Hi, Margaret,
This information is extremely useful to me! I considered just writing to you
privately, but then figured there might be someone on the list who can
benefit from our discussion of surnames and place names as well.
It was important to me to hear your description of paddling in the River
Severn and of your happy memories in Cwmbelan. Until I can visit Llanidloes
and Llangurig myself, this is as close as I will get to actually knowing how
people who live there feel about it. Thank you.
I have considered ordering Gwen Parry's birth certificate. I thought I had
found her on FreeBMD, because the month and year matched (Sep.1858) but the
District for this entry for the GRO Index was not Newtown but Corwen. I too
thought it should be Newtown, so avoided paying 8 pounds to GRO in London
for the wrong certificate. Would Corwen be close to Newtown, or is this most
likely someone else's Gwen Parry, born at the same time? I know Parry is not
uncommon, but it's not like Jones or Lewis, either.
And do you advise writing to the Superintendent Registrar over the GRO?
And if Newtown is the District, what is Powys? The county? Pardon my
ignorance; I find it confusing and maps I've looked at do little to
un-muddle me!
I also find it curious that you mentioned an Edward and a Morgan Parry.
There is an Edward Parry and a Morgan Parry living with my Gwen (nee Parry)
Jones and her husband Richard Jones (and their daughter Margaret) in the
1881 census. They were born about 1861 and 1864. respectively, so I figured
they were Gwen's younger brothers. I know your Edward and Morgan are too old
to be the same ones, but I find the coincidence in names encouraging.
I thank you for your help on the Lewises as well. One helpful piece of info
is that JV Lewis was a Reverend. Now, he could have left Wales a coal miner
and become a Reverend only upon arriving in the USA, but you never know. I
hope to find his marriage certificate through LDS research to get his
parents' names.
I am very thankful for the generosity you've shown in typing that
informative email to me. And I will check out the Powys list as you suggest.
Elysia
----- Original Message -----
From: "Brian Harvey" <bgh-mgh(a)teanstaffs.fsnet.co.uk>
To: "Lysi" <lysi(a)comcast.net>
Cc: <WALES-GEN-L(a)rootsweb.com>
Sent: Monday, March 24, 2003 5:22 PM
Subject: Re: [WALES-GEN] While we're on the subject of Lewises
Hi Elysia,
I was born in Cwmbelan a tiny hamlet midway between the village of
Llangurig
and Llanidloes which are about five miles apart. The River Severn,
the
main one in Wales rises above Llangurig and flows through Llanidloes my
happiest childhood memories are of paddling in the river. My family moved
to Shropshire in England in 1948 when I was six and three years later to
Staffordshire. I now live in a village near Stoke-on-Trent.
My great, great grandmother was Mary Ann Parry and she was the daughter of
Morgan Parry and his wife Mary Ann Evans. Morgan's wife died young and he
re married. His second wife was Margaret Owen daughter of Thomas Owen,
she
was living at Dolgors, Llangurig when she married.. On the 1851
Census
they
are living at Llyndu, Llangurig. My great, great grandmother by the
first
marriage was living with them, an older son was working on a local farm
and
Morgan and Margaret had a daughter Jane aged one year. I also noted
that
there was a daughter Margaret aged three living with her grandparents Owen
at the time of the census. I do not have the 1861 Census to see if your
Gwen was their daughter, it does seem to be a distinct possibility as I
haven't been able to find other Parry families in Llangurig on the 1851
Census. I notice that Gwen's daughter was a Margaret and that could be a
pointer towards having the correct family.
There is also these entries for Llangurig.
Edward would be too old to be Gwen's father but it is possible that
William
is.
PARRY Edward h w 80 Ag. lab. MGY Llangurig Penbonfren? /f50/p2
PARRY William s u 30 Ag.lab. MGY Llangurig Penbonfren? /f50/p2
PARRY Ann d u 25 House servant MGY Llangurig Penbonfren? /f50/p2
This family could also be your ancestors.
PARRY John h m 39 Lab. MGY Llangurig Pencroesai /f69/p4
PARRY Winifred w m 37 Lab.'s wife MGY Llangurig Pencroesai /f69/p4
PARRY Lewis s u 14 Lab.'s son MGY Llangurig Pencroesai /f69/p4
PARRY Elizabeth d u 8 Lab,'s daughter MGY Llangurig Pencroesai /f69/p4
PARRY John s u 6 Lab.'s son MGY Llangurig Pencroesai /f69/p4
PARRY Mary Anne d u 4 Lab.'s daughter MGY Llangurig Pencroesai /f69/p4
LEWIS Lewis fl m 81 Late lab. RAD Rhayader Pencroesai /f69/p4
LEWIS Elizabeth ml m 74 Lab.'s wife MGY Llangurig Pencroesai /f69/p4
I have also found a William Parry aged thirty working as a servant at
Bulah
Inn.
Gwen's Birth Certificate would be very helpful as it would give her
parent's
names. It should be easy to obtain it from the Superintentent
Registrar,
Births, Marriages and Death, Newtown, Powys as you know approx. the date
and
place where she was born.
The 1861 Census for Llangurig would also give you the information you
require for the parents of Gwen and the same with the Llanidloes on for
Richard.
I would suggest that you subscribe to the Powys list as it covers
Montgomeryshire, Radnorshire and Breconshire. It may be that someone on
that list has access to the 1861 Census.
I have found with my Llangurig ancestors that although they state they
were
born in Llangurig some of them were actually born in Llansanffraid
Cwmdeuddwr in Radnorshire. The two parishes share a boundary and as the
area is thinly populated. I expect many were not sure which side of the
boundary they were born.
A "google" search will give you an idea of the area.
I found these two entries on the 1881 Census:
Dwelling: 3 Caehir
Census Place: Llanelly, Carmarthen, Wales
Source: FHL Film 1342295 PRO Ref RG11 Piece 5371 Folio 42
Page
17
Marr Age Sex Birthplace
David LEWIS M 30 M Llanelly, Carmarthen, Wales
Rel: Head
Occ: Iron Melter
Mary Jane LEWIS M 26 F Loughor, Glamorgan, Wales
Rel: Wife
David Prothroe LEWIS 6 M Llanelly, Carmarthen, Wales
Rel: Son
Occ: Scholar
Cathrine LEWIS 5 F Llanelly, Carmarthen, Wales
Rel: Daur
Occ: Scholar
James LEWIS 1 M Llanelly, Carmarthen, Wales
Rel: Son
Dwelling: 3 Greenland Row
Census Place: Llanelly, Brecon, Wales
Source: FHL Film 1342314 PRO Ref RG11 Piece 5465 Folio 60
Page
4
Marr Age Sex Birthplace
William LEWIS M 42 M Nantyglo, Monmouth, England
Rel: Head
Occ: Collier
Catherine LEWIS M 40 F Nantyglo, Monmouth, England
Rel: Wife
John LEWIS U 19 M Brynmawr, Brecknock, Wales
Rel: Son
Occ: Haulier
Lewis LEWIS 16 M Brynmawr, Brecknock, Wales
Rel: Son
Occ: Collier
William H. LEWIS 14 M Brynmawr, Brecknock, Wales
Rel: Son
Occ: Collier
Thomas R. LEWIS 11 M Brynmawr, Brecknock, Wales
Rel: Son
Occ: Scholar
Edmund LEWIS 9 M Brynmawr, Brecknock, Wales
Rel: Son
Occ: Scholar
Catherine LEWIS 7 F Brynmawr, Brecknock, Wales
Rel: Daur
Occ: Scholar
Frederick LEWIS 4 M Brynmawr, Brecknock, Wales
Rel: Son
James LEWIS 2 M Brynmawr, Brecknock, Wales
Rel: Son
I am also researching my Lewis ancestors, mainly in Llanafan Fawr in
Breconshire although some of the entended family moved further south.
There
is no purpose in giving you any details at this point as you have
very
little information to help make a connection.
I hope the above interests you.
Regards,
Margaret Harvey
----- Original Message -----
From: "Lysi" <lysi(a)comcast.net>
To: <WALES-GEN-L(a)rootsweb.com>
Sent: Monday, March 24, 2003 7:46 PM
Subject: [WALES-GEN] While we're on the subject of Lewises
> I've hesitated to throw out there the ancestors I am researching because
their names are so common, but I've decided to anyway:
>
> I am researching James Vincent Lewis, born about 1880. Not sure if it's
him but I think I found his Ellis Island record that says he's from
Llanelly. He ended up in Wilkes Barre, PA and married Margaret Llewelyn
about 1905.
>
> Also, I am researching Richard E. Jones, born abt. 1860 in Llanidloes,
Montgomery, Wales
>
> He married Gwen Parry, born abt. 1858 in Llangarug, Montgomery, Wales.
>
> By the time of the 1881 Census they lived with their daughter Margaret
Jones at 31 Eirw Rd., Llantrisant, Glamorgan, Wales.
>
> They came to Wilkes Barre, PA about 1887.
>
> Anyone researching/knows about those areas in Wales, I'd love to hear
about it. And obviously many of you are researching Lewis, Jones, and
Llewellyn!...right?
>
> Elysia
>
>
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