CAPTAIN JOHN WILLIAMS (b.1822 in Llanddulas, Denbighshire-d. March 1879)
was a master mariner whose family lived in Amlwch, ANG, in the 1861,
1871, & 1881 census reports. John himself died 26 March 1879, when his
ship the Rose Schneider (see below) was lost going between the U.S. and
Ireland carrying phosphates. His own parents were John Williams (b.
Abergele, d. 1871 aged 76 years ) and Mary Williams (b. Abergele/St.
George, Denbighshire, d. 1862 aged 66 ), both of whom are buried in St.
Cynbryd's, Llanddulas. I have a little more informtion on the Sr. John
Williams.
The first wife of Captain John Williams was MARY JONES and she died
shortly after 3 May 1852, the date of birth of her daughter MARY JANE
WILLIAMS (1852-1905Liverpool); this birth was in 8 Court, Edmund St.,
Liverpool. By the 1861 census the family was living in Amlwch, ANG and
John had remarried a MARY GRIFFITH (b.1827-28), and she and John had
other children: John G., William, Thomas R. Williams. It is possible that
there was a third wife named Mary between 1861-1881, but I can't pin this
down. However, the will of Capt. John Williams probated in 1879 names a
son James, plus the other known children. I think this James Williams
lived in West Derby, Liverpool, but can't be sure.
These are the known children of Capt. JOHN WILLIAMS who died in 1879:
1)MARY JANE WILLIAMS - b. 1852 Liverpool; m. George Morgan HUGHES 1874
(Her mother was Mary Jones, m. March 1851 Llanfyllin, Montgomeryshire,
Wales)
2)JAMES WILLIAMS - b. 1853-1861 (not on Amlwch census for 1861)
(His mother --unknown, but named in the will of 1879)
The below are the children of Mary Griffith probably.
3)JOHN G.WILLIAMS - b. 1864 Amlwch - became a seaman (?); perhaps died
whilst serving as mate /90052/ on the Edith Mary on 20 July 1889.
4)WILLIAM WILLIAMS- B. 1865 Amlwch (became a joiner)
5)THOMAS R. WILLIAMS - b. 1869 Amlwch.
In the 1861 census, they lived at "Watermans Arms", Lower Quay St.,
Amlwch.The vessel of Capt. Williams was berthed in Glamorgan at the time
of the census.
In the 1871 census, they lived in Chapel St. (no house number), Amlwch
In the 1881 census, they lived at 20 Llaneilian Rd., Amlwch with MARY's
brother EVAN GRIFFITH (age 55, unmarried, sailor, b. Amlwch). John
Williams had died by now, but his son John G. Williams is also not in
that residence, perhaps at sea or married. The proprietor of the
"Waterman's Arms" was a Richard Griffith and I believe there is a family
tie to Mary Griffith Williams.
The Rose Schneider was a large two-masted schooner built in January 1873
by Allen at Pembroke. She was built to a high standard, 12 years A1, and
to Special Survey. The year after her launch she was felted and
yellow-metalled. She was owned for her whole career by the Barrow firm of
James Fisher & Sons.
In the Barrow Times shipping intelligence columns of Jan.1879 she is
noted as being on passage from Swansea to Daker (Africa?), under
Capt.Williams. The Rose Schneider was posted "Missing" on the 26th March
1879 , with the loss of Capt.J.Williams and a crew of seven. She was
voyaging from Bull River, South Carolina to Belfast with a cargo of 310
tons phosphate.
The master of the Rose Schneider at the time of her loss has been
identified as Capt. John Williams, born Llanddulas, Denbigh, in 1822. His
master's certificates and records state that he had commanded two other
of James Fisher's schooners, the Charlotte Helen and Mary Williams
(voyages to Riga and France/Portugal/Spain in 1864-72). He had been
master of the Rose Schneider for her entire career.
Betty Pace