SURNAMES: Morgan, Heath/Heth, Chafee/Chafa, Granville/Greenfield, Cutter/Cutler, Hurd. TIME PERIOD: 1820's - 1860's. I have been doing my family history research for almost two years now, and there has always been one mystery in the family: John William Morgan, my great grandfather. A relative in Ohio put me on the right track when he told me that J. W. Morgan born in Henderson Harbor on 2 APR 1856, which is confirmed by his death certificate. Before 1889, he moved to Canada, married Rachael Emma Presley, and raised a family in Montreal until the turn of the century. In 1903, the family moved to Detroit, Michigan, where he lived for twenty years until his death on 20 FEB 1923. He was buried on 23 FEB 1923 at Forest Lawn Cemetery. As you can see, I know quite a bit about his life in Michigan, and even a bit about it in Canada, but it is in New York where his origins grow misty. By now, I have researched Henderson Harbor of the 1820's - 1860's pretty thoroughly, and I have found some evidence to suggest that John W. Morgan was born James W. Morgan to Remembrance Peter Morgan, son of Remembrance J. W. Morgan. Is it wishful thinking or probable? There were other Morgan families in the Town of Henderson in the 1850's and 1860's, but none as deep-rooted as the family of Remembrance J. W. Morgan. Remembrance J. W. Morgan was probably born about 1800 in Hampton, Mass. to William Morgan and Mary Masury, and had come to Henderson Harbor before 1830. His first wife's name was Hannah, born about 1803 and died in Henderson 18 SEP 1848. A fellow researcher believes that they were married in 1822 in Burlington, Chittendle County, Vermont. Remembrance must have been a bright man, for he picked an excellent spot for his ship-building business, smack in the center of Henderson Harbor, just down the street from the Frontier Hotel. Business must have been good, for by age 60 he lived in a stone house on Harbor Road and his property was valued at $1,600. Hannah bore him at least seven children: Remembrance Peter, Berthena, Enoch S., Calphurnia, Deborah, Lateree R., and Alzina. As for the girls, I am not sure what became of Alzina, but Deborah and Lateree died in adolescence, while Berthena and Calphurnia married Asa Hurd of Ellisburg and Jerome B. Greenfield of Rutland, respectively. Enoch S. married Julia Ann Heath of Henderson. Julia and Enoch lived with R. J. W. in the great house, and they brought with them Deborah Heath, Julia's mother. Julia was probably still married to Royal Heath of Scriba in Oswego County, but in name only. When Enoch died in 1859, Julia and Deborah stayed on with Remembrance J. W., and by 1860 Remembrance J. W. had married Deborah and gone from Julia's father-in-law to Julia's stepfather! Remembrance Peter married Mariette B. Cutler of Henderson in 1847 and they lived in the 1850's and early 1860's in a separate household. Judging by census records, their son Joseph S. was born in 1851 (and died in childhood) and James W. was born next. It is this James W. that I believe may be my great-grandfather, J. W. Morgan! (Mariette probably died, as Remembrance Peter remarried to Mary Melissa Chafee/Chafa in 1864.) There is an odd discrepancy with the ages on the censuses: the 1860 census lists James as 7, but the 1865 lists his age as 8. I cannot account for the age difference, but the 1865 census would be about right for my J. W. Does anybody have more information about the Morgan family? About the Granville/Greenfield, Heath/Heth, Cutler/Cutter, Chafee/Chafa or Hurd families? I'm looking for any scrap of information, as it may lead to a helpful detail I have missed. Sorry this post is so long. Thanks in advance for any help. Best Wishes, Michael Jackman P.O. Box 3663 Grand Central Station New York, NY 10163-3663 --== Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ ==-- Share what you know. Learn what you don't.