Monday, April 5, 2010

Photo Number 154

The Morgans.  They are a mystery.  I believe they lived in Duluth, Minnesota.  There is a Morgan Park in Duluth..but I cannot find a connection.


This is a photo I found last week in an Antique Shop..I picked up the photo and said "This is Ed Morgan, I would know him anywhere"..well the shop owner thought I was nuts...along with my husband.   I believe that this one was taken earlier than 1904..could it be the Bell Photographer that was in Duluth from 1887 to 1890? Probably not..but it could be a different photographer by the name of Bell in Minnesota in the early 1900's..as there were five studios that were named "Bell."  It might be his graduation from High School Photo..around 1898.  I think he looks younger than in the following photo.
The Morgan saga began with Photo number 11 with Edwin F Morgan in 1904...who Abra found out was a railroad clerk.

Then I had Photo Number 146 taken in 1913 who I believe might be John Hamilton Morgan on his graduation ..but it is just a hunch.

Now I will add these to the puzzle..
Hamilton and Ma and Pa Morgan. Can you see the resemblance between the fellow on the left (Hamilton) and the fellow in the graduation photo?   I can ..but perhaps it is my over active imagination.
Ma Morgan. 

These Morgans sure are a mystery..I would like to know how they are all connected..
Thanks for stopping by, do come again:)

8 comments:

  1. Morgan Park is named for J.P. Morgan.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morgan_Park,_Duluth,_Minnesota

    ReplyDelete
  2. I don't have a lot of time today, but I can tell you that there is a Hamilton J Morgan in the 1930 census, living in Portland, Oregon (born abt 1895-Minnesota, parents Ohio & New York--I think that matches previous info I had seen). He has been married 6 years at that point to Ida (born in Wisconsin, parents born in Norway). Hamilton is a foundry clerk & Ida is a railroad clerk. They have no children. Everything in my gut points to this being the right person, and yes, I too believe the graduation photo and the snapshot photo are the same person. As for Ma & Pa, it could be Hamilton's parents or Edwin's parent & Hamilton's grandparents, as we earlier established that Edwin is definitely an uncle to Hamilton. The interchanging of the first and second names (John & Hamilton) is fairly common, especially when the first name is as common as John. ~Abra

    ReplyDelete
  3. Just found you via Muddy Boot Dreams, and I think it's really cool that you're finding families for these old photos. I was into genealogy for a while and it's thrilling to find a missing piece of the puzzle.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Me again. LOL I've begun working my way through your old posts and notice that many of the people are from Minnesota/Wisconsin. My genealogy info is heavily based around a branch of the Dunham family who lived in that area in the early 1900s. I have a lot of photos and could probably recognize folks, so if you have any mystery Dunhams, feel free to e-mail me and I'll see if I can help. thesorrygardener[at]gmail[dot]com.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I have a few more updates. If I had a little more time, I could go back further, but for now I will start with 1870, where Daniel(36) & Mary(33) Morgan are living in Chicago with children Anna(9), John (6), and James (2), as well as John &Elisabeth Gordon. The children were born in Ohio. In 1875, they are living in Rice Lake, St. Louis Co., MN. The Gordons are living there too, but James(who would be 7) is not (must have passed away). In 1880 they are in Oneota village, St. Louis co. MN, and Edwin is now 1. The Gordons are no longer there. In 1885, the family is in Duluth, and they now have John's wife Florence living with them. There is no 1890 census, so I pick them up in 1895 as two separate families living in Duluth. Daniel's family still has wife Mary, daughter Anna, and son Edwin. They also have a Ralph, age 13 (I need to do more searching to figure where he fits in) and a domestic helper Pauline Davis. John & Florence are living separately with three children (Florence, 10, Anna, 8, and John H, 1), as well as domestic help, Susan Johnston. By 1900, Mary Morgan is widowed, living with Annie & Edwin. (This census states she immigrated in 1850 & was a mother to 7 children, of which 3 are still living.) John's family makeup is the same (John, Florence, Florence, Anna, John H). In 1905, they are in a diferent area of town, but still intact, but I no longer find Mary, Anna, & Edwin. In 1910, I find John's family again, with the addition of his sister Anna. I can't find Edwin, but we can probably assume Mary has passed. I did have time to completely search 1920, but I did find Florence married to Thatcher Johnstone. In 1930, I find John, Florence, Florence Johnstone widowed, Annie, and Anna (John's sister). Earlier we had found Hamilton in Portland, Oregon.

    Taking all this information, and looking at the house styles, we know Daniel and Mary would not have been living, so Ma & Pa are likely John & Florence, Hamilton's parents.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Abra you never cease to amaze me! I was just going to say there is a strong family resemblance, lol. Seems so paltry a comment now, ha ha.

    ReplyDelete
  7. You've become family with the Morgans -- ha ha!
    I'm smiling at this whole post.

    ReplyDelete
  8. By my research:

    Ken H Morgan (52 yo in 1885 born Scotland) - Mary Morgan (48 yo in 1885 born England) had:

    Annie Morgan (b. 1860 in Ohio) (I think this might actually be Florence A(nnie) but...*

    John T. Morgan (b. 1867) (1910 in Duluth - 1920 in Los Angeles, CA)
    -- (re?)-married Matilda V. Morgan (Herberger) b. 1871
    --- Daughter Florence M. (b. 1885)
    --- Son John H(amilton) (b. 1896)

    Edwin F Morgan (b. 1879)
    Ralph R Morgan (b. 1882) Not clear how Ralph is related to anyone - and I lost his trail -

    Edwin Freman (Fremon?) is also shown as moving to Los Angeles by 1910. It appears brother John followed him there between 1910 and 1920 (which would allow John Hamilton to graduate in Duluth in 1913).

    *Abra seems to indicate otherwise - There is also John P. Morgan (b. 1863) running around in Duluth MN that was married to a Florence) Did the P - T get misheard or misrecorded? I'm at a loss there since the birthdate isn't the 'exactly' same.

    At any rate - I could find no sign of Edwin F. ever marrying - and lost his trail in LA, CA in 1910.

    Looks like the best "bet" is to see if John Hamilton Morgan (west coast somewhere) is still with us...

    ReplyDelete

Hi, Thanks for the comments, your input on these old photos is appreciated! English only please! All comments will be moderated! Connie