Surname Saturday – MOREHEAD

Recorded as Morshead, Moorhead, Morehead, and possibly others, this is a name chiefly to be found in Ulster, Northern Ireland. It is a dialectal of the Scottish locational surname 'Muirhead', which derives from the word "muir", a variant of "moor", and "heid", the head or end (of the moor).

Surnameweb.org states “that the name is from one of the sons of Muireadoch of the Kings of Ireland known to have come over to Scotland in the 6th century and known to be a Clan very ancient.”  The Surname data base website adds that the first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Sir William Muirhead, which was dated circa 1399 - in the "Records of Lachope", Scotland, during the reign of King Robert III of Scotland, 1390 - 1406.

Our family records begin much later in Virginia with Burrel MOREHEAD.  Burrel MOREHEAD, son of Thomas MOREHEAD, was born abt. 1822 in Virginia.  He married Sarah FLINN (O’FLYNN) abt. 1845 in Virginia.  By 1850, their family relocated to Monmouth, Jackson, Iowa.  In 1870 they were living in Farmer's Creek, Jackson, Iowa.

Burrel and Sarah MOREHEAD had 12 children.  My husband’s family line is traced through Burrel and Sarah’s daughter, Sara Jane MOREHEAD.  Sara Jane married Samuel Davidson DAVIS.

One of our family heirlooms is a Seth Thomas wall clock (ca. 1870) that belonged to Sarah O’Flynn MOREHEAD.  A couple of note cards are tucked inside the clock and are inscribed with Sarah’s family history.

Sarah Morehead's Clock

Family Notes in Sarah Morehead's Clock

These family note cards state that Sarah O’FLYNN married and became Mrs. Sarah O’Flynn MOREHEAD and lived in Virginia.  She gave birth and raised 12 children in her first marriage.  She married again and became Mrs. Sarah ADAMS and raised his five children.

At the time of the 1880 census, Sarah was listed as married, but Burrel was no longer present. 

Research has shown that Sarah’s second marriage was to Abel ADAMS.  Abel was the son of Amasa and Polly ADAMS, who was born in 1821 in East Aurora, Erie, New York. This was a second marriage for both of them.  He was first married to Mary Louisa TEMPLE.  Abel and Mary ADAMS had eight children.

Sarah FLINN (O’FYLNN) MOREHEAD and Abel ADAMS were married on 5 March 1885 in Iowa.

©2011 – Frank’s Daughter All Rights Reserved

Tombstone Tuesday - Nathan and Nancy DAVIS, Welton, Iowa

DAVIS Tombstone
Seventh Day Baptist Cemetary, Welton, Iowa

Nathan DAVIS was born 19 December 1822 in Warren County, Ohio.  He married Nancy DOTY, who was born 29 June 1823 in Clark, Indiana.   Nathan died in Welton, Iowa, 9 April 1904 and his wife, Nancy died the following year, 15 December 1905.

©2011 – Frank’s Daughter All Rights Reserved

Surname Saturday – DAVIS

According to accessgenealogy.com, Davis is a Welsh surname, and the family is among the most numerous in England and Wales.  This is due to the fact that there are so many varia­tions of the name.  The original name was David which signifies well-beloved - popular in Biblical days and a favorite among the Scottish kings.

Though of ancient standing in Wales, David scarcely appears in England before the Norman Conquest.  Modified in various forms, it has produced many family names such as Davis, Davidson, Davies, Daves, Dawson, Dawes, Day, Dakin, etc.  The Irish form is M´Daid; the French, Devis.

Our confirmed family history begins February 1851 in Jackson, Indiana when Nathan and Nancy’s second son Samuel Davidson DAVIS (my husband’s great-grandfather) was born.  Nathan was born in Ohio in 1823 and his wife Nancy was born in Indiana in 1824.  In the course of 18 years, Nancy would give birth to at least eight children, six in Indiana and two more when the family removes to Iowa.

The following obituary of Nathan Davis was posted on Rootsweb as follows:

Obituary of Nathan Davis from "The Sabbath Recorder", Vol 60, No 18, p 285, May 2, 1904.
Nathan Davis was born in Warren county, O., Dec 20, 1823, and died at Welton, Iowa, April 9, 1904.
In 1837, his parents moved from Ohio to Indiana, where he continued to reside until 1865. June 29th, 1844, he was married to Nancy Doty, who survives him. Eight of the twelve children born to them still live in eastern Iowa. In 1865, he settled in Clinton county, Iowa, since which time he has made his home in the vicinity of Welton. In early life he joined the Disciple’s church, but after settling in Iowa he became an observer of the Sabbath, and identified himself with the Adventists, the branch known as The Church of God Adventists. The funeral services were held at his late residence, conducted by the writer of this notice. G. W. B.

Sam continued in the occupation of his father becoming a laborer and farmer.  He met and married Sarah Jane MOREHEAD of Iowa in 1874.  Her parents had moved westward from Virginia.

The DAVIS Family
 Sarah, Samuel, and Effie
Photo taken in 1896, Davenport, Iowa

In Welton, Iowa on the 16^th of April 1879, Sarah gave birth to the couple’s only child, a baby girl. Sarah’s mother, Sara O’FLYNN MOREHEAD, acted as midwife when Effie Adele DAVIS was born.

©2011 – Frank’s Daughter All Rights Reserved

Church Record Sunday - The Union of Ward and Davis

This Certifies that Ernest A.H. Ward
and Effie Adele Davis were by me
United in the Bond of
Marriage
on the 24^th day of April, 1902
at Davenport Iowa
Signed by J.W. Weddell
Pastor Baptist Church

Witnessed by Joel Ellis and Mattie McGuiness

©2011 – Frank’s Daughter All Rights Reserved