Hello Ruth,
You do have quite a problem here, and given the large number of Jones's
in Wales, it might make sense for you to try to find more information in
New York if at all possible. For instance, could you find a baptism
record for Mary Jane Jones? Or could you find her living with her
parents in a Census in New York State? If this gave names of her
siblings it might suggest names of parents, grandparents, uncles and
aunts - in Wales people did use family names a lot, though this
sometimes changed after emigration. Was her father's name given when she
got married? Can you find a marriage for her parents over there, or
might they have been married in Wales? If you know both their names it
might be easier to find their marriage in Wales than the Jones births
you mention. Are there any old family letters that might give clues to
the whereabouts of any relatives left in Wales? Your Welsh Bible is a
wonderful resource, but what a pity they didn't include the parents'
marriage!
I have never heard the name Elsade before, and cannot imagine what it
might have been. Ellis certainly seems worth considering as a
possibility.
Best wishes,
Ann
--
***************************
Ann Macdonald Watt
Edinburgh
Scotland
email: ann(a)met.ed.ac.uk
***************************