M. about 1637 in (probably) Salem, Massachusetts2
Wife: Margaret Norman
D. before 10 Dec 1672 in Beverly, Massachusetts1
Robert Morgan was highly regarded by his church and community, but in his old age one of his young sons committed a crime, and this may have affected his standing with the people around him.
Robert’s origins are somewhat of a mystery. His birth year was about 1601 which is estimated from a deposition he gave years later.1 Some believe he was born to Thomas Morgan and Catherine Herbert of Llanrumney, Wales, but with his name being a common one, there's no way to really connect him.
There are two stories of when and where Robert arrived in America. One says he came into Plymouth in 1621, but the ship named in this claim doesn't have his name on the passenger list.2 The other story has Robert arriving on a ship in 1635 that deposited him in Jamestown, Virginia. Then he made his way somehow to the New England colony. There was a Robert Morgan age 33 on a ship's passenger list landing at Jamestown that year, but there is nothing verifying that this is the same man who went to Salem.2
Robert first turned up in Salem when he was granted 20 acres of land in 1636.3 On March 27, 1638, Robert was called to court in Salem and charged with “being overseen in drink,” meaning he had gotten intoxicated in public; he was fined 10 shillings for the offense.4
About 1637, he married Margaret Norman,2 and they had eight children, seven of them boys. Robert was admitted to the church of Salem on June 16, 1650, and had four of his children baptized on June 23rd.1 The part of Salem where they lived was called Cape Ann side, which later became the town of Beverly. In 1667, Robert was one of the "leading men" to help build a new meeting house for Reverend John Hale.5
Robert was frequently mentioned as "Brother Morgan" in church records.5 He was mentioned in the description of Reverend Hale's ordination proceedings in 1667.5 On November 17th of that year, his wife Margaret was admitted to the Covenant. The following year, five of his children were admitted to the church on January 24th.5
Then something seems to have happened that caused Robert’s family to be omitted from further reference—his 19-year-old son Benjamin conspired with a friend to steal some horses. To make matters worse, he lied about his involvement, then lashed out at the officials who charged him. When Benjamin was brought before the church leaders on December 16, 1668, he refused to cooperate, and they came down very hard on him. At a second hearing on January 3, 1669, the officials charged Benjamin with being “a stupefied sinner,” and declared “he was by the censure of excommunication delivered to Satan for the destruction of the flesh that the soul might be saved in the Day of Christ.”5
Book written by Reverend Hale after the Salem witch trials.
After Benjamin was thrown out of the church, Robert no longer appeared in their records. Was this a coincidence? Or is there a clear connection between the actions of Benjamin and the absence of his father? It would seem that the second is more likely. Puritans believed the community had a “collective responsibility for maintaining [a family’s] individual integrity.”5 A son who defied the rules so recklessly would reflect on his father, and this would force someone like Robert to either support Benjamin or disown him. Perhaps he felt that his family came first, and this was his downfall.
Robert died in Beverly sometime in 1672 between October 14th, when his will was written,2 and December 10th, when an inventory of his estate was taken.1 Reverend Hale, who usually noted the death of important members of the church, never mentioned Robert's death. Benjamin inherited his father’s land near Reverend Hale's property, but unfortunately, he didn't outlive his father by very long; he and his brother Moses were killed during an Indian attack at Cape Porpoise, Maine in 1677.5
1. Samuel Morgan — B. about 1638, (probably) Salem, Massachusetts;6 D. before 20 Nov 1698, Beverly, Massachusetts;7 M. (1) Elizabeth Dixey (1641-1690), 15 Oct 1658;6 (2) Mary Phippen (1644-?), about 1692, Massachusetts6
2. Luke Morgan — B. before 23 Jun 1650, (probably) Salem, Massachusetts;8 D. Apr 1732, Cape Sable, Nova Scotia5
3. Joseph Morgan — B. before 23 Jun 1650, (probably) Salem, Massachusetts;9 D. before 23 Oct 1732, (probably) Beverly, Massachusetts;10 M. Deborah Hart, 12 Jul 1669, Salem, Massachusetts11
4. Benjamin Morgan — B. before 23 Jun 1650, (probably) Salem, Massachusetts;12 D. 1677, Cape Porpoise, Maine5
5. Robert Morgan — B. 15 Oct 1650, Salem, Massachusetts13
6. Bethia Morgan — B. before 29 May 1653, Salem, Massachusetts;14 M. Samuel Weed (1652-?), before 1 Dec 1676, Massachusetts15
7. Moses Morgan — B. (probably) Salem, Massachusetts;7 D. 1677, Cape Porpoise, Maine5
8. Aaron Morgan — B. before 24 May 1663, Salem, Massachusetts16
Sources:
1 Historic Homes and Places and Genealogical and Personal Memoirs, V.4, William Richard Cutter, 1908, p. 1703
2 WikiTree listing of Robert Morgan
3 “Town Records of Salem, Massachusetts,” Essex Institute Historical Collections, V. 9, 2nd Series, 1868, p. 23.
4 Records and files of the Quarterly courts of Essex County, Massachusetts, V. 1., p. 7
5 “Whatever Happened to Brother Morgan?” Charles C. Wainwright, Historically Speaking: Stories from the Historical Archive of the First Parish Church in Beverly, Massachusetts
6 WikiTree listing of Samuel Morgan
7 Probate record of Samuel Morgan, Massachusetts, U.S. Wills and Probate Records, 1635-1991, Ancestry.com
8 Baptismal record of Luke Morgan, Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001, FamilySearch.org
9 Baptismal record of Joseph Morgan, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
10 WikiTree listing of Joseph Morgan
11 Marriage record of Joseph Morgan and Deborah Hart, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
12 Baptismal record of Benjamin Morgan, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
13 Baptismal record of Robert Morgan (younger), M., T. C., V. & T. R.
14 Baptismal record of Bethia Morgan, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
15 Birth record of Elizabeth Weed (Bethia’s oldest child), M., T. C., V. & T. R.
16 Baptismal record of Aaron Morgan, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
