Yes, SCHMIDT seems like an unusual name for Wales. But THOMAS
seems like a strange name for Americans of German descent.
Maybe some of these "peculiarities" stem from 1709, when agents
of Queen Anne sent 3,800 German "Palatines" to Ireland, where
some of their descendents still live. These Palatines had been
recruited by Penn and others for immigration to America, but the
influx to England was very large necessitating splitting them up.
Some were sent to Ireland, others to the Carolinas, and others
(3,000), at the suggestion of Gov. Robert Hunter, were shipped
to New York, for the purpose of manufacturing ships' stores for
the English government. Many of these New York German settlers,
living among the NY Dutch, fought for England in Queen Anne's War
of 1710. Twenty-five or so of these German families, by 1727,
rafted down the Susquehanna River to settle the Tulpehocken area
of Berks County, Pennsylvania. This, in my opinion, is the true
beginning of the famous "Pennsylvania Dutch", and also explains
why there was so much intermarriage in Pennsylvania between the
British and Germans. There was probably some intermarriage
between the German "Irish" and the rest of the UK. So "Schmidt"
becomes Welsh, and "Thomas" becomes German!
The best part of genealogy, for me, is the history one learns
along the way.
For more on the "Irish Palantines", see Crook, William.
IRELAND AND THE CENTENARY OF AMERICAN METHODISM, published
London and Dublin, 1866.
Ann
SC, USA
---------- Forwarded Message ----------
From: INTERNET:POWYS-L@rootsweb.com, INTERNET:POWYS-L@rootsweb.com
TO: POWYS-L, INTERNET:POWYS-L@rootsweb.com
DATE: 4/28/98 11:34 AM
RE: HUGHES & SCHMIDT > Llandudno / Bangor / Wales 1880-190
From: "Hughes,Mark" <markhu(a)charterhouse.co.uk>
Subject: HUGHES & SCHMIDT > Llandudno / Bangor / Wales 1880-1900
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Catherine HUGHES was born in 1840 in Llandudno to Richard and Elizabeth
HUGHES. She left home in her late teens and married Capt.William HUGHES
of Anglesey and moved to 2 Strand Street.
They lived at that address until they died in the early 1900s. 1
daughter Kate married Mr.Parry the post master another daughter married
a Mr Schmidt, unusual name for Wales!