I am trying to find evidence for a link between my 4th great g'father - Thomas Rees (1722 - 1809) and a much earlier ancestor Rees Bowen Meredith (RBM) who we think was a tenant at "Gwaun yr Eurych" farm (GyE) from 1632 - 1660. Thomas Rees was the younger brother of Rev Morgan Rees of Felinfoel, founder of Bryn Salem Chapel - and is mentioned in the Land Tax assessments. Thomas and his wife Mary are buried at Salem Chapel. One of Thomas' sisters married one of the Walters family who lived close to the farm at Cwm Clydach Mill. The farm (GyE) is then referred to as "Tyn y Waun" in the 1841 census and in subsequent census.
We know that RBM (c1590 - 1660) possibly had a son David Rees who was tenanting a farm in Blaenyrolchfa in 1650, who in turn had a son Rees David Rees, mentioned in Hearth Tax returns of 1670. His son was David Rees (c1670 - 1739) > Rees David Rees (c1700 - 1761) > Thomas Rees (1722 - 1809) It is possible the Rees family may have lost the tenancy of GyE around 1700 for a generation. We have found some of the family story in Wills.
Tudor Rees
