C:\Data\Family
History\Morgan Davies\Morgan Davies 1841-1924 13
Jan 2003 11:10 a.m.
Morgan Davies
1st Decade: 1840's
On the eleventh of May, 1841, in Troedyrhiw, Varteg, Killybebill, Wales a son
was born to Thomas and Gwenllian Davies.
Pursuant to the Births and Deaths Registration Act of 1836, the birth of the
boy born to this couple was registered in the Registration District of Neath,
Sub-District of Cadocton in the county of Glamorgan. From a certified copy of the entry of the
birth, we learn that the father Thomas, was a Tiler
and Plasterer; the mother, Gwenllian was “formerly” a Williams. They named their son Morgan. 1 [Somerset House, Certified
Copy of an Entry of Birth, CD 368297.]
Morgan was the fourth child and the third son of six children. His given
name was the same as his paternal grandfather’s
surname
. . .on the river Tawe, and
the Swansea Vale railway, five miles North of Neath, . .
. Post-town Swansea. Much of the land near Neath
is mountainous and clothed with wood. Large industry is carried on in the
coal trade and in the Priorose and Waunycold collieries. A bridge with one arch of 50
feet in width spans the Tawe at Pontary-Davy.2 [John
Marius Wilson The Imperial Gazetteer,
Vol III, p. 1103]
The 1841 Census for the Parish of Killybebilll, 100
of Neath County of Glamorgan, Troed-y-rhiw, Varteg3
included the following entry for the Davies family:
Thomas
Davies
30
Tyler (Tiler or Plasterer)
Gwenllian
Davies
30
Ann
Davies
5
Edward
Davies
3
William
Davies
2
N.K.
Davies
1 month
N.K. was determined to be Morgan Davies. His date of birth as shown by
the certificate from the Superintendent Registrar of Neath
would have made him one month old when the Census was taken in June 1841.
We know very
little of his childhood although he did tell us that he cried before he was
born because he was afraid he was going to be a girl.
[Ruth Davies,
granddaughter]
Morgan’s brother William who was two years older than he, was very
fond of music. When a child only seven years of age, a band came through
the town and played at various streets. Barefoot, hatless and coatless,
he followed this band all day until he became lost. A friend found him
and took back to his home. One of their neighbors
who discerned the child was a lover of music, bought a cheap tin flute and gave
it to him and had him come to his house often and taught him to play.
[Hannah Margaret
Hansen Davis, sister-in-law]
He was not a
studious boy and would not attend school, consequently he never learned to read
or write.
[Beatrice L.
Davies, granddaughter]
He never wanted
to go to school so he never learned to read or write. In fact, one day his
father told him if he didn't go to school that day he would have to go to work
with him, so Morgan made sure that he didn't go to school. His father's
occupation was plastering so when Morgan had to go to work with his father, he
too, learned to plaster. This was his occupation during his entire life.
[Ruth Davies,
granddaughter] ]
Dad went to work
while very young in Swansea and Cardiff. But I don't remember which place he
left from. They are both coast towns so I always think it was more for
adventure than religion that ever got him started.
[Gwenllian
2nd Decade: 1850's
1851 Census of Ystradgunlais, Ystrad
Village
#6344705
Living at 34 Pelican Street
Head Thomas Davies married age 44
He was not very
old when he left Wales. He first left home and went to stay with an Uncle. A
boy there, a cousin was known as the bully of the school. Grandpa resolved that
he wouldn't be bullied. The outgrowth of that was that he was kicked out of his
Uncle's home and from that period on, he was on his own.
[Morgan Davies,
grandson]
Yesterday I
asked my father [Thomas James Davies] where
Grandpa learned his trade and while he didn’t know that, he knew that it was in
the old country and that Morgan and William had gone to Liverpool to work long
before they emigrated. He feels sure that Morgan belonged to a
Union. In fact, a very peculiar thing happened after I mention “Unions”
to him. He said, “I seem to feel that I have seen my Father’s union book;
but I don’t know where it is nor why I happen to think
that just now.” Before I left the house he told me to tell you he was
sure his Father was a union man.
[Rosella Davies Thorup, granddaughter]
William was
baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on 12 September
1856." He was aged 17 at this time and was baptized by his father, Thomas
Davies. William must have taken his religion seriously. His friends from Wales
reported that as a preacher of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, "he confounded
the ministers of other doctrine." It was said that he had healing in his
hands for many were healed by his administrations.
[Amelia Davis
Everett]
His father was a
member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and was a tiler by trade. His mother never joined the church.
[Beatrice L.
Davies, granddaughter]
Father also believes
that Morgan’s father Thomas was a baptized member although he never emigrated.—
[Rosella Davies,
granddaughter]
Morgan and his
brother William kept an open house for the missionaries from Utah such as
Joseph D. Felt, Wilford Woodruff Jr. and some of the
presidents stopped with them.
[Hannah Margaret
Davis, sister-in-law]
On the 29
September 1856, Morgan was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints. This may have been in Cardiff, Wales or Liverpool, England.
We only know that he and his brother William moved about working and they were
in these two places sometime previous to their sailing for America. His older
brother William Davies had been baptized on the 12th of he
same month by their father, Thomas Davies. Morgan was 15 and William was
17.
3rd Decade:
1860's
A card for Morgan Davies included in the Minnie Margets’
record gives the following information:
MORGAN DAVIES
Birkeknhead Branch, Liverpool Conference
British Mission
Ordination: Teacher
Remarks: By
letter Emigrated
May 16, 1864
The next great
advance recorded came just before William was twenty-five years old. He and his
brother Morgan, two years his junior, boarded the ship, McLelland
in March 1864, bound for America, the land of Zion.
Amelia Davis, granddaughter
Grandfather was
a member of the Church and was advanced to the office a teacher in the
Priesthood before he left England for America. He was not a studious boy and
would not attend school, consequently he never learned to read or write. He
appeared to be a very "venturesome type" and spent much of his youth
roaming from one town to another in Wales and England. It is thought that his
love for adventure was the main reason for his coming to America.
[Beatrice L. Davies, granddaughter]
Morgan borrowed
money from the Perpetual Emigration Fund to come to Utah. He left
Liverpool, England and arrived in America with the Birkenhead Branch of the
L.D.S. Church at the age of 23.
[Ruth Davies, granddaughter]
Just before he
turned twenty-five, William and his brother Morgan who would be twenty-three in
May, boarded the ship McLelland in March of 1864,
bound for America, the land of Zion.
[Amelia Davis, granddaughter]]
In all of his adventures, he had a staunch companion, his brother William, and
this brother traveled to America with him.
[Beatrice L. Davies, granddaughter]
William Davis
was a very aggressive man. He showed his spirit in behalf of a poor old
man on the ocean. The poor old man had all his belongings in a small
sack, a new suit of clothes, a few dollars, and some one
stole it while he slept. Everyone felt sorry for him and many inquiries
were made among the passengers. For three days they waited without
avail. On the third evening, Davis came forth with a hatchet in his hand
and in an angry voice declared, “Tomorrow I will smash every box and tear up
every sack until I find the thief.” The next morning the sack was found
in its usual place. Ever after on the whole journey they had a great deal
of respect for Davis.
[Hannah Margaret Davis, sister-in-law]]
Guess he always
was pretty good to find work. That is how he landed the job to drive a team of
mules and government wagon from St. Joseph, Missouri. He always called it
St. Joe, just as it is mostly known. He drove from St. Joe to Ft.
Douglas.
[Gwenllian Davies, daughter]
They never had
much money at any time ~ they always earned just enough to take them from one
place to another. Therefore, they accepted a government offer to drive a
government team and wagon and bring supplies from St. Louis to Ft.
Douglas.
[Beatrice L. Davies, granddaughter]
William and
Morgan started the trip across the plains in May 1864. Each was driving a
government wagon drawn by oxen from Missouri to Utah, thereby earning instead
of spending for transportation. William drove six yoke of cattle, hauling goods
here and was paid very little for that.
Just for
conversation, I asked your father (the last day I was there) what he knew about
the family history. He said, "Only that Dad came with the Hancock
Company." Then began talking to me about meeting at the
Hancock home years ago. I remembered the occasion as I was invited to be
there to write a patriarchal blessing for the group. But not knowing anything
about Dad I had dismissed the occasion entirely and when he got on that string,
nothing more was said about history.
[Gwenllian Davies, daughter]
The group of
government wagons traveled and camped close to the Mormon emigrant train, which
was safer for both parties because of the Indian peril.
[Amelia Davis, granddaughter]
Morgan and his
brother William traveled at the same time the John Hancock Company did and
remained with them most of the journey in order to secure protection from the
Indians. The Saints were told to share with the Indians and to never harm them
~ that if they would do this, the Indians would not take all the Saints had.
Grandfather found this to be true. He would watch them enter his wagon, trying
at all times to pretend that he was not frightened. Each time, the Indians
would help themselves to what they wanted and then leave in a peaceful manner.
[Beatrice L. Davies, granddaughter]
In this company
of Saints, were two young girls, Ann Keep age 27 who was born in Greenham, Berkshire, England, and her sister, Mary
Elizabeth. Grandfather offered to give them a ride in his wagon as they had
walked most of the way. A friendship grew between these young people and they
spent much of their time together on the trip to Utah.
[Beatrice L. Davies, granddaughter]
It was in the
emigrant train that Morgan found his future wife, Ann Keep. She said that
she had many better meals by visiting the government train than she had with
her Mormon emigrants.
[Amelia Davis, relative]
In that way he
had plenty to eat all the way across and the-story goes that is how he met my
mother and Aunt Mary Turner. They stopped to pick berries and their company
drove on without them, and he gave them a ride until they overtook their own
group. Sounds rather "fishy" that the company would go on, leaving
two young girls alone but perhaps they requested the privilege. One can never
tell what young folks will do and the elders begin to relate experiences, it
seems to go in one ear and out the other. So I never felt anything very authentic.
Guess Aunt Mary would have been better versed than Dad and of course Mother
never bothered to tell my young ears or if so, have forgotten all.
[Gwenllian Mary Davies, daughter]
Grandpa had an old wagon with a spring seat in front (where the grain was
kept). Once we were traveling along 9th East in this one-horse wagon. We came
to the surplus canal (drainage sewer for the town). "Whoa!" Grandpa
called out. "Do you see that stream of water? When we were crossing the
plains, the oxen would smell something and it was all you could do to hold onto
the oxen. We had to get out and get a drink before the animals dirtied the
water."
[Morgan Davies, grandson
Grandfather was
a very good swimmer. As a child he had lived in a home built on the
shores. It was only natural that he should go swimming often in the
ocean. One day, as the Saints were crossing a river, they had a hard time
getting the oxen across. Grandfather offered to swim across with them, helping
until all were across.—
[Beatrice L. Davies, granddaughter ]
Morgan and
William left Wales in March of 1864, set sail in May and arrived in Salt Lake
City, Utah on October 31, 1864. The government train continued on to
Montana where it was so cold that many of the oxen froze to death.
[ Amelia Davis, relative]
They found much
activity: the great Mormon Temple was being built; there were wars with the
Indians and troubles over polygamy. Soon they met President Brigham Young and
other noted men they had heard about in their far away Wales. Being
plasterers of skill, they soon were at work on the temple. William was
also a bodyguard to the beloved President Young. As an avocation, he sang
in the choir and joined a brass band. He helped to buy the instruments
and to pay the teacher, Mr. Park.
[Amelia Davis, relative]
As Grandfather
had to deliver his goods to the fort, he remained in Salt Lake but the two Keep
girls continued on their journey to Lehi where they
were to live with their sister, Mary Elizabeth (Aunt Polly) and her husband,
Alfred Tuner. It wasn't long before grandfather realized that one of
those young ladies, Ann, meant a lot to him. He walked from Salt Lake to Lehi many times to visit her.
[Beatrice L. Davies, granddaughter]
At one time,
Grandpa and his brother William were boarding with an attractive young widow
named Ameila Evans Camp who was also born in Wales.
She gave them each an egg for breakfast. She reached over the table and pushed
the egg onto William's plate. "You eat my egg this morning. Better that
one of us go hungry than both of us starve to death." Uncle William
married her in December 1864 in the Endowment House. She was Aunt May to
us.
[Morgan Davies, grandson]
On one very cold
winter day Morgan walked knee-deep in snow to Lehi.
When he arrived at the Turner home, Uncle Alfred came to the door but didn’t
invited Morgan in even to dry his clothes before he went back home.
Alfred said that Ann had gone to a dance with another fellow. After a few
minutes of conversation, Alfred finally asked Morgan in and there was Ann and
Aunt Polly laughing at the joke.
[Ruth Davies, granddaughter]
One day he
decided that she would have to make up her mind and come back with him. This
night, when he arrived in Lehi, he was told that Ann
was attending a dance. He went to the place and took her from the dance floor
and told her that he would not wait any longer for her that she must come right
now. They were married in Salt Lake on March 1, 1865--just five months after
having arrived here. His trips were made to Lehi all
during the cold winter months.
[Beatrice L. Davies, granddaughter]
Having just
earned $115 from the government, grandfather purchased land and built the first
stucco home ever built in the west. He continued buying more land and building
homes to sell or rent. His brother, William, was always a partner in these
transactions. The first lath and plaster home ever known to the west was built
by these two brothers. It was a duplex home and William lived in one side and
grandfather in the other. Though they built and lived in many homes in
Clarkston, Newton, and other Utah towns, they spent most of their years in Salt
Lake City. It was while residing at 7th East between 4th and 5th South that
most of their children were born. In his later years, he bought and built four
homes on 9th East between 4th and 5th South, where he spent the remainder of
his life.
[Beatrice L. Davies, granddaughter]
Morgan and Ann’s
first son, Thomas James was born 5 September 1866. He was named for his
Morgan’s father, Thomas Davies and Ann's father, James
Joseph Keep. Their second son, Edward Morgan was born 23 December
1868.
4th Decade:
1870's
On August 19,
1870, William bought a lot containing fifty square rods of ground (Lot four in
block twenty-six, fronting West) from his brother Morgan Davies for the sum of
$150. The deed was signed by Edwin D. Wooley,
J. P. Freeze and Morgan Davies (his mark x).
The transaction is recorded in Deeds & Transfer Records, D1868, page 647 at
the Salt Lake City and County Building.
[Amelia Davis, relative]
Somewhere along
the way, William lost the “e” out of his surname and became Davis instead of
Davies. His only explanation was that it was the American way, for they
persisted in writing it that way and calling him Davis, so he let it be.
[Amelia Davis, relative]
The Davies
family welcomed their first daughter, Lucy Ann 25 May 1871. She was known
as “Aunty” to her nieces and nephews. A third son, Daniel William was born
16 June 1873 and died less then three years later on
26 January 1876. “Morgan Alfred, known as Uncle Ed was to have been
called Morgan but everyone used his first name so Grandma said that she would
give this child Morgan for his first name so that he would be called Morgan,
but everyone called him Alf!” ] The sixth and last child, Gwenllian Mary, known as Aunt Gwennie
was born 21 July 1879.
[Ruth Davies, granddaughter]
Morgan Davies
plastered in the St. George Temple and the Salt Lake Temple. William Burt was
in charge of the work in St. George and John R. Winder in Salt Lake. The St.
George Temple site was dedicated November 9, 1871 and the Temple was dedicated
on April 6, 1877, so some time between these years,
Morgan worked on the temple. He went to St. George by ox team, taking six
months to make the trip. The country around St. George is a lava wasteland.
Morgan said that God finished the earth and then dumped His refuse in southern
Utah.
[Ruth Davies, granddaughter]
None of us is
perfect and although Morgan Davies had many good qualities, his steadfastness
and fine workmanship for example. He did err in the matter of
drinking. For many years his home life was disturbed by this fault.
He would get drunk, sober up and come home repentant and assure his wife that
he would never touch a drop again. But time after time he did the same
thing again. During one of his particularly bad times, Ann took her
family to live with her parents in Clarkston, Utah. Morgan and Ann’s
sixth child, Gwennllian was born in Clarkston July
21, 1879.
[Ruth Davies,
granddaughter]
[
He had someone
write a note for him saying that he was going to quit drinking. He gave
it to his wife. She gave it a shove. He did drink a little after
that.
[Morgan Davies, grandson]
It is to his
credit that he did finally overcome the habit and during his later life, he
never drank.
[Ruth Davies, granddaughter]
Finally, in 1909
after a seven-year struggle, the [Tenth Ward] chapel was completed at a total
cost of twenty thousand dollars. The building was dedicated by President Joseph
F. Smith. A lovely feature of the new chapel was a beautiful stained
glass window which was given to the Ward by Morgan and Mary Davies. It
depicts Christ knocking at the door. There is no latch on the outside of
the door. This signifies that the door must be opened from the inside to
have Christ enter. This window has inspired all Ward members through the
years.
[Tenth Ward Memories]
In those days,
the Saints received many spiritual manifestations and blessings. The
Three Nephites appeared upon many occasions.
These men never tasted death and still live to protect and guide today;
however, we are not fortunate enough to hear of their blessings. Morgan
had the blessing of them calling at his home requesting to be fed. After eating
they completely disappeared. No one else saw or heard of them being in
the neighborhood. So it was claimed that these were the Three Nephites.
[Gladys Walsh Davies, granddaughter]
Beginning in
1889 as an apprentice at the age of 14, Morgan Alfred Davies,
worked with and saw the city emerge from a village of a few score to its
present status. One of his first jobs was on the L.D.S. Temple, where he,
his father, Morgan Davies and two brothers were the original plasterers.
He also did much work on the Tabernacle. He performed the work of a plasterer
and started at the age of 14 years, something a boy could not to today.
He used to walk 14 blocks down to the temple and there assisted his father to
do the beautiful work which is the plaster work of the Salt Lake Temple. [“Salt Lake Sketches”, article printed
in the Salt Lake Telegram, a Salt Lake City evening newspaper,
1934.]
6th Decade: The
1890's
His first wife,
Ann Keep Davies died May 18, 1892 at the age of 55. After the death of Ann, he
married Mrs. Hunt. Ruth Davies Hall, who was not born
until 1920 said that this third wife was “Grandmother Davies to me.
With this wife, Morgan went back to Wales for a visit, but he said that the country
didn’t look the same and he didn’t want to go again.”
[Ruth Davies, granddaughter]
They had six
children born to them: Thomas James, Edward Morgan, Lucy Ann, Daniel William ~who died at the age of 3 years, Morgan
Alfred and Gwenllian Mary. He later married Mary
Hunt, and when she died, married Ann Gates. Both of these marriages were just
civil marriages.
[Beatrice L. Davies, granddaughter]
7th Decade:
1900's
When my Grandpa
Davies was 60 or over, he went back to Wales. He took his second wife. I
remember Grandpa and his wife going East to go to
Wales. They got on the train. At Nebraska, they stopped. His wife had noticed
him take something from his mouth and throw it out of the window. He jumped up,
went out of the car, and came back with a rock. He sucked on that rock the
entire trip. He didn't use tobacco after that. He had a strong will power to
quit.
[Morgan Davies 1964]
Finally, on the
21 February 1924, Morgan Davies died at the age of 82 years, 9 months, 10 days.
Grandfather died February 21, 1924 at the age of 83. At the present time, he
has a posterity of 6 children and, 23 grandchildren.
There were no children born to the second or third union.
[Beatrice L. Davies, granddaughter]
STATE OF UTAH -
DEATH CERTIFICATE
2401797
Morgan Davies
423 South 9th East
Husband of Annie L. Davies
Date of
Death
February 21st, 1924
Age
82 yrs 9 mos 11 days
Cause of Death Broncho Pneumonia
Date of
Burial
February 24th, 1924
Sketch of the
Life of Amelia Evans, wife of William Davis and sister-in-law to Morgan
Davies
NOTES
The following family members and descendants of Morgan Davies wrote
biographical sketches, letters or participated in interviews that were quoted
in this history:
Davies, Beatrice
L., granddaughter
Beatrice Leone Davies Furness, (1900-1976) granddaughter of Morgan Davies.
Davies, Gwenllian, daughter
Gwenllian Mary Davies Lang Grondyke,
daughter and youngest child of Morgan Davies.
Davies, Ruth, granddaughter.
Ruth Davies Hall
(1910-1976) was the youngest daughter of Thomas James Davies, Morgan Davies’
eldest son. She lived nearby and was acquainted with her grandfather
Morgan Davies for the first fourteen years of her life.
Davies, Rosella,
granddaughter
Rosella Davies Thorup (1890-1952) was the eldest daughter of Thomas James
Davies, Morgan Davies’ eldest son. She lived nearby and was acquainted
with her grandfather Morgan Davies for thirty-four years.
Davies, Morgan,
grandson
Morgan Davies
( ) was the second son of
Thomas J. Davies, eldest son of Morgan Davies.
Davis, Amelia,
relative
Amelia Davis Jones Everett, granddaughter of Morgan Davies’ brother William.
Davis, Hannah,
sister-in-law
Hannah Margaret Hansen Davis, first wife of Morgan Davies’ brother William.
Harris, Verla
Verla Harris Blakemore, 2177 Kensingotn
Ave., SLC, Utah
[Esshom, Pioneers and Prominent Men of Utah. Brief sketch Morgan Davies F 6188 b.
1847 in Wales. Pioineer to Utah 1853.
[LDS
REG TABLE
9978
D32w Wiggins, Marvin E. Mormon and their
Neighbors Morgan Davies p. 36
in the Registration of Neath
[Verla Harris Blakemore 2177 Kensington Ave. Salt Lake City,
UT 84117 (801) 581-1434 January 31, 1990]
MORGAN DAVIES by
his grandson, Morgan Davies as told to Florence Griffin Butler
: (I visited with my Uncle Morgan Davies, grandson of Morgan Davies of
Wales on August 11, 1964. Uncle Morgan reminisced about his grandfather, Morgan
Davies and I took notes. We had planned to get together again. Uncle Morgan
died the following year on the 1st of April, 1965.)
Florence Griffin
Butler 1548 East 4500 South Salt Lake City, UT 84117 (801-277-0243)
[William Davis,
Pioneer of 1864 by Margaret Hansen Davis, his 3rd wife Copy made available
through the courtesy of the National Society of Daughters of Utah Pioneers.]
[Letter from
Rosella Davies Thorup to Mrs. Ellen Kurr, Welsh researcher dated January 8, 1943.]
Granddaughter Ruth Davies Hall, who lived in St. George for twenty years and
knew her grandfather Morgan Davies for the first fourteen years of her life
made the following observation:
“The country
around St. George is a lava wasteland. Morgan said that God finished he
earth and then dumped His refuse in southern Utah. It is interesting to note
what Brigham Young said of that country. I quote from Temple of
the Most High, page 36:
Upon one
occasion President Brigham Young was in the Tabernacle at St. George and was
speaking on the spirit world. He stated that it was not far from us and
if the veil could be taken from our eyes there wouldn’t be either a man, woman
or child who would dare go out of this tabernacle as the spirits of the Gadianton robbers were so thick out there. “This is
where they lived in these mountains,” he said.
[Moore, Carrie
A., Deseret News, 3 Dec 1909, B1.]
What is now the chapel, [1999] was built beginning in 1909. “Bishop Child’s
ideals were big and noble. He tried to provide the best for his people.
He wanted to seek the best in music, art, and drama, and to pass them on
to succeeding generations. His motto was taken from the Book of Alma,
chapter 42, verse 27:
Therefore, O my
son, whosoever will come may come and partake of the waters of life freely; and whosoever will not come the same is not
compelled to come; but in the last day it shall be restored unto him according
to his deeds.
Bishop Child thought so much of these words that he had them printed, framed
and hung in the entrance of he chapel. Under
Bishop Child’s administration, the auxiliary organizations reached a high peak
of perfection. Bishop Child took a personal interest in each and attended all
of them.
[Gladys Walsh
Davies Ellis (1902-1996 ) third child of Morgan Davies’
son, Morgan Alfred Davies and Louie Beatrice Walsh Davies.]
[February 1849
Tenth Ward Memories Centennial February 22, 1949. Published on the
occasion of he 100th
anniversary of the Tenth Ward Feb. 22, 1849.]
1
Somerset House, Certified
Copy of an Entry of Birth, CD 368297.
2John Marius Wilson The Imperial Gazetteer, Vol. III, p. 1103
31841 Census for the Parish of Killybebill, Glamorgan.
