Elizabeth Gower married John Thomas - Swansea - any information!

[Megatill]

Hi Folks!

I am hoping someone may be able to push my research back another few generations!

I am looking for any information about an ELIZABETH GOWER, who was born around 1801 in Swansea, Glamorganshire. She married JOHN THOMAS in Swansea about 1824.

I have a copy of the 1861 Welsh Census which shows both John & Elizabeth living in LLANGYNWY, he a Labourer, she a Wife, with son William (bc 1840 - a Mason).

However, I have no confirmation of a Birth, Baptism, Death or Burial, or details of their parents, for either Elizabeth or John, and I am hoping that someone can assist with those details to help me!

Megan in Sydney

[osprey]

working from the 1861 in Llangynwyd,
Garnlyd, Cwmdu RG9/4073 folio 40 pg 21
John Thomas head mar 66 labourer b. Ystradyfodwg
Elizabeth 60 wife b. Llangynwyd
William son 21 mason b. Maesteg

1851 Garnlwyd, Maesteg, Cwmdu HO107/2461 folio 68 pg 44
John Thomas head mar 54 collier b. Ystrad
Elizabeth wife 50? b. Llangynwyd Middle
Daniel son 16 collier b. Cwmdu
William son 12 b. Cwmdu

1841 Maesteg HO107/1422/15 foio 16 pg 23
Jno Thomas 35 L Miner
Elizabeth 30
Danl 6
Jane 4
William 2
Anne Hopkin 9m
Anne Thomas 24 labourer
Eliza Hughes 25 labourer
all born in county except last 2.

As you say you do not have any certs, where does the maiden name of Gower come from? Also, I can't see any link to Swansea with this family.
From the age of the children, the marriage would look to be mid 1830s. There is a marriage for a John Thomas & Elizabeth Gower but it's in Loughor 7 Dec 1817. You'd expect that family to have more children if they married then, and Loughor is further away than Swansea.

There are several possible birth registrations at Bridgend for William Thomas, which is where any bmds for Maesteg/Cwmdu/Llangynwyd would have been registered at that time.


 

[Megatill]

Thank you so much, Osprey.

I have the name Gower from family anecdotes and other family members. However, they have told me they have "lost" any documentation regarding Elizabeth & John, so I am having to "recreate" the documentation by actually finding it.

My 2ndGGrandfather is William Gower Thomas (b 06 Dec 1825 Swansea), who married Elizabeth David (b 16 Apr 1830 Llanelli) - both died in Spanish Fork, Utah. Ancestry searches have shown William Gower Thomas' parents are John Thomas and Elizabeth Gower, born Swansea.

I am of the opinion that there are a lot of possibilities with common surnames like Thomas, so maybe my 1861 Census data is of an incorrect couple/family.

Would you be able to confirm William Gower Thomas for me?

Thank you for responding!

Megan in Sydney

[osprey]

looks more like you had the wrong census. But the marriage I gave you could be the correct one in 1817. I'll have a hunt around for you.

When you say Ancestry searches, are you looking at other peoples' trees or at proper resources?

Where did William Gower Thomas marry?

[Megatill]

Hi Osprey - just searching other people's trees; no proof there, just suggestions for searching to find proof.

I would appreciate any findings against William Gower Thomas - he's "proven" through references in Utah. He and Elizabeth married in St Louis, Missouri on 21 May 1850.

Elizabeth David departed England on 15 Feb 1849 on the ship HARTLEY from Liverpool with the David family.

I have yet to confirm William Gower Thomas' departure from England.

Both William Gower & Elizabeth were part of the Mormon Pioneer Overland Travel, 1847–1868  in the William Morgan Company (1852) Bet. 22 Jun–30 Sep 1852.

Megan in Sydney

[osprey]

so he won't be on the 1851 census then. Can't identify him on the 1841, but then he's old enough to be away from his parents.

William Gower Thomas may not have left from England, he may have left from Wales.

 

[Megatill]

Indeed, Osprey - I am assuming William Gower Thomas' departure from England rather than Wales because all other Welsh migrants that I have found in my family have left via England rather than Wales when travelling to the US. So far, they are all Mormon migrants.

I have not searched for departures from Wales as yet as I am focused on other lines at the moment. However, it is on my to-do list!

Thanks for searching, Osprey!

[osprey]

1817 marriage

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/KCYP-YM6

& there's another possible 21 Nov 1807 in Llansamlet

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/VF41-8GV