William Morris (abt. 1813 - 1891)

Husband of Ann (Millichamp) Morris — married 6 Dec 1836 in Welshpool, Wales

Descendants

Died 29 Jul 1891 at about age 78 in Port Chalmers, Otago, New Zealand

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Biography

1813 Birth Based on the age of 78 on the 1891 death certificate, William was born about 1813 in Welshpool, Montgomeryshire, Wales, to parents Mary and William Morris (a carpenter). So we'll go with William, christened on the 31st of October to William (a wheelwright) and Mary. ^[1]

1836 Marriage William and Ann were married on 6 Dec 1836 at St Aelhalarn church in Guilsfield in Wales. A copy of the marriage registry entry is attached.

1841 Census In 1841, William and Ann and daughter Sarah are living in Tyrymynech, Guilsfield, Montgomershire, Wales. ^[2]

1851 Census In 1851, William and wife Ann and 4 children are living with Ann's father Thomas Millichamp in Farden, not far from Bitterley in Shropshire, England. ^[3] The census transcription on FamilySearch is a trifle confusing as William's surname is given as Morris and his wife Ann's surname is recorded as Morries. William and Ann are indexed on one search ^[4], whilst the children and Thomas are on another record. ^[5] Reference back to the original shows that William and Ann are on one page, and the children and Thomas are on the next page. The original is also very confused with multiple crossing outs, and records father Thomas's age as 27. It should also be noted that William's birthplace is recorded as Pool, Montgomeryshire. Pool was apparently changed to Welshpool in 1835 to differentiate it from Poole in England.

1854 Immigration William first arrived alone in Otago as a passenger on the Stately, arriving on the 5th February 1854. ^[6]

1854 First Sunday School in Port Chalmers A report printed in the Otago Witness on the 31st March 1898 ^[7] tells of William's involvement in establishing the first Sunday School in Port Chalmers.

1855 Return to England According to a newspaper report of William's Golden Wedding Anniversary, he returned to England in 1855 on the Sea Snake via South America - a voyage of some 10 months. ^[8]

1857 Immigration On 23rd August 1857 the Morris family sailed from London on the George Canning arriving at Port Chalmers on 28th November. ^[9]

1886 Wedding Anniversary The Otago Witness published a brief column on the Morriss's Golden Wedding Anniversary. ^[8]

1888 Accident The Otago Daily Times reported a rather severe fall at home causing some injury to William. ^[10]

1891 Death William died in 1891 ^[11][12][13] William is buried in the Port Chalmers Cemetery in a plot with wife Ann. ^[14] That record indicates a birth location of Shropshire although his death certificate suggests a birth location of Welshpool.

1898 Methodism in Otago An article published in the Otago Witness in 1898 mentions William, though it erroneously suggests he arrived in New Zealand in 1852 - in fact he first arrived in 1854. ^[15]

Sources

1. ↑ 1813 Christening - FindMyPast ($) [1]
2. ↑ 1841 Census - "England and Wales Census, 1841," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M77C-LCC : 12 December 2017), William Morris, Guildsfield, Montgomeryshire, England; from "1841 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO HO 107, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey.
3. ↑ 1851 Census - FindMyPast ($) [2]
4. ↑ 1851 Census - William and Ann - "England and Wales Census, 1851," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:SG6Z-P88 : 8 November 2017), William Morris, Bitterley, Shropshire, England; citing Bitterley, Shropshire, England, p. 13, from "1851 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO HO 107, The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey.
5. ↑ 1851 Census - Thomas and children - "England and Wales Census, 1851," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:SG6Z-P8J : 8 November 2017), Thomas Millichamp in household of Sarah Morries, Bitterley, Shropshire, England; citing Bitterley, Shropshire, England, p. 14, from "1851 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO HO 107, The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey.
6. ↑ 1854 Stately - NZ Papers Past [3]
7. ↑ 1898 March 31st Otago Witness [4] First Sunday School in Port Chalmers.
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1} 1886 Wedding Anniversary - NZ Papers Past [5]
9. ↑ 1857 George Canning - NZ Papers Past [6]
10. ↑ 1888 Otago Daily Times Accident report - 28 August 1888 [7]
11. ↑ 1891 Death certificate [8]
12. ↑ 1891 NZ BDM Death [9] - Registration number 1891/4553
13. ↑ 1891 funeral report - NZ Papers Past [10]
14. ↑ 1891 Interment Record - Dunedin City Council [11]
15. ↑ 1898 Methodism in Otago - NZ Papers Past [12]