Emily Coleman Morgan was my 3rd-great-grandmother, the daughter of tobacco farmer John William Morgan and Sarah Elizabeth "Sally" Coleman. She was born 28 Dec. 1820 in Mecklenburg County, Virginia. Her family moved to Franklin County, Tennessee about 1833, where she met and married John Milton Kilpatrick.
Kilpatrick was hired by Emily's father to teach him to raise corn; he stayed with the family for four years and ended up growing a crop of Morgan grandchildren as well--including my great-great-grandmother Hannah Kilpatrick Stevenson Dobbins.
(I don't know of any connections to my husband's Northeast U.S. Morgan line, unless there are common roots in Wales, perhaps.)
Emily looks rather formidable, certainly a lot taller than most in my family, though some Stevenson descendants were tall, and a Kilpatrick cousin tells me she has tall relatives. Her fingers are so long! Wonder if she ever played piano? (Also wondering about Marfan syndrome, though I have not heard of it running in the family. I'm doubtful there's a death certificate available in 1899 Louisiana; most parishes began recording them in the 1920s.)
Emily's granddaughter Loda Duckworth confirmed her formidability in a memoir: "Grandma was never afraid of anything, not even a bucking horse, she could ride like a man, get on a horse and go out and tend to business as well as any man." Loda wrote (or told to someone) more colorful history about the family; when I find out more, I'll post a link to read or buy if possible. I believe it may be part of a published family history.
After brief stays in Mississippi and Texas, John and Emily finally settled for good in Arcadia, Louisiana, just before Christmas, 1859. John died in 1863; Emily lived another 36 years and moved again to nearby Athens, passing away either there or in Arcadia on 14 May 1899. She and John are buried in Arcadia Cemetery.
Next week on "Tombstone Tuesday," I'll tell you how a photo request regarding her turned into a bit of genealogical serendipity.
Sources: Memoir of Loda Duckworth, excerpts in my possession; Arcadia Cemetery transcription by Maxine Morgan (no relation to my Morgans, though her husband is a Cotter cousin) at USGenWeb Archives; U.S. Census records; Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002, at Ancestry.com; Findagrave.com; original research of Mary Urban (note: her research is well documented, despite the lack of sources at that link); additional notes in my possession from others. Please note that Emily's family is a work in progress. Questions, corrections, additions? Contact me at hallroots [at] sbcglobal **dot** net.
Copyright © 2012 Liz Hall Morgan, all rights reserved. Read more "Treasure Chest Thursday" posts at Geneabloggers.
Liz, Loved this post! Will be sharing a link to my Spurlock cousins who are descended from Emily!
ReplyDeleteDenise
Great! Thanks, Denise!
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