Edward family, Sebonig farm near Llanaber

[iolanthe]

Having recently come back from  studying the records at Dolgelly, I have now managed to get back one more generation with my Edwards ancestors. 

My GG Grandfather, Rees Edwards' parents appear to have been Richard Edward and Gwen Rhees of Sebonig.  (I found an entry for their marriage in 1763.)  Rees was baptised  in 1777.

I have also found possible siblings  - Mary, born 1780 and Edward, born 1773.  There appear to have been two previous children called Edward, but I haven't been able to find a burial for either.

Can anyone add anything more to this information, perhaps about Sebonig farm itself?  We drove up to the farmhouse and took a photo, but nobody appeared to be home.

Does anyone have access to monumental inscriptions at Llanaber church, as I didn't have time to find out any more?

 

[graf]

Llanaber Bishops Transcript

mar 14.12.1734 Edward Griffith and Margaret Richard
bap 31.12.1738 Richd [son of] Edd Griffith
bap 6.1.1743 John of Edward Griffith of Llwyn [dy]
bap 15.11.1768 Edward son of Richard Edwd and Gwen
bap 27.5.1771  Edward son of Richard Edward and Gwen
bap 14.2.1773 Edward son of Richard Edward & Gwen
bap 7.1.1777 Rice son of Richard Edward & Gwen

Llanaber MI

Box grave: first half in english, and then welsh
Edward GRIFFITH 1781 aged 67
Richard EDWARD 4.8.1797 aged 58
Gwen REES, wife of above, 5.7.1800 60th year
Edward RICHARD, Sebonig, son of above 9.8.1838 69th year
Elizabeth his wife 9.8.1852 aged 79
Also engraved are the following initials and dates:
JW 1689, GJ 1720, JG 1729, AE 1737, MR 1751

Another grave, not nearby, with a headstone: in welsh
Edward Edwards, Barmouth, Nov 1, 1835 aged 56
and his wife Mary July 17 1845 aged 72

[graf]

And some more items, from the National Library:

B/1689/65 John William Griffith SC: Will Inventory.  P: Llanaber T: Bwlch Coch Ucha C: MER
B/1781/106 Edward Griffith SC: Will Inventory (2) P: Llanaber T: Llwyn du C: MER

The first one could match the JW on the gravestone.

[iolanthe]

Thank you so much for all that info!  I've been trying for a very long time to get back further on that side of the family, as I had no other clues till I went up to Dolgelly a fortnight ago.  I'll certainly get those wills from the NLW as we've done that with another side of the family, and have got back to the early 1600s in Bettws Gwerful Goch.

We had a look in Llanaber church, but the cemetery was so large, and too overgrown for me to know where to start looking.

Rees Edwards and Ann Jones were married in the church in 1800, but then moved to Llanelltyd (to Cae Mab Seifion) where all their children were born, and then moved some time after 1824, over to Llandderfel, to Llanerch y Baedd.

Once again, many thanks for taking the trouble to help.   

[dcbnwh]

Hello,
I don't know if this is of interest but my 4 x great aunt was Gwen Rhees of Llanaber, who would be about the same age as your Gwen. I am descended from her sister, Anne.
Their father was Rhees Griffith of Caegwian, which is just above Caerdeon Hall, between Barmouth and Bontddu.
Rhees was a church warden at Llanaber and is mentioned in some of the records.
I have a copy of their father's will, which names the children who were living in 1765, including Anne and Gwen: -

Beneficiaries:
Jane Evans - Granddaughter
Griffith Prees - Son
Griffith - Son of Griffith
Jane - Daughter of Griffith
Lowry Rhees - Daughter
Rhees - Son of Lowry
Humphrey - Son of Lowry
Jane - Daughter of Lowry
Gwen - Daughter of Lowry
William Prees - son
Rhees William - Son of William
Mary Rhees - Daughter
David - Son of Mary
Anne Rhees (Nanney) - Daughter
Rhees (Nanney) - Son of Anne
Gwen Rhees - Daughter
John Rhees - Son and executor
Rhees - Son of John
Jane - Daughter of John

I obtained several marriage licences/bonds of the possible marriages of the children, including Gwen, but I have not been able to link them together.

Anne married twice. Firstly to John Nanney and then to Robert Edwards. Her surname is sometimes Rice or Prees.
Her son, Rice/Rhees or Rice, married Mary Edward, also of Llanaber. I don't know anything about her family but it could be related to yours. Her marriage bond is signed by Edward Richard, who might be her father.

Regards,
David

[iolanthe]

Hi David

Thank you for all that information.  On the face of it, it would seem to me that there is a very definite connection!

Since I wrote my original message, I have had great help from another very kind  person, mostly in regard to the Edwards side of my family, and I have also sent off for various wills from the NLW, which I am now transcribing and linking up.

While I was in Dolgelly, I saw the marriage record (12th Feb 1763) of Gwen Rhees and Richard Edward, my GGGG Grandparents, who lived at Sebonig, Llanaber, and the witnesses were Griffith Prees and Rowland John.  (Their marriage bond is dated 11th February.) At the time, I wasn't sure who Griffith Prees might have been, possibly her father, or as it looks more likely, her brother.

I haven't yet tried to follow up Gwen's family, as I had nothing definite to go on, but it look possible that there is a second link with the Edwards family through the marriage of Richard Edward's daughter, Mary (bap 1780), who could have married Ann's son Rice/Rees. 

Although I don't know for sure who Mary married, her eldest brother was known as Edward Richard, also the son of Richard Edward and Gwen Rhees.  He, apparently, kept the patronymic name, although a witness on his brother's marriage document in 1800 (Rees Edwards to Ann Jones, my GGG Grandparents) was named as Edward Edwards.  I have a copy of Richard Edward's will, but he only refers to him as Edward.

The earliest will I have, so far, transcribed is that of Edward Griffith, Richard's father, who was living at Llwyndu, in Llanaber.

Perhaps we can link these families more definitely, with a bit more research.  I'll keep in touch.       
Jan

[dcbnwh]

Hi Jan,

I have found a bit more information which shows that the families had common acquaintances and that Gwen is likely to be the daughter of Rhees Griffith.
The two witnesses at her wedding, Griffith Prees and Rowland John, are both to be found in Rhees's will. Rowland is a witness and Griffith signs the inventory, although there are two versions and Griffith's handwriting is different on both - possibly not his.
Another witness is Robert Owen and his signature is identical to the one on Gwen's marriage bond.

I had wondered if Mary Edward might be linked to Llwyndu but she was born c1760 and so is too old to be Richard Edward's daughter. I would be interested in the names on Edward Griffith's will. Perhaps Mary is his daughter and could Edward be related to Rhees Griffith?

I have some letters written by Mary Edward and so she was well educated - perhaps the daughter of a land owner. I have early pedigrees of the Edwards of Llwyndu but I believe it changed hands in the 18th century.

If you thing we are talking about the same families, please let me have your email addres and I will send copies of what I have.

Regards,
David