Saturday 20 November 2021

Felix Morgan

I'm fairly certain that Felix Morgan is a son of Alexander Morgan and Agnes/Ann/Nancy Lennon of Derrynoose, Armagh, Northern Ireland and so a brother to my great-great-grandfather, John Morgan.

Felix's great-grandson shares DNA with many known Morgan cousins.

But

We can't find a baptism for him in the Derrynoose, Armagh baptism records.  

Although

There are gaps in the records that could account for that.

Felix appears to be a family name passed on through later generations.

For about five and a half years Felix was a member of the Royal Irish Constabulary. 

 Their records state he was born in Armagh.

  • 10385 Felix Morgan, a native of County Armagh. 
  • Catholic 
  • 5 foot 7 3/4. 
  • Aged 20 on joining on 20 May 1847. 
  • Recommended by Sub. Inspector Armstrong. 
  • Previously a labourer. 
  • Assigned to Tipperary South Riding. 
  • Promoted 1st Sub Constable 1 May 1848.
  • Reduced to 2nd Sub Constable 1 Feb 1852. 
  • Promoted to 1st Sub Constable 1 Jun 1853. 
  • Resigned 6 Oct 1853.
Felix married Mary Hayes in Cappawhite Tipperary on the 2nd of May 1852 in the presence of John Douglas and James Brien.


Felix and Mary had eight children:

Alexander, baptised 5th May 1853 Cappawhite Tipperary. 
(Ancestry and FindMyPast have transcribed father's name as Robt but it is clearly Felix)


Agnes Ann Morgan was born in  Richmond, Victoria, Australia in 1854 after Felix and Mary arrived on the ship Truro.  
Agnes died in 1895.

Margaret was born in Melbourne in 1858 and died in 1860.

Thomas was born in Melbourne in 1860 and died in 1900.

Ellen and Mary were both born and died in Melbourne in 1863.

John Patrick Morgan was born in 1864 and died in 1924.
John was born in Ireland so Mary at least must have returned there for a short while.

Edward James Morgan was born in Melbourne in 1867 and died in 1957.

Then things began to get a bit messy.  I'm not sure why.  Perhaps Felix and Mary's relationship had been strained and maybe that's why she returned to Ireland for a while.


But it looks like things then got a little worse.  
I'm told by a descendant that Felix was an alcoholic so perhaps that was the cause of their troubles.


Felix died on the 19th of February 1878 at the Melbourne Hospital.

Cause of death looks like Morbus Brightis.  
Brights disease is kidney failure so perhaps it was that due to his alcoholism.


The informant on Felix's death was a hall porter at the hospital so it seems he was estranged from his family.

No family or parents are named on his death certificate only that he was 24 years in Victoria.


1878 'Family Notices', The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), 21 February, p. 4. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article200544498



A couple of years ago I requested a photo of where Felix was buried in Findagrave where I am a volunteer and another kind volunteer sent me this.  
It appears Mary was also buried there in 1887.




We are now seeking any other descendants of Felix who are open to doing a DNA test to hopefully add more information or clarification to our data.  Any takers out there?









4 comments:

  1. Interesting. I hope you get a taker for the DNA test.

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  2. Sounds like you are on a winner Kerryn. It surely can't be a coincidence that of all the places to emigrate to, Felix chose the exact same location as his [presumed] brother John? Or did Felix come first? Everything lines up except for that pesky baptism but that's typical of Irish research.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hope so Jenny, everything points to it. Yes Felix came out first

    ReplyDelete