Dear List,
My ancestress Jane MILES was baptized in Llanelly parish church in 1773 (named after an
earlier sibling born in 1770 and who died in 1772). She was the daughter of William Thomas
Miles and his wife Gwenllian. They also had a son Thomas who acted as a witness at their
daughter Jane's wedding in 1796 which took place in the parish of Aberystruth (over
the border in Monmouthshire) where the Miles' were living by this time. William Thomas
Miles was buried in Llanelly parish church in 1786 as 'William Miles'. In 1789,
his widow Gwenllian Miles is recorded in Bradney as living in Penycae which was the
subject of a lease, party to which was John Miles, yeoman of Llangattock juxta Crickhowell
(surely a kinsman of her husband?). Gwenllian Miles died in 1796 and was buried in
Llanelly. Her daughter Jane married Edmund Henry (born in Merthyr of yeoman stock) and
they lived in Penycae where Edmund Henry (gent.) amassed considerable wealth and
reputation. Penycae was one of the old princ!
ipal estates in Aberystruth and belonged to the ancient landed family of MILES seated
there from early times. All things considered, it seems likely that Jane's father,
William Thomas Miles, was connected to this family somehow. I would be interested to find
his marriage to Gwenllian - I have not found it in Llanelly so perhaps it took place in
Aberystruth, his ancestral parish? I estimate that both he and Gwenllian were born in the
1730s and hence married in the 1750s (Jane 1773 was their last child). The name of William
Thomas Miles interests me, is it a throwback to the custom of stringing names together
under the patronymic system, i.e. William the son of Thomas MILES (he did name one of his
elder sons Thomas)? If so, he may be found as William Thomas Miles or just William Miles.
I look forward to any leads on this elusive but promising family.
Best wishes
James Phillips-Evans