James Morgan (1816-1878) was a politician in
Queensland
)
, nickname = Sunshine State
, image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, establishe ...
, Australia. He was a Member of the
Queensland Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly of Queensland is the sole chamber of the unicameral Parliament of Queensland established under the Constitution of Queensland. Elections are held every four years and are done by full preferential voting. The Assembly h ...
.
Early life
James Morgan was born on 29 September 1816 in
Longford, Ireland to Michael, a local farmer.
He attended the private school of author
Maria Edgeworth
Maria Edgeworth (1 January 1768 – 22 May 1849) was a prolific Anglo-Irish novelist of adults' and children's literature. She was one of the first realist writers in children's literature and was a significant figure in the evolution of the n ...
in
Edgeworthtown.
He was a member of the
Church of England
The Church of England (C of E) is the established Christian church in England and the mother church of the international Anglican Communion. It traces its history to the Christian church recorded as existing in the Roman province of Britai ...
.
At 19 years of age, he became interested in surveying and spent 3 years attached to a party of surveyors around
Snowdon in
Caernarvonshire, Wales.
In late 1840, he immigrated on the ''Palestine,'' arriving in Sydney on 14 March 1841.
He spent a few years in the
Brisbane Water
Brisbane Water is a wave-dominated barrier estuary located in the Central Coast region, north of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Brisbane Water has its origin at the confluence of the Narara and Coorumbine Creeks, to the south–east ...
district in
New South Wales
)
, nickname =
, image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, es ...
before managing the property of W. C. Wentworth on the
Namoi River
The Namoi River, a major perennial river that is part of the Barwon catchment of the Murray–Darling basin, is located in the Northern Tablelands and North West Slopes districts of New South Wales, Australia.
The Namoi River rises on the west ...
until the end of 1847. In early 1848 he married. He continued to manage pastoral properties until 1868.
Editorial career
In 1868 Morgan purchased the ''
Warwick Argus'' newspaper.
He worked fervently on thenewspaper, often writing columns particularly against the 1868 Land Act.
Political career
Morgan was elected the member for
Warwick
Warwick ( ) is a market town, civil parish and the county town of Warwickshire in the Warwick District in England, adjacent to the River Avon. It is south of Coventry, and south-east of Birmingham. It is adjoined with Leamington Spa and Whi ...
from 10 August 1870 until 21 July 1871, when he was defeated by
Charles Clark in the
1871 Queensland colonial election
Elections were held in the Colony of Queensland (now a state of Australia) between 8 July 1871 and 6 September 1871 to elect the members of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland.
Key dates
Due to problems of distance and communications, it was n ...
. Morgan was again elected in Warwick unopposed on 4 November 1873, holding the seat until his death on 19 November 1878. He held strongly conservative pursuits on property and agricultural rights.
Later life and legacy
In July 1878, Morgan participated in a parliamentary excursion on the steamer Norseman. Due to rough weather, Morgan sustained a severe blow to his head. Later as the vessel berthed at Brisbane, he fell from the gangway to the wharf, causing a compound fracture of the right leg above the ankle. Although early reports suggested Morgan was recovering well, he remained ill for some months. Despite his illness, he tried to contest the
1878 Queensland colonial election
Elections were held in the Australian state of Queensland
)
, nickname = Sunshine State
, image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Aust ...
held on 19 November, but was defeated by
Jacob Horwitz.
Morgan died 10 days later on 29 November 1878 at his home in Victoria Street, Warwick.
All business ceased in the town in the afternoon of his funeral on Saturday 31 November 1878. A special train was arranged so his son The funeral cortege was nearly a mile long, comprising over 110 vehicles and estimated to contain at least 1200 people, including
Queensland Premier
The premier of Queensland is the head of government in the Australian state of Queensland.
By convention the premier is the leader of the party with a parliamentary majority in the unicameral Legislative Assembly of Queensland. The premier is a ...
John Douglas and other parliamentarians. In accordance with Morgan's deathbed wish, he was buried beside his son in the
Warwick General Cemetery in a funeral ceremony conducted according to
Anglican rites by the priest of
St Mark's Anglican Church,
Masonic
Freemasonry or Masonry refers to fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities ...
rites and
Oddfellow rites.
His son, Sir
Arthur Morgan, became
Premier of Queensland
The premier of Queensland is the head of government in the Australian state of Queensland.
By convention the premier is the leader of the party with a parliamentary majority in the unicameral Legislative Assembly of Queensland. The premier is ap ...
from 1903-1906.
His grandson
Arthur Morgan was a
Member of the Australian House of Representatives
Following are lists of members of the Australian House of Representatives:
*Members of the Australian House of Representatives, 1901–1903
*Members of the Australian House of Representatives, 1903–1906
*Members of the Australian House of Repre ...
.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Morgan, James
Members of the Queensland Legislative Assembly
1816 births
1878 deaths
Irish emigrants to colonial Australia
19th-century Australian politicians