so provided he wanted it, but I will say in all frankness that I am not able to do so. Money matters are closer with me now than they have been for many years. One reason is I have been trying to help my son-in-law put up buildings for a school, I feel that I am almost compelled to go South this winter if I am able & I shall be pressed to arrange my business & raise the money to pay my expenses.

I was very glad to hear you were all well & getting along fairly well. I am getting quite feeble & my eyesight very bad- rest of my family all well. With best wishes & hoping to hear from you whenever convenient. I remain your uncle,

V. S. Morgan

Reverend Uncas McCluer's 1891 letter

                                                                        Osceola  Va.                                                                                                      

                                                                                                            12. 12. 1891.

Dear Onie -

Your letter arhavd today and is answered forthwith -

We are glad to hear that Lawrence is coming to Va - the "Old Dominion."  Your plan will be to get a Ticket to Bristol Tenn.  Bristol is on the State Line fifteen miles from Abingdon Va.  And both on the Main Line of R.R. from the South West to the North East - Abingdon is (7) seven miles from our house over a good road.

I will meet him at the Depot or if he comes in the night, or very early in the morning, tell him to take the Hack, & go to the "Colonade Hotel" and wait their till I come.  Mr. & Mrs. Harris - the Hotel people are great friends of ours, and if Lawrence will just call my name he will be all right.

Lizzie says, feed that Baby, Morgan, some so you will not break down.  Also, if you have plenty, send us a few pecans. - The children here do not know what they are -

We are as well as usual.  As ever your Brother,
                                                                        U. McCluer
P.S. Tell Lawrence to get off at Bristol,  & have his Trunk rechecked to Abingdon, & get another ticket -  There is usually plenty of time for that -

Lawrence Hill's letter - Circa 1892

A few editorial notes to go with this letter:

Lawrence was about 14 years old in 1892, the year of his trip from Texas to Virginia. He may have been "slow" for his age. Nonetheless, I think this is a charming letter; and I'm so glad that it was saved for us to enjoy, along with the two letters from the adults in Va. [After Ione Morgan Covington died, these things were kept by her son Alto & his wife Effie Covington.]

Lawrence's reference to "cars" means, of course, train cars.

Agnes and Kate are Rev. McCluer's daughters, half-sisters to the children of Lizzie Morgan McCluer & Uncas McCluer. Evidently Kate was away from home during this period; she was 17 yrs old. The other McCluer children & their approx. ages in 1892 were Lacy, age 10; twins Netta & Patty (given name Mattie), age 8; Morgan, age 3; and Robert "Dabney," infant....These five children were first cousins to Onie Covington's children.

An endearing bonus is the page devoted to Lawrence's little sister Cassie Shapard, who was 4 years old at the time. And the reference to "brother" would be to Morgan Covington, who was 1 year old. The last postscript is inquiring about their dog & horses, I presume! Oh, and "Mattie & Vera" are other Texas cousins, children of Emma Morgan Mixon, I think.

I couldn't understand the postscript he wrote to his mother.

Well Mamma I wrote you a letter last night and will write some more to night. I went to the Store this eve and got a par of drawers you sent me. I had to send 9ct. to Abilene to the P.O. Master to put on that bundle. he wrote me a card that there was not a nough Stamps. You thought Agnes was little. She is biger than I. I got acquainted with Some boys here. Aunt Lizzie looks like Aunt Alice. Lacy got a letter from Kate. She said I [was] bold to come here by myself. At Memphis I saw the lectricity. Cars crosed the Mississippi River at night but got to see it. did not take any cold. did not get sick. any way enjoyed my trip fine. went throu one Tunnel it like to made me deaf the Cars sound so loud. I am sory Mr. Harrel house got burnd down heap rather it would have ben Trents. is halken rider or what ever his name is going to mary Julia Trent? it has ben cold and wet wether untill the last 2 or 3 days but think it is fixin up for bad agane. I haven't ben homesick any yet feel like I am at home. well I can't think of any more so I will close. your ever loving Son Lawrence Hill

Postscript I guess you think I can back the boss [?] letters.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Sister I will write to you a litle letter. Morgan is a bout your size. have you got your litle Waggon and your tu dolls? Aunt Lizzie says you are geting pretyer than you was. are you and brther well? Uncle Mc. says I will hft to [be] a litle patent with Morgan. he is so much like I usted to be. the Twins are so much a like that I can't tell them apart without examimine closely. have you ben to see Mattie and Vera? I will close. your loving broter good Night Lawrence Hill

Postscript how is Shep ageting a long and the Horces?

Revolutionary War Ancestors

This is a list of direct ancestors of ours, that we know of so far, who served in the Revolutionary War (1775-1783) and/or earlier conflicts of the 17th and 18th centuries, e.g. the French and Indian War. [All except the two Haynies are on Ione's side of the family.]

Soldiers:

Spencer Haynie, Jr. (1758-1825)

Peter Wyche (1748-1803)

Officers:

Lieutenant William Evans (1756- after 1816)

Captain John Haynie (1624-1697)*

Colonel Haynes Morgan (Abt.1742-1795)

Major Vincent Shelton

Colonel Maurice Smith

Colonel William Thompson III (Abt.1724-1780)

*Since Capt. John Haynie, Sr., is said to have transported 46 persons to the Virginia colony for settlement, I take it that his title indicates that he was a sea captain, if not a military naval officer. The Haynie book asserts that he served as "Commander" in the Susquehanna War of 1678.

On another historical note, I thought that the Oath of Allegiance to the Commonwealth, mentioned in the description of Nehemiah Covington's colonial life, referred to the Commonwealth of Virginia, which to this day is the official name of that state. However, the Haynie book describes this as swearing allegiance to "The Commonwealth of England as it is now established without King or House of Lords." This was the period of the English Civil Wars, when there were several power struggles between the monarchy and Parliament, as well as between Protestant and Catholic religious factions. Haynie took the loyalty oath one year after our Covington ancestor did, though in a different coastal county.