There are a number of families bearing the surname of Morshead (and its variant of Moorshead), who trace their lineage to ancestors who were found to be residing in the region of Cornwall, England during the Sixteenth Century. When he was asked by this volume’s author about his ancestry and possible relationship to Willielmo de Muirhead, Halvor Moorshead, publisher of the genealogical magazine Family Chronicle, stated that his line was a completely separate one. That may or may not be the case, and so in order that no one be missed, various Morshead lines will be included here.
John Morshead was born in the year 1544 at St. Ive, in Cornwall County, England.(6.1) He married and fathered a son: Edward, born circa 1557.
Edward Morshead, son of John and ----- Morshead, married Joanna -----. She was born circa 1561 at Penhergett, in Cornwall County. Edward and Joanna gave birth to: Robert, born 1585; John, born 1587 and died 1667; and William, born 1583.
William Morshead, son of Edward and Joanna Morshead, married Joan Lithebye. Joan was born circa 1586 at Penhergett, in Cornwall County. William and Joan gave birth to: William Jr., born 1608 and died 1683; Edward, born 1610 and died 1681; Theodore, born 1612; Richard, born 1614 and died 1705; John, born 1616; George, born 1618; Ellen, born 1620; and Mary, born 1622. William died in the year 1645.
John Moorshead, son of William and Joan Morshead, changed the spelling of the name from one ‘o’ to two ‘o’s. John married Percilla -----. She was born circa 1638 at Penhergett, in Cornwall County. The couple gave birth to one son: John, Jr., born in the year 1660. John, the father, died in the year 1683.
John Moorshead Jr., son of John and Percilla Moorshead, married Johan Reinholds in 1686 at Lezant, in Cornwall County. Johan was born circa 1665 at Lezant. The couple gave birth to a son: John (III). He was born in 1690 at Duloe, in Cornwall County.
John Moorshead (III), son of John Jr., and Johan Moorshead, married Honor Hooper on 11 May 1710 at Duloe, in Cornwall County. Honor was born on 29 March 1684 at Scilly Islands, in Cornwall County. John and Honor gave birth to: John, born 1711; Jane, born 12 April 1713 and died 23 March 1714; Nicholas, born 03 April 1715 and died 29 June 1762; William, born 08 December 1717 and died 23 May 1720; another son named William, born 25 October 1721 and died 1747; and Mary, born 08 April 1725. John died on 24 December 1725 at Menhenhiot, in Cornwall County. Honor died on 17 January 1748 at Menhenhiot.
John Moorshead, son of John and Honor Moorshead, married Elizabeth Congden on 15 February 1742 at Duloe, in Cornwall County. Elizabeth was born circa 1721 at Scilly Islands, in Cornwall County. The couple gave birth to: John, born 05 June 1743; and Elizabeth, born 04 March 1756 and died 26 April 1775. John died on 13 July 1781 at Menhenhiot.
John Moorshead, son of John and Elizabeth Moorshead, married Elizabeth Sleep on 08 May 1769. Elizabeth was born in 1750 at Scilly Islands, in Cornwall County. She was a daughter of Ferdinando Sleep and Blanche Geach. John and Elizabeth gave birth to: Mary, born 12 July 1769; Jenny, born 08 May 1772; John, born 21 May 1775; Elizabeth, born 31 May 1778; Nicholas, born 04 June 1781 and died 21 March 1851; William, born 17 October 1784; Joseph, born 26 July 1786; and Ann, born 08 March 1791. Elizabeth died in the year 1823.
6.1 The information in this section on the life of John Morshead of Cornwall and his descendants was derived primarily from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Ancestral File.
