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riscilla Selena Woodhurst was born at Sittingbourne around late 1865 or early 1866 [Birth Index: Milton 2a 710, 1866 (March)] to parents Daniel Woodhurst and Priscilla (nee) Hales. Some descendants claim that she was born on August 4th 1865, although if this were so it would imply that there had been an unusual delay in registering the birth (which would normally have fallen within the third quarter of 1865).
The 1871 Census finds her at age "5" living with her parents at 20, Springfield Road in Tunbridge, Kent.
The 1881 Census finds her at age "15" living with her parents at 210, Shortlands Road, South Side in Sittingbourne, Kent.
In 1884 she emigrated with her mother and siblings to America, sailing from Liverpool on the RMS City of Montreal and arriving at Michigan on July 26th 1884.
In 1888 she married a Welshman named James Morgan. They took out their marriage license on September 12th 1888 and married in Jackson, Jackson Co. in Michigan on October 10th [IGI: Batch M017299]. The marriage record describes her as aged "23" and him as a labourer aged "23" born in Wales to William Morgan and Sarah A. (nee) Davis. They remained in Jackson Co. where they produced the four children listed below.
It is possible that the GRO reference to James Morgan's parents' marriage is [Marriage Index: Cardiff 11a 334, 1865 (March)], which names the partners as William Morgan and Sarah Davies.
On March 24th 1898 James was committed to an asylum for the insane at Kalamazoo in Michigan. Apart from citing this date, his commitment papers record only that he was then aged 31 or 32.
The US 1900 Census finds Priscilla Selena living with her four children in the Summit township of Jackson County. The record states that her birthdate was August 1865, that she had immigrated in 1883 (but actually 1884) and that she was the owner of a house under mortgage. No occupation was given for her. Her field for her naturalization status was left blank.
James died in 1903. His death certificate states that he died aged "37" on February 20th in Marshall City, Calhoun Co., having been "killed by cars". His father is misnamed "John Morgan", born in Wales, whilst his mother's name was unknown; he had married at age "23" and was the father of four children still living.
According to a local newspaper article James had escaped from the asylum and been found dead by some railroad tracks having apparently been hit by a train. He was reported as 37 years old and as having lived in America for 20 years. In this article his brother, living in Lansing, claimed that he might sue the asylum for negligence, because this was not the first time that James had escaped.
James was buried on February 21st in the Woodland Cemetery in Jackson.
The US 1910 Census finds Priscilla Selena living in Summit township with her four children, including Valena who was now married. Her occupation was entered as "housekeeper private family". Ella was working as a machine operator.
In 1912 Priscilla Selena remarried, to a widower John Maitland. The register of Marriage Returns states that they were both aged "45" and that they married on April 20th. His occupation was labourer.
The US 1920 Census finds her living with John, occupied as a "common labourer" and her son William occupied as a builder's carpenter. She declared that she had immigrated in 1884 and had naturalized in 1899. John's birthplace was given as Michigan and that of both his parents as Scotland.
The US 1930 Census finds her living alone in Summit township and named as Priscilla Morgan. It is not known what had happened to John Maitland. Her occupation was again "housekeeper private family". A City Directory for the same year lists her as "Morgan, Priscilla S. (wid. Jas.) h1604 W. Washington Av."
The US 1940 Census finds her at age "74" living alone in West Washington Avenue, Summit township and named as Priscilla Morgan. Her occupation was "laundress private home".
Descendants report that Priscilla Selena was the only one among her siblings to retain contact in later life with her brother Albert Henry (1).
She died on March 10th 1956 and was buried in the Woodland Cemetery, Jackson.
Valena was born on October 28th 1889. Her second forename may have been Selena. She first married in Jackson on May 14th 1908 to Cleon Kenneth McLearn. The register of Marriage Returns describes him as aged "22", residing at Spring Arbor and occupied as a driver; his mother's maiden name was McArthur. Valena's age is given as "18". She remarried eleven years later to Leon William Emens. Their marriage certificate states that they married in June 11th 1919 and that both had been previously married once. Leon's occupation was given as draftsman and hers as seamstress. Her previous marriage must have ended in divorce as Cleon did not die until December 9th 1952, in Blackman township, Jackson Co. Valena died in 1965 and was buried on February 22nd at the Grand Lawn Cemetery in Detroit.
Ella was born at Summit township on July 14th 1892. She married Henry Lee Blake at Jackson on June 12th 1912. He was then occupied as an assembler and his mother's maiden name was Glenn. They produced three children Marjorie Harriette (in 1915), Priscilla Louise (in 1918) and Donald Lee (in 1920). Ella died on June 22nd 1961 and was buried at the Woodland Cemetery in Jackson.
William Frederick was born around 1895. He married in Jackson to Marguerite (nee) Weber on September 21st 1921. He was then occupied as a carpenter and gave his age as "27", whilst she was aged "23". They produced two children Maxine M. Morgan and Gerald Charles Morgan. They lived throughout in Summit and he continued working as a carpenter. He died there on December 14th 1950.
Herbert Henry was born in Jackson on January 24th 1897. He married there to a divorcee Gladys A. (nee Crance) Matthews on April 24th 1922. His occupation at that time was tinsmith. He and Gladys produced at least one child, Robert James Morgan. He died on April 4th 1973 in Port Orange, Volusia, Florida. Gladys died there on October 26th 1983.