My Great-Grandfather COLUMBUS A. H. MORGAN reportedly stowed away on a ship to come to America. Legend was he moved in with a family here and when the husband died, he married the wife. He reportedly took her married last name since he was an illegal stowaway. Great-Grandmother MAHALA was described as a mountaineer who sat around smoking a corn cob pipe.
Research seems to prove part of the story. The 1900 Campbell County Ky Census shows COLUMBUS A. H. MORGAN (1844-1912) immigrated from England in 1861 when he was 17. I suspect he was looking for adventure in the Civil War which was just starting up. The Census also says he married in 1868 but the oldest child THOMAS MORGAN was born 1864 in Johnson County Ky. This would be perfect timing for the father to die young in the civil war. One census record says THOMAS MORGAN'S father was born in Virginia. The second oldest child was named IRONTON MORGAN and reportedly was born in 1869 at Ironton Ohio. Review of the children's death certificates indicated that the mother was MAHALA CAUDILL (1844-1904) or CANDILL. A review of Johnson County Kentucky's 1850 and 1860 Census shows a MAHALA CAUDILL who was the perfect age. She was daughter of ISOM CAUDILL and NANCY BAILEY of Johnson County KY and disappears after 1860.
The Complete Known family is:
Columbus A.H. Morgan (1844-1912)
Mahala Caudill Morgan (1844-1905)
*THE KNOWN CHILDREN*
Thomas Morgan (abt 1864-1941)
Ironton Morgan (abt 1869-1944)
Henry Morgan (1872-1942)
Lillian Morgan Berg (1875-1943)
Mary E. Morgan Robinson (1876-1955)
Susie Morgan Stephens (1880-1951)
Jannet Morgan (Aft 1880-?) Married name not known.
William Peter Thornton Morgan (1883-1925)
Walter Morgan (abt 1882-1939)
Owen Morgan (1886-1960)
The family appeared in Kenton County Kentucky about 1872 and in
Newport, Campbell County Kentucky about 1883.
The problem?? I can find NO RECORD of COLUMBUS A. H. MORGAN anywhere prior to 1872 when they enter Kenton County Ky. No marriage record. No tax lists. No land sales. No 1870 Census. No birth records. NOTHING!
Can some kind soul shed some light to prove or disprove this story?? Will gladly share information with any researcher and take any suggestion on where to look next. Would love to communicate with any relatives of the above. Thanks. Daryl.
Please E-Mail me using the E-Mail link below.
Thanks for visiting!
Return to the History Nut home page
Return to the History Nut's Campbell County Families Index
Go to the Campbell County Historical Society
Get your own Free Home Page