Leonard St Clears

[Dockman]

Hi

I am researching the Leonard family from St Clears (Backe) and Slebech, Pembs. In particular I'm trying to identify the father of John Leonard born 1805 in St Clears. I have an old family tree (pre-WWII) which shows his parents as John Leonard=Hannah Roberts but have failed to find them. I have, however, found the marriage of a Thomas Leonard=Hannah Roberts who the 1841 & 1851 censuses show lived at Backe. The same old family tree shows that "John"=Hannah had four children: John (my gg grandfather), David, Thomas, Hannah.

A posting on Ancestry on 11 June this year from a Tony Reardon in (I think) the States reads: "I have traced back to a Thomas Leonard born 1785 St Clears who married a Hannah Roberts on 1st Aug 1811. They had the following children John 1805, David 1814-1871, Elizabeth 1816, Thomas 1818-1891, Hannah. Thomas father was Joshua from hear back [sic] the details are cloudy any help and ideas would be wonderful.". I have replied but am waiting to hear.

Can anyone help, please?
Many thanks,
Eastender

[osprey]

Welcome to Rootschat! 

Welsh wills can be searched & read online here

http://cat.llgc.org.uk/cgi-bin/gw/chameleon?skin=profeb&lng=en

There is an 1808 will for Joshua Leonard of St Clears. He makes various bequests. His daughter Mary is the executrix; there must have been another daughter who married David David as there are bequests to her children Elizabeth & David; another bequest to a son Joshua. In turn, Joshua has children called Elizabeth, William and Thomas, and Thomas has a son John.

One of the witnesses to the will is John Davies, the minister at Bethlehem, which might mean that the family were non-conformist. But I've checked the non-conformist records online there's only a burial of a John Leonard in the 1790s in Carmarthenshire
http://www.geolocation.ws/v/W/4d6722f38786560f3d01f998/bethlehem-independent-chapel-large-welsh/en

The parish records for St Clears are in the Carmarthenshire record office and at the National Library in Aberystwyth. The Bishops Transcripts have been filmed by the LDS, but are not on the IGI. You could order the film from your nearest LDS centre to check for baptisms & marriages.

[Dockman]

Thanks so much Osprey. In fact I've got a copy of Joshua's Will and don't think he's part of the line I'm after. Although there were only 19 Leonards in Carmarthenshire at the time of the 1841 Census, eight of whom lived at Backe and I'm pretty sure are related to me, so it's highly likely that Joshua is also related at some level. But I can't find the missing link! Ah well!! But thanks again for your input. If you happen to find anything else..........!!

[osprey]

Is your John the one who married Martha Lewis in Slebech in 1827? If so, do you have a copy of the parish entry to find the names of the witnesses which may help you trace John's family.

[Dockman]

Thank you again. Yes he is. The wife of the then vicar of Slebech wrote to me about five years ago with a summary of the relevant entries in which she gave the witnesses as William Leonard and John Mathias. That could be the William b1800 married to Margaret who was living next door to Thomas Leonard=Hannah Roberts in the 1851 Census for Backe, in which case he could be  John's cousin. But I can't identify him for certain! Although circumstantial evidence is increasingly pointing in that direction. So near and yet so far!!

Thank you so much for your interest. You clearly know your stuff! It's good to have your help. Incidentally, I was introduced to this site by "NeatWheat" -  http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=540931.new;topicseen#new. That thread includes a copy of the parish marriage entry. Do you know how I do that for the Leonard=Martha Lewis marriage?

[Dockman]

Me again!

You'll recall that in my first posting I referred to a posting on ancestry by a Tony Reardon which would solve everything. The link is http://boards.ancestry.com/surnames.leonard/2609/mb.ashx. I found it by typing "Hannah Roberts St Clears" into Google. His posting, if the info's true, indicates that the answer's out there somewhere! He couldn't have got that info from the censuses. I only hope he replies to my reply! His original post was on 8 June so I'm hopeful.

[osprey]

you could post on the Pembrokeshire asking about the marriage. Oriel has transcribed many of the records & may be able to help you. Getting access to the parish records for St Clears should help as well.

 

[Dockman]

Thank you as ever.