Surname Saturday: The Edwards Family from Wales

We're back in the 3rd great grandmothers, having already covered the earlier grandmothers and a bunch of the grandfathers in previous posts using one of my favorite blogging prompts from GeneaBloggers called Surname Saturday! I like this one because I get to reacquaint myself with one part of the family tree and cover ground that's both familiar as well as unfamiliar. I like that:)

This week we turn our attention to one of the families who had their roots deep in Wales, the Edwards people. And I have to say right at the top here, I don't know a thing about them except the names of all the children and we're lucky to have that only because Mom went to Wales years ago. But never mind because in posting this, I or you or a new-to-me cousin might have a thought that could help make connections. Ya' never know!


1. Diane Kelly Weintraub

2. Francis Patrick "Pat" Kelly (1916 - 2007)
3. Virginia Williams, living and loving it!

6. Cambria "Camey" Williams (1897 - 1960)
7. Emma Susan Whetstone (1897 - 1956)
They had 5 children in all:
3. Virginia, that's Mom
Dorothy Williams Conrad (1920 - 2007)
Evelyn Williams (1921 - 1924)
Margaret Williams (1926 - 1926)
Cambria Williams Jr. (1925 - 1997)

12. Daniel Williams (1852 - 1920)
13. Jane Price (1862 - 1939)
Daniel was born in Strata Florida, Cardigsnshire, Wales. He worked as a collier or coal miner, as his father had, in Wales, immigrated, then moved to the George's Creek Coal Mine Field in Western Maryland, one of the richest veins of coal at the time. Jane was born in Mount Savage, Allegany County, Maryland, just over the hill from where Daniel worked, but her family came from Wales as well. Daniel was a supervisor at the mines and well respected and elected to the school board.
They had 8 children:
James Henry Williams 1882 - 1936)
William Williams (1884 - 1964)
Benjamin Williams (1896 - 1896)
Thomas Williams (1890 - 1951)
Dianna Williams (1892 - 1893)
Joseph Williams (1895 - 1948)
6. Cambria Williams (1897 - 1960), that's Mom's Dad
Charles Williams (1899 - 1979), that's Aunt Betty's Dad

24. Thomas Williams (about 1815 - 1868?)
25. Jane James (about 1815 - ?)
Both Thomas and Jane were born in Strata Florida, Cardigsnshire, Wales. Thomas was a collier or coal miner as were a number of his sons. It is presumed that Thomas died about 1868, possibly in Lampiter, Cardiganshire, Wales. The death record is inconclusive as to confirming identity.
Jane is found in the 1870 Wales Census in Llangattock, Breckenshire, Wales. Interestingly, she's living next to a woman, a widow, by the name of Dianah James, a green grocer.
We have that mystery photo of Jane James Williams with her adult children taken by a photographer in Troy, New York... however, neither Mom nor Aunt Betty or silly me have been able to find a lick of a track of them in New York state! That's our brick wall.
They had 7 children:

Elizabeth Williams (24 Oct 1841-?)

David Williams (22 May 1844-?)

Jane Williams (4 Oct 1846-?)
Thomas Williams (25 Mar 1851-?)
12. Daniel Williams (1852 - 1920)
John Williams (Nov 1853-?)

William Williams (23 Jan 1865-?)

48. David Williams (?- 1838)
49. Rachel Edwards (dates not known to us)
Again, this family was born and died in Strata Florida, Cardigsnshire, Wales.
They had 6 children:
24. Thomas Williams (about 1815 - 1868?)
David Williams (1811 - ?)
Edward Williams (1814 - ?)
Elizabeth Williams (1816 - ?)
Catherine Williams (1819 - 1823)
Catherine Williams (1824 - ?)

There you have it, sadly. That's just about all we know about the end of the line. We're back in the late 1700s in Wales and good luck on that! It's on my bucket list to go to the National Archives and see what can be found. Some fine day:)


Photo taken at Troy NY. Can you help us match the names with the faces? Do you know of any of these people? Any guesses as to what year this was taken?

The Girls:

Elizabeth (24 Oct 1841-?) she's the oldest girl so is that her on the right, standing?

Jane (4 Oct 1846-?) is that her on the left in the fancy dress? Mom thinks that she is the wife of the man sitting to the left of her. What do you think?
 

The Boys, one is missing:
David (22 May 1844-?)

Thomas (25 MAR 1851-?)

John (Nov 1853-?)

William (23 Jan 1865-?)

Daniel my GGF (31 MAR 1852 - 19 APR 1920) is seated on the right
and his mother Jane Price Williams (1815-?) is seated to the left of him

The URL for this post is: http://nutsfromthefamilytree.blogspot.com/2013/06/surname-saturday-edwards-family-from.html

Surname Saturday: The James Family From Wales

Here's the next post in the series, Surname Saturday, the blogging prompt from GeneaBloggers. We're into the 5th generation and my 2nd great grandmothers. This is fun, and it's perfect cousin bait;) Plus, I get to see the dead ends and holes in research and logic, then make research notes about both. I'll get there, eventually!


1. Diane Kelly Weintraub

2. Francis Patrick Kelly (1916 - 2007)
3. Virginia Williams, living and loving it!

6. Cambria Williams (1897 - 1960)
7. Emma Susan Whetstone (1897 - 1956)

12. Daniel Williams (1852 - 1920)
13. Jane Price (1862 - 1939)

24. Thomas Williams (about 1815 - 1868?)
25. Jane James (20 July 1815 - ????)
Both Thomas and Jane were born in Strata Florida, Cardigsnshire, Wales. Thomas was a collier or coal miner as were a number of his sons. It is presumed that Thomas died about 1868, possibly in Lampiter, Cardiganshire, Wales. The death record is inconclusive as to confirming identity.
Jane is found in the 1870 Wales Census in Llangattock, Breckenshire, Wales. Interestingly, she's living next to a woman, a widow, by the name of Dianah James, a green grocer.
We have that mystery photo of Jane James Williams with her adult children taken by a photographer in Troy, New York... however, neither Mom nor Aunt Betty or silly me have been able to find a lick of a track of them in New York state! That's our brick wall.
They had 7 children:

Elizabeth Williams (24 Oct 1841 - ????)

David Williams (22 May 1844 - ????)

Jane Williams (4 Oct 1846 - ????)
Thomas Williams (25 Mar 1851- ????)
Daniel Williams (1852 - 1920)
John Williams (Nov 1853 - ????)
William Williams (23 Jan 1865 - ????)

50. Daniel James (30 Dec 1792 - 14 Aug 1881)
51. Elizabeth Williams (1788 - Mar 1877)
This couple were both born in Cardiganshire, Wales, he in Strata Florida. We don't know specifically where she was born but they were married on 25 Nov 1814 in Strata Florida, Cardiganshire, Wales at the Strata Florida Chapel. Specifically, Daniel died in Allt Du, Parish of Caron Uwch Clawdd, Cardiganshire, Wales. Mom went to Wales and tracked down some of this information but she didn't have near enough time. She even had a nice volunteer researcher meet her at the National Archive but the flight left the next day! Guess I'll have to go some day:)
They had the following children:
25. Jane James (20 July 1815 - ????)
Elizabeth James (2 Nov 1819 - ????)
Ann James (25 Sept 1820 - ????)
David James (10 Mar 1821 - ????)
Daniel James (19 Oct 1827 - ????)
Mary James (2 Dec 1832 - ????)

100. John James (dates unknown)
101. Margaret LNU (born about 1761 - ????)
Sorry, don't know Margaret's last name so using the convention of LNU, or Last Name Unknown.  Because Daniel James was born in Strata Florida, Cardiganshire, Wales, it can be assumed that they lived there at one point, and that will be my starting point for future research.
They had at least one child:
50. Daniel James (30 Dec 1792 - 14 Aug 1881)

Well, that runs out unceremoniously, doesn't it? Too bad for Mom and me.

WANTED!

Information leading to the location of Jane James Williams from Wales!



Here she is in a photo taken in Troy NY, date unknown, with all of her children except one.

And here's a close-up.

Born 20 July 1815.

 

I dunno, maybe if I try this as a Wanted poster, I might get somewhere locating her in the States...? Should a reward be offered??

 

 

The URL for this post is: http://nutsfromthefamilytree.blogspot.com/2013/04/surname-saturday-james-family-from-wales.html

The Widow Jane Comes To America: Part I

Jane James Williams was born on 31 July, 1815 in Strata Florida, Cardiganshire, Wales. She was born into a time of severe economic downturn. Families were eligible for relief funds based on how many children they had and so they brought yet more children into the world to beef up the subsistence funds. Not saying that Jane's family did this, just setting the stage for an understanding of the times.

Jane James married Thomas Williams on 29 January, 1841 in the Chapel at Strata Florida in Cardiganshire. Jane and Thomas appear in the 1851 Wales Census in the town of Caron, Cardiganshire: Thomas Williams age 35 working as a miner, his wife Jane age 35, Elizabeth 9, Jane 6, Daniel 2 months, who is to be my GGF. In the 1861 Wales census they are in the same place with more children: Thomas 10, John 7, and William 5. That's all the children they'd have and Thomas would die in 1865.

So there was Jane left with 6 children. The passage to America was not going to be cheap or easy. But what was she to do? Her two oldest children were girls and she could put them out as servants. Coincidentally, the 1851 census also shows on the next page an Eliz. Williams, saying she's 25, working as a servant. The same person? Daniel, the oldest boy, was 16 and could possibly work in the mines if that was allowed... and it night be interesting to do some research Welsh mines of the period.

The Wales census for 1871 reveals that Jane is now widowed and Daniel is working in the mines. They have moved to Breckenshire. Mom thinks they moved to be closer to Jane's relatives and there is a Dianah James also a widow, 31 years old, living next door to Jane... and remember that Jane's maiden name was James. Dianah works as a green grocer. Is she Jane's sister-in-law and the kids Aunt Dianah?

Daniel's sibs are all there in the 1871 census except for Thomas who would be 21 years old. Did he marry? Or did he already immigrate? I need to pursue that lead... but Thomas Williams is a very common Welsh name, so good luck to me.

What would you do? Would you send your oldest boy on ahead? Maybe. Mom found a Daniel Williams with Elizabeth (and Elizabeth was his oldest sister's name) arriving in New York on 2 May, 1873. Or did Thomas go on ahead, or did he stay behind with a wife and work in the coal mines? Is Thomas one of the brothers in that photo that's burning a place in my brain?

You know who is not in the Wales census of any year? David. He was born 22 May 1844 and the oldest boy. Strange. Maybe he's the one missing from the Troy NY photo of Jane and her children?

They all came to America, I know they did because of that photo. But when and who came first? As usual, more question than answers:)


Photo of the day from Wikipedia:

The Abbey at Strata Florida.

The Wikipedia link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strata_Florida_Abbey

The URL for this post is: http://nutsfromthefamilytree.blogspot.com/2012/07/the-widow-jane-comes-to-america-part-i.html