Holbrook line: Richard Rosemorgie, Immigrant

Ive hesitated to write about this ancestor for a long time, because I found so many confusing ways that his name was spelled or presented.  I also found opposing views about his country of origin.  I finally found an authoritative source, in the New England Historical and Genealogical Register, volume 154 page 63 and following, written by Anita A. Lustenberger, C.G.  Even she, however, is hesitant to state with certainty his origins. 

First, I do not believe some of the web sites that say he was "Sir Richard Rhys Morgan" of Wales.  There are simply no records that support that theory, and is he was a "Sir" he would have left more records in New England than he did.  Those folks who could claim a title of some sort did so, and he did not.  It appears likely that he came from a small town or hamlet called "Rosemergy", which is in Morvah Parish, Penwith District, Cornwall, England. Of course records for the years that would interest us are missing.  Rosemergy is just a few miles inland from the coast but I don't know of a good nearby harbor.  I'd don't know whether he would have been exposed to the life of a mariner, or a fisherman, or whether he would have raised sheep, or worked in the mines of Cornwall.  We simply don't know any of his early life. 

We do know that Richard was in Charlestown, Massachusetts by 1664, when he married Hopestill Merrick, daughter of John and Hopestill (maiden name unknown) Merrick.  The Merricks had been in New England for about 33 years by then, and may or may not have approved of this man who would marry their daughter.  Richard didn't own land in Charlestown, and moved to New London, Connecticut when his landlord died and left the house to his widow, by which time the Rosemoregie's had at least three children.

I've not found anything that says what Richard's occupation was. He acquired land both by grant and by purchase in New London He acquired enough land that he could well have been a planter, but because this was New London, he could have been engaged in some kind of maritime work, such as ship building, or trading, or fishing.  We do know he was busy building a life for his family, which eventually included seven children. 

The book "From Deference to Defiance", by Robert Charles Anderson, reports that Richard and Hopestill were charged with premarital fornication in 1666.  Since they were married in 1664, it's a little puzzling to me why these charges were brought at that time.  No mention is made of their disposition.  Usually in these cases the woman was soundly whipped, and sometimes the man, also.  And before we get too excited and say "Grandma Hopestill, you did what?" let's remember that many times the woman was not to blame, but had been assaulted, coerced or exploited in some way.  Still, Hopestill's parents must have been mortified, as they were members of the church. 

Richard died about 1698, leaving a will which has been lost, and Hopestill died in 1712.  They were "Rosemorgie"s to the end of their days, but some of their children and all of their grandchildren changed their names to Morgan, probably because it was just easier to say and to spell.  This led to the confusion I mentioned in my first paragraph, because I wasn't sure I had the right family.  I did.

The line of descent is:

Richard Rosemorgie-Hopestill Merrick
Abigail Morgan-John Eames
John Eames-Rachel Comstock
John Eames-Elizabeth Longbottom
Hannah Eames-James Lamphire
Susan Lamphire-Joseph Eddy
Susan Eddy-Hiram Stanard
Louis Stanard-Mary Alice Hetrick
Etta Stanard-Loren Holbrook
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants