I have just subscribed to the Wales lists in hopes of locating my
mother's maternal grandmother's family. I have subscribed to other
regional lists for my father's family for some time with phenominal
success, even found living (real) cousins with whom I actually spent a
memorable day recently (at our Thanksgiving time) when I was visiting my
son and his family, who now live in England.
I do have problems with my Welsh ancestors because I am looking for a
"William Jones from Wales!" My greatgrandmother's name was Mary Jane
Jones, born September 16, 1834 in New York State; her father's name has
not yet been identified but could have been Ellis and her grandfather
could have been Thomas. Past inquiries have been met with much laughter!
and sympathy.
The only material evidence I have of my mother's ancestry is a Bible, "Y
Bibl" printed in the Welsh language in 1799, brought to the States
sometime in the early 1800s. Between the Old and the New Testaments
there is a page upon which a list of names and dates, not in
chronological order, were written in Welsh and translated as follows:
William Jones born January 13, 1806
Owan Jones born February 10, 1808
Elisabeth Jones born January 16, 1800
Jon Jones born July 16, 1811
Elsade (Eisade?) Jones born November 12, 1803
Rebecca Jones born March 11, 1801 (4?)
I have wondered if Elsade could have been changed to Ellis when he
emigrated, for the dates seem reasonable enough for him to have been Mary
Jane's father.
When I was at the Library in Aberystwyth in 1995, I was told by those who
examined a photocopy of that page that it appeared to have been written
by someone rather well educated from northern Wales. I was very
impressed with their perception and analysis but it was accompanied by
the usual headshaking! If that family unit could be located somewhere, I
would have found that proverbial bridge to my Welsh ancestery and the
source of that heirloom Bible.
Ruth N. Holroyd
Pittsford, New York (suburb of Rochester)