Morgan ap Rhydderch, father of Able Morgan, was born about 1625 at Cardigan, Wales. He was “elected deacon at Rhydwilya, 1668, and ordained to the office, 1669.” (Ref. 6) He and his wife Jane (born about 1652) were married about 1670. He was about forty-five years old by the time he was wed. They lived at Alltgoch, parish of Llanwenog, Cardiganshire, where their four children
(Thomas, Abel, Enoch, and Esther) were born.
Morgan was baptized in the River Livey, 1667, in times of great religious persecution. He joined the nearest Baptist Church at Rhydwilya. He was elected Deacon on the 13th of April, 1668 and
ordained to the post on the 27th of September, 1669. He began preaching soon after as an assistant preacher. Morgan Edwards, “History of Baptist Churches in Delaware,” says that Morgan
Rhydderch was a famous preacher in Wales, but NOT an ordained preacher. And that he continued preaching against the orders of the King’s officers.
Morgan died about 1680 at the age of (roughly) fifty-five. He left his wife Jane with four children under the age of ten. Jane then married John Griffith, becoming his second wife. Jane later died
and John Griffith took a third wife, Rachel. When Morgan Rhydderch’s daughter Esther and her family migrated to America in 1710, it was in the company of her step-father John Griffith and his
third wife Rachel.
Father and Grandfather of Morgan ap Rhydderch
Dafydd ap Grufydd, Grandfather of Morgan ap Rhydderch
Dafydd ap Grufydd was born in Wales about 1580. He died in Wales but the date of his death is unknow. He had two known children:
1. Rhydderch ap Dafydd
2. James ap Dafydd
He was a writer of books, three of which were:
1. The Genealogies 1664;
2. The War in Caemarthen and a prayer for her, 1664
3. Complaint of Adversity
Rhydderg Ap Dafydd, Grandfather of Morgan ap Rhydderch
Rhydderg Ap Dafydd was born about 1600 in Cardigan, Wales and died in Wales. He was the son of Dafydd ap Grufydd.
Rhydderch married a woman whose name was Dewi.
The couple had 6 known children: 1. David 2. John, 3. Rhys, 4. Morgan, 5. Phillip, 6. Gwenllian