Griffiths - Mitchel Troy - 18th Century

[thehermitage99]

I have spent 20 years on and off trawling through Gloucester Parish Records for the elusive Michael Griffiths but all to no avail; I can only find his marriage to Elizabeth Brown. Interestingly perhaps is what can NOT be found; I haven't found any other Michael Griffiths who could fit the bill except for the Mitchel Troy one.... I have made a decision! Although I can't prove it conclusively I feel that, on the balance of probabilities and in the absence of evidence one way of the other, the Mitchel Troy Michael and the Gloucester Michael are almost certainly the same person...  I am happy to amend that train of thought if new evidence comes to light of course... 

[Regorian]

I suppose we could both take a DNA test, but quite frankly I can't justify the expense just now. Just keep this open so you get e-mail notification if I post anything on this Thread.

Best Wishes,

Roger

[thehermitage99]

I hadn't thought about DNA....   could be possible I suppose, although I agree the expense is too prohibitive at the moment.... 

[Regorian]

Just to restate what I have on Michael and it's very little.

Bapt. Mitchel Troy Mon. 18Oct1741. Parents John and Hannah. No marriage for them.

John died 1749. No PR entry. Overseers Assessments & Disbursements - coffin and shroud for John Griffiths 10/-

1750 - 2d for Mick Griffiths

1757 - 4d for Michollo Griffiths

If our Michael was buried St Mary's Monmouth, then 20Dec1800.

But why Monmouth if he had a wife and child in Gloucester?

[thehermitage99]

You ask 'why Monmouth if he had a wife and child in Gloucester?'....  I have asked myself the same question, and I don't have an answer....  all I can speculate is that the marriage between Michael and Elizabeth in Gloucester was an 'unusual' one in so much as there are very distinctive gaps between the children, most unusual for families of that time...  it would seem to make sense that 'Michael' was not spending all his time in Gloucester, whether he was in the army, navy, or prison I don't know.... I have searched prison records, and all the parish records for Gloucester, and I can find no trace of Michael at all other than his marriage in Gloucester in 1768....  so, why Monmouth, why not is all I can say. The marriage may have broken down in some way and he returned to family in Monmouth...   unfortunately I don't have the answers and probably never will...   

[Regorian]

You are descended from Elizabeth Griffiths 1769. Do you have the 1841 Census etc. Any Griffiths's I might recognise?

[thehermitage99]

yep... not sure what I have that I can email....   my Griffiths line has stayed in Gloucester from 1769 to the late 1800's when an early death forced the surviving family to move in with relatives in Selsley, near Kings Stanley, Glos, where our branch remained.  Here is a quick summary:

1) - Michael Griffiths (-) 1768 married Elizabeth Brown (believed 1743 Minsterworth - 1814 Glos)
2) - Elizabeth Griffiths (1769 Glos - 1814 Glos) - no marriage.
3) - James Griffiths (no father recorded) (1792 Glos - 1845 Glos) 1815 married Lucy Baker (1796 Bath - abt 1869 Glos)
4) - William James Griffiths (1815 Glos - 1882 Glos) 1843 married Mary Pockett (1815 Churchdown - abt 1889 Glos)
5) - Thomas James Griffiths (1844 Glos - 1881 Glos) 1873 married Mary Hall (1851 Monmouth - 1916 Selsley)
6) - Thomas Griffiths (1878 Glos - 1947 Kings Stanley) 1905 married Emily Chandler (1884 Kings Stanley - 1974 Kings Stanley)
7) - Jack Lionel Griffiths (1911 Kings Stanley - 1986 Glos) 1955 married Jenny Squire (1923 Stroud - 1997 Glos)
- ME!

I have most of the branches of the tree up to the early 1900's, but pretty much all in or around Gloucester.....   

[Regorian]

Thanks very much for this. The christian names certainly tally with my lot, except for Elizabeth.

[thehermitage99]

Hello All......  I have had a couple of thoughts this afternoon regarding Michael Griffiths; firstly MY Michael Griffiths had three children in Gloucester, Elizabeth (named after his wife), Michael (named after himself), and Susannah (named after? There are no Susannahs in the family unless she is named after Michael's mother, Hannah?)   so, point number 1 is this; was Hannah Coley known as Susannah at some point?     

My second thought is this; my main reason for thinking that Michael was away from Gloucester a lot is the unusual gaps in the birth dates of the children born in Gloucester but I suddenly realised I may have been wrong to make that assumption, because this is the late 1700's there are no census records to confirm the numbers of children it is entirely possible that Michael AND his wife Elizabeth AND their children were all away together and they could have had other children - I only ever checked the Gloucester parish records, I never checked Monmouth records to see if they had children together there in the 'missing' years away from Gloucester.....   this could explain Michaels burial in Monmouth after which perhaps Elizabeth and the children moved back to Gloucester.....   so point number 2 is this: are there any children in the Monmouth parish records born to Michael Griffiths and Elizabeth between 1768 and 1801?   

Any thoughts anyone?