James Morgan (1816 - 1878)

Born 29 Sep 1816 in Longford, County Longford, Ireland

Husband of Catherine (Barton) Morgan — married 27 Apr 1848 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Descendants

Died 29 Nov 1878 at age 62 in Warwick, Queensland, Australia

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Biography

James Morgan was born on 29th September 1816 at Longford, Longford, Ireland.^[1] He was a son of Michael Morgan, a farmer descended from an Anglican family. Educated at Miss Edgeworth's private school, he followed agricultural pursuits and in 1835-38 was a surveyor in Wales.

• I do not believe that James' father is named Michael. At the time of embarkation there was a seperate form filled out by the ship's surgeon which gave details as to whether the passenger met the requirements for the emigration to Australia. Men of certain professions and trade callings were needed. Many on the "Palestine" were labourers. bricklayers, builders, and farmers. James claimed to be a farmer and that his parents were Wm and Mary Morgan of Edgeworthtown. He had also shown references from the local priest with regards to his character. James stated that his father Wm. was a farmer. There is a William listed in Griffiths Valuations for the Edgeworthtown area but no Michael. To have received a private education with Miss Maria Edgeworth I would think that James' father would have had some connection with the Edgeworth family through land holdings. (just my thoughts)

James Morgan migrated from Ireland to New South Wales.

He sailed in the Palestine and reached Sydney on 14th March 1841.

• The "Palestine" departed Plymouth, 26 October 1841, and most likely called at Queenstown, Cork, Ireland to embark the Irish passengers. During the 132 days at sea James was given the job as teacher. The ships returns show that there were 9 adults and 14 children attending classes. Although James had listed himself as a farmer/farm labourer it must have been obvious that he was educated.

He went north to Broken Bay, hoping to join the squatting boom, and by 1845 was manager of a property on the Namoi.

• At some time after landing James was engaged by William Charles Wentworth to manage one of his properties on the Liverpool Plains. The town of Narrabri is now located on what was once one of these properties. I have not been able to find which property it was but Wentworth held the Depasturage Licences for the following:- (1) Burburgate - 65,920 acres with frontage to the Namoi River. (2) Galathra - 61,440 acres without river frontage. (3) Tiberenah - 51.500 acres with river frontage to the Namoi River. Two other properties owned by Wentworth were located on the Manilla River. Another property, recently found, was called either by "The Namoi" or "Namoi River", but there were no details relating to the acerage.

This experience enabled him to continue north to the Darling Downs where in 1849 he managed the Gammie brothers' Talgai station.^[1] He married fellow Irish emigrant, Kate Barton in 1848 at (church code MF), Sydney, New South Wales.^[2]

• Kate was said to have come to Australia aboard the same ship as James. A search of the ships passenger list shows no one name Kate or Catherine Barton. However there is a passenger named Catherine Ball travelling with a John Ball and his wife Mary. Catherine is listed as being eleven years old at embarkation which agrees with Kate Barton's age. One other factor is that Kate's mother is a Kate Ball and it is probable that John is an uncle to Kate. One other piece of information that would point to Catherine Ball as being Kate Barton is that on the surgeon's returns the Ball family were listed as coming from Mullingar, Westmeath. Kate Barton was born in 1830 at Mullingar.
• James and Kate were married at Christchurch, St. Laurence, Sydney, on 27 April 1848, after he had returned from the Liverpool Plains. Kate was still only 18 years of age, but there was no consent given by any parent.
• James and Kate would have gone overland via the Liverpool Plains following the tracks of previous travellers heading north to new lands. They most likely came into what was to become Queensland through the area near where the town of Texas is now located. At this time there was no admittance through Brisbane as it was still classed as a convict colony with restricted entry. Also there had been no way found over the range so supplies had to come from the south.
• In 1849 Reverend Benjamin Glennie noted in his diary that there was one white woman at Talgai. This woman may have been Kate as the is no indication that the Gammies had ever brought their wives to the area. If this is correct then the claim that Charles Talgai Morgan was the first white child born at Talgai may be correct. On his visit in 1850 only two children were baptized, Charles and the son of William Spreadborough, John, who had been born about 3 months after Charles.
• By 1853, three children had been born to James and Kate whilst on Talgai. Charles - 10 April 1850; Mary Jane - 21 June 1851; Kate Ann - 3 March 1853.

In 1854 Morgan leased Crow's Nest station but failed within the year and returned to management in 1855. He never succeeded as an independent squatter. In 1860 he bought a small property, Summerhill, near Warwick, and entered the civil service as inspector of stock for the Darling Downs. The squatters forced his resignation in 1867, an event which completed Morgan's severance from pastoral ambition. It also launched him into a career of journalism and politics in which he advocated land policy favouring the small agricultural selector. He was Mayor of Warwick in 1867-68 when he bought the The Warwick Argus newspaper and printing business on 1st June 1868. Morgan's editorials were sharp and aggressive.^[1]

He was most persuasive when advocating the need to elect for Warwick constituency a member who would seek protection for agriculture and such public works as would benefit the increasing population of farmers and shopkeepers. This programme won him the seat in the Queensland Legislative Assembly, representing Warwick, in 1870.^[1]

He passed away on 29th November 1878, from the effects of a fall from a steamer in Brisbane, at Warwick.^[3] He was survived by his wife, six daughters and five sons, including Sir Arthur, later premier of Queensland. He was paid tribute at his funeral in Warwick by 1,200 locals and by the premier and government officials.^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4} Knox, B A. Morgan, James (1816–1878), Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, published first in hardcopy 1974; accessed online 18 Aug 2019
2. ↑ New South Wales Marriage Index #66/1848 V184866 33B
3. ↑ Queensland Death Index #C3217/1878