Hi folks,
Sorry about the common name(s), but could somebody please try to help me
find my elusive gt-gt-grandmother?
Mary MORGAN, born c. 1863, Tafarnaubach, Llangunider, BRE;
she should be hiding in the Tafarnaubach, Nantybwch, or Trefil areas in
1881, possibly already Mrs JAMES.
Her children included John JAMES or John PROSSER, and a daughter that
married David John PRICE.
One clue that may or may not identify these, is that most of the family were
flaming red-heads, and Mary's auburn tresses were said to be luxuriant.
Another tid-bit is that Mary is thought to have taken some of her children
over to America in the 1890s - but some of those were back within a few
years.
We've always thought she married a Mr PROSSER, but a newly dug-up funeral
report for her illegitimate son David MORGAN in April, 1964, gives his
brother's name as John JAMES, while all the PROSSERs are down as cousins.
Mind you, there are a few mistakes in the funeral report as printed in the
newspaper, and some names, present on the hand-written list from the house,
are missing entirely from the newpaper's report, including some of David's
step-children (whilst others are split up into separate entities!).
We have Mary's parents (William & Margaret MORGAN), son (David MORGAN), and
some siblings at Pond Cottage in Tafarnaubach in the 1881 Census. The only
daughter still at home then, was Margaret (another fire-head), who may have
been Mary's twin sister. Mary's mother Margaret, was know as 'Aunt Maggie
the Milk' to most of the inhabitants of Tafarnaubach, as she delivered milk
by horse and cart.
Here is the MORGAN family (minus Mary) in 1881:
1881 Census Place: Llangunider, Brecon, Wales
Dwelling: Pond Cottage
Names Rel Status Age Sex Occupation Birthplace
MORGAN William Head M 51 M Coal Miner CGN Llanunus *
MORGAN Margaret Wife M 55 F ---------- BRE Llanwrtyd
MORGAN Thomas Son U 27 M Coal Miner BRE Llangunider
MORGAN William Son U 23 M Coal Miner BRE Llangunider
MORGAN John Son U 23 M Coal Miner BRE Llangunider
MORGAN Margaret Daur U 17 F Gen Serv (Dom) BRE Llangunider
MORGAN Henry Son U 15 M Coal Miner BRE Llangunider
MORGAN David GSon U 02 M ---------- BRE Llangunider
* Llangwnnws or Gwnnws
The PROSSER cousins of David that we know of are:
Daniel PROSSER;
David Rees PROSSER;
Walter PROSSER;
Annie-Mary PROSSER, Mrs DAVIES, of Tafarnaubach,
mother of twin sons Arthur ('Ieuan') & Morlais DAVIES;
Elizabeth ('Lizzie') PROSSER.
Mam remembers Annie-Mary and her sister Lizzie, still working at the
Dancehall up in Dukestown, around 1960. Again, many of this family had
bright auburn hair - particularly the Prosser men.
Does any of this tangle mean anything to anyone? If it does, and you get in
touch, I'll try not to hug you to death!
Hopefully,
Kate.
(Shuffling off, wondering if she'll be around to see the 1921-41 Censuses,
to try to make sense of the tidbits that are gleaned from her parents about
family relations then...)