In Search of
"Luis Morgan and Sister"

 

 

The subject of my search was the photograph (in the Wilson/Gwin photo album) of two young children. Its label reads ėLuis Morgan and sister,î and the age of each appears to be very near the other.

Knowing that most of these photos were generally taken in the 1870s, I decided to look for Luis and his sister in the 1880 census. I found no Morgans in Alabama named Luis, nor did I find any named Louis.

There were, however, two males named Lewis A. Morgan, both in Uniontown, Perry County, a father and son. The owner of the album, Martha Gwin Lester, also lived in Perry County, so I decided that the younger of these, age 3, must be the subject of the photo. Looking for the female, then, I found only one who was approximately the same age: Lottie Morgan, age one.

Following is the list of Morgans living in Uniontown, Perry County, Alabama, in the 1880 census.

Name Age Est. YOB POB Gender Relation to HOH
Allen MORGAN 48 <1832> Alabama  Male   Self
Clay MORGAN 8 <1872> Alabama  Male   Son
Dob MORGAN 6 <1874> Alabama  Female  Dau
Easter MORGAN 60 <1820> Georgia  Female  Wife
Edney MORGAN 20 <1860> Georgia  Female  Dau
Henry MORGAN 75 <1805> South C Male   Self
Henry MORGAN 62 <1818> South C Male   Self
Jim MORGAN  2 <1878> Alabama  Male   Son
Laura MORGAN 2 <1878> Alabama  Female  Other
Laura MORGAN 4 <1876> Alabama  Female  Dau
M. C. MORGAN 42 <1838> Alabama  Female  Wife
Margret MORGAN 19 <1861> Alabama  Female  Dau
Mary E. MORGAN 14 <1866> Alabama  Female  Dau
Milly MORGAN 20 <1860> Alabama  Female  Sister
Minie MORGAN 3 <1877> Alabama  Female  Niece
Molie MORGAN 35 <1845> Alabama  Female  Wife
Nani MORGAN  16 <1864> Alabama  Female  Dau
R. M. MORGAN 21 <1859> Alabama  Female  Dau
Robert MORGAN 9M <1879> Alabama  Male   Other
Bettie A. MORGAN 31 <1849> Alabama  Female  Wife
Lewis A. MORGAN 40 <1840> Alabama  Male   Self

Lewis A. MORGAN; 3; <1877>; Alabama;  Male; Son
Lottie MORGAN; 1; <1879>; Alabama; Female; Dau

The following people lived in Marion, Perry County, Alabama. Martha Rosanna Gwin Holley (here listed as ėMattie R. Holleyî) is the owner of the photo album, and Minnie, Carlos, and Clarance, are her three surviving children.
 
Mattie R. HOLLEY 35 <1845> Alabama  Female  Self
Minnie M. HOLLEY 17 <1863> Alabama  Female  Dau
Carlos HOLLEY 12 <1868> Alabama  Male   Son
Clarance HOLLEY 10 <1870> Alabama  Male   Son
For now, I have no way of connecting Lewis and Bettie and their two kids to Martha Gwin Holley, who would marry Bryant Brown Lester the following year (1881). While it is certain that they knew each other, they may have been only friends rather than relatives. But there is still room to search further, so onward, through the fog!