William Morgan (of Machen and Tredegar)

William Morgan (died 28 April 1680) was a Welsh politician of the 17th century.

Morgan was the eldest son and heir of Thomas Morgan (d. 1664), of Machen, and his second wife, Elizabeth Windham.cite web | url=http://yba.llgc.org.uk/en/s-MORG-TRE-1384.html | title=Dictionary of Welsh Biography Online | accessdate=2007-10-17]

He was first returned as a Member of Parliament for Monmouthshire to the Third Protectorate Parliament in 1659. He was proposed as a Knight of the Royal Oak for Monmouthshire in 1660, and continued to represent the county in the House of Commons until his death. [cite book | first=William Retlaw | last=Williams | title=The Parliamentary History of Wales | year=1895 | pages=125–126 | url=http://books.google.com/books?id=rbYlAAAAMAAJ | accessdate=2007-10-17]

On 4 November 1661, he married his first cousin Blanche Morgan (d. 1673), daughter of his father's sister, Elizabeth Morgan, and William Morgan (d. 1649). Blanche inherited her father's estates at Dderw, Brecknockshire in 1658, after the death of her brother William. This gave William and his descendants considerable political influence in the county for generations. His children by Blanche included two sons, Thomas and John, and a daughter, Blanche.

After the death of Blanche, he married Elizabeth, daughter of Edward Lewis and widow of Sir Francis Dayrell. However, Elizabeth proved to be of unsound mind. He arranged dual marriages between his eldest son, Thomas, and Martha, daughter of Sir Edward Mansel; and between his daughter Blanche (d. 1682) and Mansel's eldest son, Edward.cite web | url=http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/ruperratrust/ruperra/family2_text.html#william_2 | title=Morgan Family History | accessdate=2007-10-17]

However, William did not live to see the marriages carried out, dying in London in 1680. Blanche died before marrying Mansel's son, who died unmarried. However, Thomas, who inherited William's estates, did proceed to marry Martha Mansel.

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