(Apologies for my earlier impatient 'Send' key on this subject...)
A follow up to an earlier posting about seeking Rachel JONES, wife of James
PETTITT.
Rachel shows up in 1861/71/81/91 censuses with age 32/44/53/63 respectively,
indicating a birth date of around 1828. She consistently gave her birthplace
as Abercarn(e), MON. Unfortunately I have been unable to locate any marriage
record for this couple thus robbing me of that most valuable piece of
evidence - her father's name. So I made a search for a suitably aged Rachel
JONES in 1841 and 51 censuses of Mynyddislwyn and only one possibility came
to light, that being a 19 year old daughter of John and Leah JONES in the
1851 census - a bit young (by about 4 years) but maybe worth further
investigation. I find that that family were of the Calvinist Methodist
church (from the IGI) which, given that James and Rachel's sons gave their
religion as Baptist on various documents, is a further counterindication - I
think I have eliminated this family.
Further searching of the IGI, however, provides the following entries - all
of whom are children of Thomas and Martha JONES:
2. George JONES - International Genealogical Index
Gender: M Birth: 7 Apr 1826 Tonykistill, Mynyddislwyn, Monmouth, England
3. George JONES - International Genealogical Index
Gender: M Birth: 7 Apr 1826 Beulah Baptist, Mynyddislwyn, Monmouth, England
4. Rachel JONES - International Genealogical Index
Gender: F Birth: 9 Nov 1828 Beulah Baptist, Mynyddislwyn, Monmouth, England
5. Rachel JONES - International Genealogical Index
Gender: F Birth: 9 Nov 1828 Pentywnmaur, Mynyddislwyn, Monmouth, England
8. Leah JONES - International Genealogical Index
Gender: F Birth: 18 Feb 1831 Pentwynmawr, Mynyddislwyn, Monmouth, England
9. Leah JONES - International Genealogical Index
Gender: F Birth: 18 Feb 1831 Beulah Baptist, Mynyddislwyn, Monmouth, England
11. Ebenezer JONES - International Genealogical Index
Gender: M Birth: 2 Feb 1834 Beulah Baptist, Mynyddislwyn, Monmouth, England
12. Ebenezer JONES - International Genealogical Index
Gender: M Birth: 2 Feb 1834 Pentwynmawr, Mynyddislwyn, Monmouth, England
14. Mary JONES - International Genealogical Index
Gender: F Birth: 25 Mar 1836 Pentwynmawr, Mynyddislwyn, Monmouth, England
15. Mary JONES - International Genealogical Index
Gender: F Birth: 16 Aug 1836 Beulah Baptist, Mynyddislwyn, Monmouth, England
A further look at the Gwent FHS marriages index give Thomas and Martha's
marriage as most likely that on 14 May 1825 in Mynyddislwyn - Martha's
maiden name being YORETH (YORATH?)
What is interesting about this series of IGI entries is that they are birth
entries not baptisms (Baptists practicing adult baptism I suppose this makes
sense) and each is duplicated. One being from original records of the Beulah
Baptsit Chapel held at the PRO in London and the other being a Patron
submitted entry in each case. The Patron Submitted entries I treat with the
usual healthy dose of scepticism except for the fact that they are supported
by the existence of the PRO ones. They apparently provide a place for the
births as well.
I find there is a Beulah Baptist Chapel in Newbridge which was in existence
from 1802 onwards and so I imagine this is the same one.
So my questions to the team are:
1) Is anyone familiar with the Beulah Baptist Chapel in Newbridge - is it
the one referenced in the IGI?
2) Would this be a reasonable Chapel for residents of Abercarn(e) to attend
in the early 1800s (since Rachel always said she was born in Abercarn(e))?
3) Can anyone tell me where Tonykistill and Pentwynmawr are? Could
Pentwynmawr be in Abercarn(e)?
4) Has anyone found this family on the 1841 or 51 censuses (my films have
gone back to SLC now)? If so where does Rachel appear to be from (1851)?
Satisfactory answers to all the above would, I think, give me enough
evidence to choose this Rachel as being the right one (subject to viewing of
the actual films of the Chapel records which might throw up additional info
if I'm lucky)
One final big question - is anyone related to this lot or to the YORETHs
(YORATHs)?
Cheers and thanks
Hugh Wallis
Ontario, Canada