Isaac Morgan was born in the small Somerset village of Luccombe in 1771 on the very edge of Exmoor. He was baptized in the parish church of St Mary’s on 16 June 1771. The very next entry in the Parish Register is that of Joan Steer baptized on 2 Aug 1771. The two were to marry each other on 20 April 1800 in St John the Baptist in Bristol.
We can be pretty certain that this couple are the paternal grandparents of Thomas Morgan (b 1850) because of Isaac’s longevity. In the 1851 census he is still alive and his birthplace of Luccombe is clearly listed. The 1841 census show the Morgans as a family of hauliers based in Jamaica Street in the centre of Bristol. Two of his sons Isaac and Jacob were both hauliers. The 1851 census shows Isaac and his youngest grandson Thomas living in the same household.
We can conjecture that his haulage business revolved around the wool trade with some connexions still to Exmoor. Isaac’s mother Elizabeth Morgan died in Luccombe aged 87 in 1825. Before the advent of the railways haulage provided a reasonable living. Bristol port was already in decline by 1800 but it was still the economic centre of the world when viewed from a small Somerset village such as Luccombe. Isaac’s grandson Thomas moved to London and worked in the docks and was clearly involved in the shipping of wool – perhaps much of it by now coming from Australia.
Isaac died on 9 May 1856 in Wilden Street, Bristol.
Family of Isaac MORGAN and Joan STEER
| Husband: | Isaac MORGAN (1771-1856) |
| Wife: | Joan STEER (c. 1770-1846) |
| Children: | Abraham MORGAN (1801-1885) |
| Sarah MORGAN (1803- ) |
| Elizabeth MORGAN (1807- ) |
| Isaac MORGAN (1809-c. 1853) |
| Jacob MORGAN (1812-c. 1889) |
| Jane MORGAN (c. 1814-bef1861) |
| Marriage | 20 Apr 1800 | St John the Baptist, Bristol |
Husband: Isaac MORGAN
| Name: | Isaac MORGAN |
| Sex: | Male |
| Father: | John MORGAN (1741-1783) |
| Mother: | Elizabeth COOKSLY (1738-1825) |
| Birth | btw Feb 1771 and Mar 1771 | Luccombe, Somersetshire |
| Baptism | 16 Jun 1771 (age 0) | Luccombe, Somersetshire |
| Education | btw 1800 and 1835 (age 28-64) | -; Illiterate – unable to sign marriage register |
| Residence | btw 1841 and 1851 (age 69-80) | Jamaica Street, Bristol |
| Occupation | btw 1841 and 1851 (age 69-80) | -; Haulier |
| Death | 9 May 1856 (age 85) | 9 Wilden Street, Bristol |
Wife: Joan STEER
| Name: | Joan STEER |
| Sex: | Female |
| Father: | John STEER ( -1790) |
| Mother: | Sarah MARTIN (1744-1802) |
| Birth | c. 1770 | Luccombe, Somersetshire |
| Baptism | 2 Aug 1771 (age 0-1) | Luccombe |
| Death | Apr 1846 (age 75-76) | Bristol |
| Burial | 19 Apr 1846 | Bristol – Abode given as Jamaica Street, Aged 77 |
Child 1: Abraham MORGAN
| Name: | Abraham MORGAN |
| Sex: | Male |
| Spouse 1: | Sarah (1803-bef1860) |
| Spouse 2: | Emma LEACH (1839-1884) |
| Birth | 15 Feb 1801 | Bristol |
| Baptism | 8 Mar 1801 (age 0) | St James, Bristol |
| Occupation | 1826 (age 24-25) | -; Iron Cutler |
| Occupation | btw 1841 and 1861 (age 39-60) | Stone Mason/Cutter |
| Residence | 1851 (age 49-50) | Stepney |
| Residence | 1861 (age 59-60) | Stamford Hill |
| Death | 23 Nov 1885 (age 84) | Hackney |
Child 2: Sarah MORGAN
| Name: | Sarah MORGAN |
| Sex: | Female |
| Birth | 25 Sep 1803 | Bristol |
Child 3: Elizabeth MORGAN
| Name: | Elizabeth MORGAN |
| Sex: | Female |
| Birth | 31 May 1807 | Bristol |
Child 4: Isaac MORGAN
| Name: | Isaac MORGAN |
| Sex: | Male |
| Birth | 1809 | Bristol |
| Baptism | 3 Dec 1809 (age 0) | St James, Bristol |
| Death | c. 1853 (age 43-44) | |
Child 5: Jacob MORGAN
| Name: | Jacob MORGAN |
| Sex: | Male |
| Spouse: | Sarah E BARTLETT (bap.1816, d.c. 1888) |
| Birth | Apr 1812 | Bristol |
| Baptism | 7 May 1812 (age 0) | St James, Bristol |
| Education | 1835 (age 22-23) | – |
| Illiterate – unable to sign marriage register |
| Residence | 1841 (age 28-29) | Providence Place |
| Occupation | btw 1850 and 1851 (age 37-39) | Haulier |
| Residence | btw 1861 and 1881 (age 48-69) | Boot Lane, Bedminster, Bristol |
| Occupation | 1861 (age 48-49) | Haulier Labourer |
| Occupation | 1871 (age 58-59) | Labourer |
| Occupation | 1881 (age 68-69) | Carter |
| Death | c. 1889 (age 76-77) | Bristol |
Child 6: Jane MORGAN
| Name: | Jane MORGAN |
| Sex: | Female |
| Spouse: | Thomas William RICHARDS (1820-bef1885) |
| Birth | c. 1814 | Bristol |
| Baptism | 27 Aug 1826 (age 11-12) | Bristol but the census implies she is at least 10 yrs old – mother is 55 in 1826 – also is witness at Jacobs marriage in 1835 |
| Death | bef 1861 (age 46-47) | |