Moelyskedwi, Llandrillo and Thomas Jones, Corwen

[jones9]

Dear all,

I am looking for more information about the family of Thomas Jones, Tre'r-ddol, Corwen, parish clerk, who lived 1740-1817, and how he came to possess Moelyskedwi. In his will (written 1814) he mentions that he owns lands in Llandrillo-yn-Edeyrnion called Moelyskedwi....and that his father is burried in Llandrillo - but it appears he did not get these lands form his father.

The will of Gwen Thomas, the widow of Thomas Thomas, Esq. of Garthgelynnen-fawr, Pennant Melangell, Montgomeryshire (dated 1799) mentions the indentures of lease/release (2nd/3rd July 1794) of Moelyskedwi between the above Thomas Jones ('late of tre'rddol, now of Corwen, parish clerk'), and several other parties, though appears to leave Moelyskedwi to a Thomas Jones, grocer of Llanfyllin - there appears no record of him leaving it to the Thomas Jones from Corwen.

Can anyone assist in finding out what Thomas Jones' relationship with the Thomas family was or how he came to possess Moelyskedwi from the other Thomas Jones of Llanfyllin? - or if anyone can help with finding more about thomas jones', corwen, parents would be a great help!

Thanks in advance,
Jones9

[despair]

Could things make a little more sense if there was some confusion in the Gwen Thomas will along the following lines,particularly as it seems to invest an increased holding for these two:-


1.Thomas Jones,Llanfyllin
He could be the Thomas Jones of Llanfyllin with a will of 1804 who refers to a Thomas Jones,nephew,son of his brother William.

2.John Jones,Llanfyllin
Could he actually be the John Jones of Llechwedd(aka Tyddyn y Merched aka Ty Celyn Y Merched).His will is 1814 as you know.
There may be a transposition of shopkeeper/grocer between them as well as two Llanfyllins and one Llandrillo,instead of one Llanfyllin and two Llandrillos,when you include Thomas the clerk.
These two deaths fit between that of Gwen Thomas and Thomas Jones the clerk,giving opportunity for more of the property to be invested in him.Perhaps they are all related.

Looking at at the following map,Moelyskedwi is probably Moel is y Coedwig(Uchaf or Isaf),close to L(l)echwedd.

http://maps.nls.uk/view/102184339

Regards
Roger

[despair]

A later thought-is it possible that in his will,Thomas Jones(Gent?/Parish Clerk) is only realising the value in his part of the property.
There are a number of other references to the property both pre 1799 and and post 1817,but they may only relate to occupation rather than ownership:-

1780
Robert Evans of Bodwenni,rents of Moelyskedwi
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01gcs/

1794
Will of Robert Edwards of Moel Ysgedwi

!824
Will of Thomas Hughes of Llechwedd refers to a nephew (of his wife) "William Davies of Moelysgedwi"

Regards
Roger

[despair]

I have found the following,which probably negates my speculation re John Jones previously.
Assuming these are related documents,perhaps John Jones,gent is synonymous with John Jones,grocer.Whether that is correct or not there is reference to a will of John Jones,grocer of Llanfyllin,but I have failed to find it.

http://www.rootschat.com/links/01gcu/

Regards
Roger

[jones9]

Roger,

Thank you for this information! The mention of Llechwedd is quite interesting and may provide a link to the below:

Thomas Jones (clerk) was buried in Llandrillo, I know from his will, and the only likely gravestone from the memorial inscriptions booklet is among a cluster of graves for other similar Joneses, one of whom is for 'Giles Jones, the son of John Jones, Llechwedd', d.1801 aged 25. This is interesting as Thomas Jones (clerk)'s son was 'Edward Giles Jones'. The above gravestone also records 'Elizabeth Foulkes' (1732-1752), who (according to parish records) was the daughter of Thomas Foulkes, Dinan d. 1736 (who shares a gravestone with 'John Jones, Tyddyn y Merched (Llechwedd), Gent.' (1760-1829 - father of Giles?).

If Thomas (clerk) was born in Llandrillo, the only likely record is as the son of Foulke Jones (b. 1739), who in turn was the son of Thomas Jones (1676-1748) and Elizabeth Foulkes. This Thomas appears to be the son of John Jones (d.1705, Llandrillo) and Gwen.

On the grocer line, if you remember in a previous post I had asked about the will of William Jones, grocer of Corwen (d. 1774, Corwen). William's nephew is Rowland Jones (d.1782), the parish clerk of Corwen before Thomas - (Thomas' son, John Jones, succeeded him as parish clerk of Corwen, so it would make sense if his predecessor, Rowland Jones, was also a relation). William Jones also had another cousin, Griffith Jones. A Griffith Jones (d.1770, Corwen), is shown as living at Plas Adda (which is the house in which Thomas Jones, Clerk, lived). I'm pretty sure they all must be related in some way, along with the grocers of Llanfyllin who seem to have received Moelyskedwi, the difficulty is trying to piece together how they're related!

Thanks,
Jones9

[jones9]

Also, the above mentioned Giles Jones (son of John, Llechwedd), was apprenticed to a grocer in Oswestry which also strengthens the family link to this trade!

[despair]

There appears to be the following
John Jones (1738-1814) Llechwedd
Foulke Jones (1739-?) I am struggling to find these Foulke(s) parish records
Thoams Jones (1740-1817) Clerk

Perhaps they were brothers.
Giles (1776-1801) would have to be the son of one of the above.It is surely likely there is a misread or mistranscription of the MI for the other John Jones(given as 1760-1829)-surely this is John Jones of Llechwedd (1766-1829)son of the above John.

As you say there appear to be no obvious baptismal records for the John Jones branch.I did read somewhere that the Jones grocers of Llanfyllin were associated with some recusant Catholic families.I wonder if something similar could explain it.

Regards
Roger

[jones9]

Roger,

Thanks for your reply. Apologies -  I meant Thomas (clerk) was born 1739, son of Foulke (who in turn was between 1715-1778).

I'm not sure how the Jones grocers of Llanfyllin would fit in, however I have since found a marriage between the parents of John Jones, Llechwedd (1737-1814), and that is: John Jones and Blanche Edwards, both of Llandrillo, but who interestingly marry in 1733 at Llanfechain, Montgomeryshire - which I note is next to Llanfyllin. The only child of theirs which I can find in the Llandrillo parish register is the above John Jones (who is Giles' father), though I wonder if Thomas & William the grocers could be other children baptised in a different parish? I have found nothing convincing.

[despair]

Am I right in assuming you haven't been able to identify a grave from the MIs for Thomas Jones,clerk (1740-1817)?

Regards
Roger