John Morgan (merchant) facts for kids
John Morgan was a Welsh businessman and politician who lived a long time ago, from about 1641 to 1715. He became very rich trading goods and later served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Monmouth.
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John Morgan's Early Life and Family
John Morgan was born around 1641. He was the fourth son of Sir Thomas Morgan, who came from Machen in Wales. John had a brother named William Morgan.
Becoming a Successful Merchant
When he was younger, John Morgan moved to London. There, he started a business as a merchant. He traded many different goods, especially with places in the West Indies. This business was very successful, and he earned a lot of money, building a large fortune.
Returning to Wales and Buying a Castle
Even though he was successful in London, John Morgan wanted to return to his home county in Wales. He bought a beautiful place called Rhiwperra Castle from one of his cousins. He paid 12,400 pounds for it, which was a huge amount of money back then! This castle became his new home.
Serving His Community
John Morgan also took on important roles in his community. In 1697, he was chosen to be the High Sheriff of Monmouthshire. A High Sheriff was a very important official who helped keep law and order in the county.
Becoming a Member of Parliament
In 1701, John Morgan was elected to Parliament. This meant he became a Member of Parliament (MP) for a place called Monmouth Boroughs. As an MP, he helped make laws and represent the people of his area in the government. He served in Parliament until 1705. After that, he tried to be elected again for a different role in Monmouthshire, but he did not win that election.
His Later Years
John Morgan passed away in 1715. He was buried in Machen, which is in Monmouthshire. He never got married, so he left all his property and money to his nephew, John Morgan (of Rhiwpera). This meant his wealth became part of the larger estates owned by the Tredegar family, who were also Morgans.
