HISTORY OF MORGAN LEWIS AND HIS FAMILY
written
by his granddaughter
Doris Jane (Lewis)
Hair
Morgan Lewis was born 1st of March 1826, christened February
6th, 1827, * at
Cayo, Carmarthenshire, South Wales,
the son of Joseph and Mary Morgan Lewis. His father was a laborer and
farmer, and slate maker, the slate was used as roofing for houses. His parents
were industrious people, his mother worked in the field to earn extra money at
harvest time, and when her babies were little they were tied on her back with a
shawl when restless, and while they were good they were placed on the shawl on
the grass to play.
When Morgan was six years old he was apprenticed out to a
farmer where he received his board and his parents paid for his clothing. He
worked for this farmer getting promotions as he grew older until he became
foreman of the farm. When he was about twenty-two years old he left the farm
and worked at a foundry, later going to the iron mines to work.
At the age of twenty-five he married Mary Bowen, daughter of
Henry and Jane Harris Bowen. After their marriage, Morgan worked in the coal
mines. He became an expert miner and blaster, each day he went into the mines
to test for gas, before the miners entered to work. During these years the
cholera broke out and many men who went into the mine in the morning would die
before evening, or would be brought out sick and dying. Morgan Lewis,
fortunately, never contracted the disease.
Mormon missionaries came to this locality and he and his
wife were converted and joined the church. They came to America for
their religion in winter of 1856, spending six weeks on the ocean in a sailing
vessel. Mary Lewis was sea sick all the way and was very thin and worn out when
they finally reached land. They had one child, Joseph, at the time, their first
child, David, having died in infancy. They sailed on the ship Caravan from Liverpool.
Morgan and his wife Mary were each listed as being twenty-nine years of age,
and their little son, Joseph was two years old at the time they left Liverpool
on the
18th of February 1856.
The family lived in Scranton,
Pennsylvania, where Morgan gained
employment in the mines. He could not speak the English language, but his wife
Mary could, so she went with him to secure work. A blast explosion at the mouth
of the mine had set the place on fire, a worker working on the floor above fell
into the fire, the boss called for someone to go with him to help remove the
unfortunate man from the flames. Morgan Lewis volunteered. The first trip into
the mine they grabbed his hands but the skin gave way and slipped from his
arms, the second trip in they took him by the shoulders and removed him from
the fire, the victim died soon after, but Morgan was always able to get work
after that experience.
When he had saved enough money he moved his family to Illinois where their two
daughters, Mary Jane and Sarah were born. They worked in Illinois
until they had saved enough money to outfit them for the trip to Utah.
They spent three months crossing the plains using a covered
wagon and yoke of oxen for their trip. They brought a cow with them, putting
her milk in a churn and the swaying of the wagon churned the milk so they had
fresh butter and buttermilk every day. On the latter part of the trip one oxen became so lame the cow was used in his place. They
arrived at Hoytsville,
Utah, the latter part of November
1862. He asked for work of Samuel P. Hoyt who said, "I have no work now,
but I will give you food for your family and stock until you do get work."
Later, however, Brother Hoyt did give Grandfather Morgan work building a sawmill. On the 17th of April 1863 at Hoytsville,
a son was born to Morgan and Mary Bowen Lewis. They named him Daniel Bowen
Lewis. Their next move was to Oakley,
Utah. They located in the
southwest corner of the place now owned by Elif Franson. It was at this place that their son, Henry was
born in the winter of 1866 on the 3rd day of January. Later they moved to Kamas, Utah
where they lived in the old fort, Morgan's home being on the north side of the
east gate. Morgan Lewis, their youngest child, was born in this old fort on the
25th of May 1869. They moved with a group of settlers to Peoa
for a short time but soon returned to Kamas; this move was made because of an
Indian scare. When they left the fort they built their home at the present site
of the home of his son Morgan Lewis at Kamas,
Utah.
Morgan Lewis was a school trustee at Kamas for a number of
years, and during this time a new schoolhouse was built.
He was five foot five inches tall, very quick and nervous in
his movements. His hair was dark brown and his eyes were black. His posture was
very erect. He was afraid of no one regardless of their size.
His wife Mary was of a mild and agreeable disposition. She
had blue eyes and brown hair. She gave freely to those in need of either food
or of her time. In case of sickness the neighbors would send for Sister Mary
Lewis who was known among the settlers for her willingness and ability as a
practical nurse, even though she was weary she would always assist others in
times of need.
Morgan was a farmer and stockman during his later lifetime.
His wife Mary died on 29 May 1886 at the age of fifty-nine
years. He died at the age of eighty years and two months on the 6th of April
1907. He was lonely the last twenty-one years of his life without his beloved
wife, Mary. After his children were married he used to visit for a few days now
and then with them. I (Doris Lewis Hair) can still remember his amused look and
the twinkle in his black eyes as he held me on his knee when I was a young
child and taught me to count in the Welsh language.
The last few years of his life his eldest granddaughter, Arinda Park, kept house for him and after her marriage he
lived at her home until his death which occurred at Kamas, Utah.
Grandfather Morgan Lewis with his brother Daniel did
genealogical work for their kindred dead and then went to the temple in Salt
Lake City and did the temple work for them.
Notes by Sally Hursh:
* These birth and christening dates conflict with those on
the family group sheets. According to the certified registers of the Vicar of Conwil Gaio, Morgan was baptized
March 2, 1826. He was born February 6, 1826.
