Hello, My name is Mike Massa. My mother, Grace Massa (nee Tomley) was born in Wales. The
end of my family trail was in in the North West whilst the beginning, apparently, was in
Montgomery.
Both of my Tomley and Jones famlies were principally farmers... mainly cattle. It is
family legend that during a hoof and mouth outbreak (1640s ?) both of the famlies lost
most of everything that they had acquired. It would seem that once a family had
substantial losses in the 1600s and 1700s that it would be very difficult to recover...
taking possibly generations. Both families had the same idea, they moved North and East
(to a land of milk and honey ?).
It is in that NE of Wales that my search has hit the wall.
I have a William Tomley (b. Meifod 1724 (?) d. Llanfyllin 1793) and Thomas Jones (b. 1727
d. 1794) born and died at Big Trehowell Farm tenant farmer within the holdings of the West
family successors, by marriage, to the Middletons.Thomas' area was above Glyn Caeriog
near Chirk.
So, I'm stuck after fifteen years of research. Here I am digging for those two gents
who were born in the 1720s and who died in the 1790s.
I will be eternally grateful to anyone who can help me get off dead center.
Best wishes from the SW Coast of Oregon !
M -