Morgan

Melvin W. MORGAN (1846-1906)

Melvin W. MORGAN was born in Alabama, on 24 May 1846, and died 15 Dec 1906. These dates appear on his gravestone, and the birth date in [D], page 285, although the 1900 US Census says he was born in May 1844. He was the youngest of the 11 children of Ezekiel MORGAN and Linnie BRANTLEY. The family had moved several times in Alabama, but by 1846 they were probably settled on a farm about 2 miles west of Dora, in Walker County, and that is probably where Melvin was born.

Melvin served in the Confederacy during the Civil War. I think this is his record:

U.S. Civil War Soldiers, 1861-1865

Name M.W. Morgan

Side Confederate

Regiment State/Origin Alabama

Regiment 3rd Regiment, Alabama Cavalry

Company C

Rank In Private

Rank Out Private

Alternate Name N. W./Morgan

Film Number M374 roll 32

3rd Regiment, Alabama Cavalry

Melvin married Sophronia C. ELMORE. We also have Sophronia's dates from her gravestone. She was born 27 May 1847, and died 13 Mar 1932. As you might expect, there have been many spellings of Sophronia, but I'll take the one on the gravestone as the right spelling. The 1880 and 1900 censuses agree that she and both her parents were born in Georgia.

The 1869 Census was taken on 8 Jun 1900, and it says Melvin and Sophronia had been married 31 years. Assuming this is correct, the marriage date is between 9 Jun 1868 and 8 Jun 1869. So they could have been married by the time their first child was born, 26 Oct 1868.

There is some question about her maiden name. She is Sophronia C. ELMORE in [D], but the death record for daughter Dovie S. MORGAN has her listed as Suphrona TREADWAY, born in Calton, GA. Many family trees have her Sophronia Caroline WILSON, with no evidence cited, but this may be family information. Some of these surnames may be from other marriages, but I have not found any marriage records for Sophronia or Melvin.

There is a good deal of family information that is probably very reliable, although not backed up by any official documents. A note posted by shelbybailey48 tells us that "Sophronia smoked a ceramic pipe with homegrown tobacco. She was small - about 5 feet and 80 to 90 pounds and stern-faced."

Below is a brief description of each of the 10 children and their families.

1. Dovie S. MORGAN was born on 26 Oct 1868, in Alabama, and died on 10 Oct 1930 in Dora, Walker, Alabama.

Dovie Morgan Barnett death record

in the Alabama, Deaths and Burials Index, 1881-1974

Name: Dovie Morgan Barnett

Birth Date: 1868

Birth Place: Dora, Alabama

Death Date: 10 Oct 1930

Death Place: Dora, Walker, Alabama

Burial Date: 11 Oct 1930

Burial Place: Dora, Alabama

Death Age: 62

Race: White

Marital Status: Divorced

Gender: Female

Father Name: Mel W Morgan

Father Birth Place: Georgia

Mother Name: Suphrona Treadway

Mother Birth Place: Calton, Georgia

Spouse Name: R M Barnett

FHL Film Number: 1908482

This death record gives the name Suphrona TREADWAY as her mother, as mentioned above. It also says she was divorced, not widowed. Maybe she was married to and then divorced from TREADWAY after Melvin MORGAN died. It also says that her father, Mel W MORGAN, was born in Georgia; all other records say he was born in Alabama. Most importantly, it names her spouse: R.M. BARNETT. This makes it possible to find the couple in later records. Here they are in 1910:

1910 US Census for Precinct 13, Walker, Alabama

Barnet Riley M Head Male White 31 1879 Married Alabama Alabama Alabama

Barnet Dovie Wife Female White 41 1869 Married Alabama Alabama Alabama

Barnet Lonnie Son Male White 8 1902 Single Alabama Alabama Alabama

Barnet Laura Daughter Female White 6 1904 Single Alabama Alabama Alabama

Barnet Maud Daughter Female White 4 1906 Single Alabama Alabama Alabama

Barnet Dewey C Son Male White 3 1907 Single Alabama Alabama Alabama

Bryson Jean Boarder Male White 20 1890 Single South Carolina South Carolina South Carolina

Turpin Ed Boarder Male White 19 1891 Single South Carolina South Carolina South Carolina

Riley M. BARNET was 10 years younger than Dovie. He and his parents were born in Alabama. They have 4 children: Lonnie (8), Laura (6), Maud (4), and Dewey C. (3). They also have 2 boarders - probably farmhands - from South Carolina. The census was taken on 4 May 1910. Riley and Dovie had been married 11 years, so they were married between 5 May 1898 and 4 May 1899. Dovie has had 5 children, with 4 still living. Riley is a coal miner. Riley and Dovie rent a home, and they are both able to read and write.

2. Effie L. MORGAN's death record is a good place to start. She was born 22 Aug 1870 in Walker County, AL, and died 9 Jul 1942 in Dora, Walker, AL. Her husband was Noah DANIEL, who died before her.

Effie L Daniel in the Alabama, Deaths and Burials Index, 1881-1974

Name: Effie L Daniel [Effie L Morgan]

Birth Date: 22 Aug 1870

Birth Place: Walker

Death Date: 9 Jul 1942

Death Place: Dora, Walker, Alabama

Burial Date: 10 Jul 1942

Burial Place: Mccormick, Jefferson, Alabama

Cemetery Name: Burial

Death Age: 71

Occupation: None

Race: White

Marital Status: Widowed

Gender: Female

Residence: Dora, Walker, Alabama

Father Name: Melvin Morgan

Father Birth Place: Georgia

Mother Name: Saphronia Wilson

Mother Birth Place: Georgia

Spouse Name: Noah Daniel

FHL Film Number: 1908616

Based on this, we find the shared gravestone of Noah and Effie, in McCormack Cemetery, Dora, Jefferson, AL. (Note: The town of Dora is partly in Walker and partly in Jefferson County.) It has Noah S. Daniel, b. 1858, d. 1933. They were married on 23 Apr 1893, in Walker County.

Alabama, Select Marriages, 1816-1942

Name Effie L. Morgan

Gender Female

Marriage Date 23 Apr 1893

Marriage Place , Walker, Alabama

FHL Film Number 1031137 IT 1

Household Members

Noah S. Daniel

Effie L. Morgan

In 1900 the young family is in Horse Creek Township.

1900 US Census for Horse Creek, Walker, AL, taken 1 Jun 1900

Daniel Noah S Head White Male Oct 1858 41 Married 8 1892 Alabama Alabama Georgia

Daniel Effie L Wife White Female Aug 1870 29 Married 8 1892 Alabama Alabama Georgia

Daniel May B Daughter White Female Feb 1896 4 Single Alabama Alabama Alabama

They have one child, May B. DANIEL, b. Feb 1896. We also have more information about Noah. He was born Oct 1858, in Alabama. His father was also born in Alabama, and his mother in Georgia. Effie has had 2 children, with 1 still living. Noah is a Postmaster, and owns a farm.

Noah S. Daniel (1858-1933)

Posted online by ZelDaniel.

1910 Census for Dora, Walker, AL, taken 16 Apr 1910

Daniels N S Head Male White 50 1860 Married Alabama Alabama Alabama

Daniels Effie Wife Female White 39 1871 Married Alabama Alabama Alabama

Daniels Mae Daughter Female White 15 1895 Single Alabama Alabama Alabama

Daniels Clara Daughter Female White 6 1904 Single Alabama Alabama Alabama

Daniels Nora Lee Daughter Female White 3 1907 Single Alabama Alabama Alabama

By 1910 they have 3 children: Mae (15), Clara (6) and Nora Lee (3). They own a home on Head Street, in the town of Dora, and Noah is still the Postmaster.

1920 US Census for Dora, Walker, AL, taken 9 Jan 1920

Danniel Noah S Head Own Free Male White 61 1859 Married AL AL AL

Danniel Effie L Wife Female White 49 1871 Married AL AL AL

Danniel Clara E Daughter Female White 16 1904 Single AL AL AL

Danniel Nora Lee Daughter Female White 13 1907 Single AL AL AL

Danniel Rubie Daughter Female White 9 1911 Single AL AL AL

In 1920 the family has moved to Third Street, Dora. The oldest child, Mae DANIEL, has left home, an there is another child, Rubie (9). Noah is now a weigh boss in a coal mine.

3. Wilson W. MORGAN's grave is found in Davis Cemetery, Dora, Walker, AL. He was born 6 Jun 1872 in Alabama, and died 24 Mar 1886, not yet 14 years of age. I don't know the cause of death. This must be the one child who didn't survive until 1900.

4. Dolphus E. MORGAN is buried in Elmwood Cemetery, Birmingham, Jefferson, AL. His gravestone give the birth date 9 Jul 1874 and death 27 Jan 1955. The full name on his WWI draft card is Adolphus Elisha MORGAN.

WWI draft card for Dolphus MORGAN

The draft card has his birth date as 9 Jul 1875, not 1874. His occupation is farming, and his wife's name is Tinnie. He has blue eyes and light-colored hair.

Tiney MORGAN appears in the 1960 City Directory of Birmingham, AL, as the widow of Dolphus E. MORGAN, residing at 1327 4th ter W. Her gravestone says that Tiney was born on 2 Jan 1880 and died 10 Jul 1977. The page on Findagrave says her maiden name was MITCHELL, but gives no evidence.

In the 1930 US Census, Dolphus and Tiney are found at 1313 Third Avenue, Dora, the same street where Effie MORGAN (above) lived in 1920. They are renting an apartment for $15/month. He is 54 and she is 50. Their ages at first marriage were 25 and 21, so they were married about 1901. They have 4 daughters: Daphne (18), Beatrice (13), Clinnie (10) and Lois (8). Dolphus is a manager at a cafe.

Dulpha D Morgan in the Alabama, Deaths and Burials Index, 1881-1974

Name: Dulpha D Morgan

Birth Date: abt 1875

Death Date: 29 Jan 1955

Death Place: Sumiton, Walker, Alabama

Death Age: 80

Gender: Male

Father Name: Mell W Morgan

Mother Name: Frannis Wilson

FHL Film Number: 1908896

The death record has his death date 2 days later than his gravestone. His mother again has maiden name WILSON. I don't know how Sophronia C. became Frannis.

5. Wallace W. MORGAN was called Walis in the 1880 US Census. His gravestone lies in East Dora Cemetery, Dora, Walker, AL. It says he was born in 1878 (agrees with 1880 Census) and died in 1929. He shares the stone with his spouse, Eliza C. MORGAN, b. 1882, d. 1940.

Alabama, Death Index, 1908-1959

Name W. W. Morgan

Death Date Jun 1929

Death County Jefferson

Volume 33

Roll 3

Page # 16068

The death record for Wallace gives a more precise death date of Jun 1929. He died in Jefferson County, AL.

The 1910 US Census has the family in Dora. Wallace (32) and Liza (24) have 5 children: Vannie (10), Roy (7), Willie (6), Clyde (4) and Erie Bell (2). Wallace and Liza have been married for 11 years, so the marriage was about 1899. Liza has had 5 children, with all 5 living, so we have the full list, up to 1910. The age for Liza should be about 28, not 24, but maybe that is a mistake. Liza and her parents were born in Alabama. The family rents a house, and Wallace is a merchant, with a general store.

In the 1920 US Census, the family is found in Dora, Walker, AL. Wallace W (42) and wife Caline (38) have 9 children: Roy (18), Willie (16), Clyde (14), Bell (12), Clay (9), Vera (6), Howard (4), Harry (2), and Mary E (0). Wallace is a proprietor of a dry goods store. The youngest child, Mary E, must have been newborn, as her age is 0/12, or 0 months. The census was taken on 8 Jan 1920, so her birth date was no more than a month before that. Caline must be Eliza C. She was born in Alabama, and her parents were born in South Carolina. The age is more in line with the birth date on the gravestone, but the birthplaces of her parents differ from thos given in the 1910 Census. Perhaps Wallace has remarried.

WWI draft card for Wallace MORGAN

The WWI draft card gives us the names of Wallace Wilkins MORGAN and his wife Elizabeth. It give the birthdate 9 Sep 1877 for Wallace. He worked at coal mining in 1915, for a company called Sorrel Coal Co. He has a stout build, which doesn't sound like Wallace of 1900-1910.

Family information has Wallace's wife Eliza Caroline PATE, daughter of John PATE and Mary Elizabeth CHRISTIAN, of Cordove, Alabama.

6. G. Marsales MORGAN was born in Jul 1880 and died about 1956. His nickname was "Sales."

George Marsales Morgan in the Alabama, Deaths and Burials Index, 1881-1974

Name: George Marsales Morgan

Birth Date: abt 1881

Death Date: 28 Jul 1956

Death Place: Fairfield, Jefferson, Alabama

Death Age: 75

Gender: Male

Father Name: Melvin Morgan

Mother Name: Sophie Wilson

FHL Film Number: 1908911

From the death record, his first name was George, and he died on 28 Jul 1956, in Fairfield, Jefferson, AL. This also gives more evidence that Sophronia's maiden name was WILSON.

Alabama, Select Marriages, 1816-1942

Name Lily Morgan

Gender Female

Race White

Age 30y

Birth Date 1887

Marriage Date 17 Mar 1917

Marriage Place Jefferson County, Alabama

FHL Film Number 1064438

Reference ID p 60

Household Members

Name Age

Lily Morgan

N E Glover

1930 US Census for Precinct 13, Walker, AL, taken 7 Apr 1930

Glover E Noble Head Male White 41 1889 Married 28 Alabama Alabama Alabama

Glover Lillie Wife Female White 44 1886 Married 33 Alabama Alabama Alabama

Glover D Farlan Son Male White 11 1919 Single Alabama Alabama Alabama

Glover E Noble Son Male White 10 1920 Single Alabama Alabama Alabama

Glover M Jack Son Male White 9 1921 Single Alabama Alabama Alabama

Noble and Lillie were 41 and 44 in 1930. They were 28 and 33 at first marriage. That is 13 years ago, or 1917, for Noble, and 11 years ago, or 1919, for Lillie. But we have the 1917 marriage record for Noble and Lillie (above). So I think 33 is a mistake.

Noble E. GLOVER was a farmer, and renter.

9. Bert M. MORGAN

10. Martin G. MORGAN

Sources

[D] History of Walker County, Alabama, by John Martin Dombhart, 1987

[H] Hodge Family Tree

Updated 2 Oct 2016 by William Haloupek. Contact haloupek at gmail dot com