David, Morgan - Biography

History of Morgan David

Morgan David was born 3 March 1804 at Llanelly, Carmathenshire, South Wales.  He was the son of Thomas and Mary Johnson.  Old Thomas was a collier and lived all his days in Llanelly.  The David family consisted of Morgan the eldest son, John, William, Henry, Nancy and Margaret.  A daughter Elizabeth died in 1847, she was married to William Rosser.  Two other daughters, Ann and Catherine, died as children.

Morgan married Elizabeth Bowen, the daughter of old William Bowen the blacksmith and his wife Mary Griffith Bowen.  There were six daughters born to this marriage.  They were Mary, Elizabeth, Ann, Hanna, Emma, and Rachel.  

In 1847, Morgan David and his family joined (the) Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  Morgan was baptized 26 May 1847.  They continued living at Llanelly until 1849 when they began preparations to leave for America. 

On 14 February 1849, Morgan David with his family and many other families from areas in South Wales left Veonovoil __________ and Llanelly for Swansea.  The following families were with them:  Samuel Leichand family, Daniel Leich and family, Morgan David and family, and David D. Bowen and family.  David D. Bowen was married to Mary David 25 December 1845, they had two children, Morgan and Ann.

They all lodged in Swansea that night in the same public house.  About 9 a.m. they went aboard the “Troubador” and sailed for Liverpool.  There were about 500 Saints under the Presidency of Elder Dan Jones. All the passengers with few exceptions were very sick.  At Liverpool they were counseled by Elder Orson Pratt to move to the music hall for the night. 

All the group went on board the “Buena Vista” but were told to move to another ship “James Hartley.” 

They lived on board the ship for three weeks while it made ready to sail.  Then on 8 March 1849 they were towed out to sea and set sail for America.  After a voyage of seven weeks and five days, they landed inNew Orleans.  The passengers were English, Scotch (sic), and a few Irish and 71 Welsh.  They stayed in New Orleans for two days then sailed up the Mississippi by steamboat to St. Louis.

While on the river, Cholera broke out among the passengers and before they reached St. Louis, 60 had died.  On the morning they landed, Morgan David’s wife Elizabeth was stricken with cholera.  Ann, Rachel and Mary were also sick.  David D. Bowen took Elizabeth and his wife, Mary, to the charity hospital.  When they went to the hospital the next morning, Elizabeth had died and was buried. 

Leaving his family on the boat, Morgan David and his son-in-law went out to seek a place to live and find work.  They went to a place called Dry Hill, six miles from St. Louis where there were coal mines and a branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  John Gibbs was the presiding Elder.

Thomas Green and William Stone brought a team and helped Morgan David and his son-in-law move their families and possessions to Dry Hill.  There were ten in number and three were very sick.  Morgan David bought a little cabin for fifteen dollars and all the family had improved in health except Mary the eldest daughter and wife of David D. Bowen.  She departed this life on the 23 May 1849 at the age of 24 years.  She left her husband and two small children, Morgan and Ann.  Then in a few days little Ann, nine months old, died and was buried in the county graveyard six miles from St. Louis. 

Morgan David took his little grandson to live with him and his five daughters while David Bowen looked for work.  John Hughes, Pres. on the ship came from the Bluffs to work.  The Morgan David family in 1850 were residing at a place called Gravis _____.

David D. Bowen then married Phoebe Evans at Council Bluffs 13 May 1850.  Now he could take care of his little boy.

About this time, there came a great many Welsh Saints to St. Louis under John Morris.  In 1851, Morgan’s daughter Ann married David Harris, and their first child Elizabeth was born in St. Louis. 

Early in the spring, they started making preparations to leave for Utah.  On the 6 April 1852, they camped a few miles from St. Louis.  They camped on the banks of the Missouri River.  The trip was rough and hard. They crossed the river and headed for Council Bluffs.  They spent ten weeks in Council Bluffs preparing for the long trip across the plains.  Apostle Ezra Taft Benson went to their camp and organized as follows: Captain David Evans was Captain of the first ten and his wagons were the first in the train.  Morgan David’s family traveled in the 13 company under Captain William Morgan.  They traveled each wagon in its place until they reached Fort Laramie.  The Platte River was very high and they lost many things in crossing.

After a long hard journey, they reached the mouth of Emigration Canyon.  They stayed in Salt Lake (City) and went on to Spanish Fork (on) 1 October 1852.  After a long journey of nearly three months and a distance of 1011 miles. 

Morgan David lived in Spanish Fork the remainder of his life. 

Then Ann married.  In turn each of Morgan David’s daughters married, Elizabeth married William Thomas (endowed 1856), Hannah married Morgan Hughes 3 December 1853, Emma married Alfred Reese 14 August 1858, and Rachel married George Chambers 5 December 1863. 

Morgan David married a widow, Martha Lloyd.  He was a faithful member of the church and at the time of his death, held the office of High Priest.  He was ordained a High Priest 4 November 1855 in Salt Lake Cityby David Pettigreu, and on 6 November 1855 he received his endowments in the Endowment House at Salt Lake (City).

He died the 12 September 1888 in Spanish Fork and is buried in Spanish Fork City cemetery.