John Owen - born Pontvane (1856-1935) and wife Mary(1855-1948)-born Newport

[Walt69]

I am trying to find BMD records for my great grandparents John Owen - supposedly born Pontvaene (1856-1935) and his wife Mary - supposedly born Newport (1855-1948), as well as their parents, of whom I know nothing.

I live in Canada, and a newly found Welsh "cousin" who now lives in Devon, previously from Milford Haven, advised me:
"...The difficulty with the family is that they were non-conformists and not all records have been filmed..."
 
This newly found Welsh cousin provided me with an invaluable listing of birthdates of my great-grandparents, and of their children:
     NAME               BORN
Great-grandparents:
MARY OWENS         1 June 1855
JOHN OWENS         13 March 1856

Children of the above:
MARTHA OWENS      9 October 1875 (my grandmother who emigrated to Canada in 1903)
HANNA MARY OWENS      13 February 1877
DINA OWENS         30 March 1878
THOMAS OWENS      28 March 1879
ANN OWENS         6 December 1882
WILLIAM OWENS      6 October 1883
ANNIE OWENS         4 January 1887 (my cousin's grandmother)
ELIZABETH OWENS      9 April 1888
ESTHER OWENS         4 March 1890
MARGARET OWENS      3 February 1895

Another Canada cousin provided me with a blurry photo of my great-grandparents gravestone (that also includes their youngest daughter, Maggie).

I struggled to decipher what was actually written in Welsh on the dark, blurry photo, then I typed out what I thought is on it and then entered it into Google Translate and came up with some tentative death dates for:

MARGARET (Maggie) OWENS    died 20 Dec 1908
JOHN OWENS              died 11 May 1935
MARY OWENS              died 23 Dec 1948

I attempted multiple times to attach the photo of the gravestone but with no luck, in hopes that someone could confirm whether I have transcribed the information correctly, and secondly, that the translation is correct.

MARGARET (Maggie) OWENS           died 20 Dec 1908
JOHN OWENS              died 11 May 1935
MARY OWENS              died 23 Dec 1948

I also received a very old photo identified on the reverse side of the photo as “the family home in Dinas Cross” (c. early 1920’s) with the phrase/term “Yet Y Bontbren”.
It is a two-story stone house with a chimney at each end of the roof.

My Welsh cousin just sent me an email regarding this house in which she states:
“…The photograph of the cottage we are pretty sure it is Ty-Canol, (meaning middle cottage), at Yet-y-Bontbren.  You can use Google maps to find an excellent picture of it.  It is on the main road just west of Dinas, in a row of 3 cottages,  there is a small lawn in front now.  Yet-y-Bontbren is a small hamlet/area in Dinas…”

I attempted multiple times to attach the photo of the gravestone and the photo of the house in hopes that someone could confirm whether I have transcribed the information correctly, and secondly, that the translation is correct, but I have given up after many futile attempts.
Any information about this family and their ancestors would be very much appreciated.
Thank you for your attention to my request.

Regards,
Walt

[rosie99]

Welcome to rootschat 

Children of the above:
MARTHA OWENS      9 October 1875 (my grandmother who emigrated to Canada in 1903)
HANNA MARY OWENS      13 February 1877
DINA OWENS         30 March 1878
THOMAS OWENS      28 March 1879
ANN OWENS         6 December 1882
WILLIAM OWENS      6 October 1883
ANNIE OWENS         4 January 1887 (my cousin's grandmother)
ELIZABETH OWENS      9 April 1888
ESTHER OWENS         4 March 1890
MARGARET OWENS      3 February 1895

Going from these birthdates their mothers maiden surname appears to be Edwards 

OWENS, HANNAH  MARY     mmn EDWARDS     
1877  March Quarter in HAVERFORDWEST  Volume 11A  Page 981   
 
OWENS, DINAH       mmn EDWARDS     
1878  June Quarter in HAVERFORDWEST  Volume 11A  Page 971   

OWENS, THOMAS       mmn EDWARDS     
1880  June Quarter in HAVERFORDWEST  Volume 11A  Page 945

[rosie99]

Possible marriage 

Marriage June qtr 1875 
Owens    John
Edwards Mary
Cardigan reg district    11b   13    

It is not possible to add photo's to look up boards. 

[rosie99]

For anyone trying to help 

1881 census
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2W9-YFMK


1891
RG12 / 4540 f42 p6
Mary Owen age 35 Married bn Dinas
rest of family bn Fishguard
Dinah 13
Thomas 11
William 9
Anne 6
Lizzie 4
Esther 10 months

[osprey]

1901 census Ystybontbren, Dinas Cross RG13/5132 folio 46 pg 5
John Owen head mar 45 farmer & general labourer b. Pontvane
Mary wife 45 b. Newport
John son 22 b. Llanwnda
Elizabeth dau 13
Esther dau 11
David J son 8
Margarette dau 3
Morgan L grandson 3
all born Fishguard unless noted

Think you'll need the marriage cert for John & Mary to go further back. It would confirm details for their fathers. Pontvane could be a variant of Pontfaen.

http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/wal/PEM/Pontfaen

[hanes teulu]

The marriage cert. is certainly required.
If the birth dates of 1st June 1856 and 13 March 1855 can be "trusted", the following General Register Office (GRO) birth registrations fit those dates -

John Owen, Jun Qtr 1856, registration district Haverfordwest, vol 11a page 71- mother's maiden name James.
"Pontvane" as birthplace on the 1901 Census and the 1881 Census shows "Morvil". Both Pontfaen and Morvil fall within the Haverfordwest registration district (source Genuki Registration Districts).

Mary Edwards, Jun Qtr 1855, registration district  Cardigan, vol 11b  page8 - mother's maiden name John.
"Newport" shown as birthplace on the 1881 Census. Newport falls within the Cardigan registration district (source Genuki registration districts)

1861 Census ref. RG09  4173  5  3
Address Llain Parol (? - parch), LLanllchlwydog, Cardigan, Pembrokeshire
Levi Owens, Head, Marr , 34, born Puncheston
Martha Owens, Wife, Marr, 37, born Nevern
Anne Owens, Dau, 9, Puncheston
John Owens, Son, 5, born Morvil
William Owens, Son, 1 and Dina Owens, Dau, 1, both born Llanychlwydog

A Levi Owens married Dec Qtr 180, Haverfordwest, vol 26  page 1027 - on the same page Martha James
Also noticed a Martha and Dina amongst John's children.

All very speculative and based on the accuracy of the birth dates!! I've checked the parish registers for Pontfaen, Morvil and Newport but drawn a blank,
Pob lwc/good luck with the marriage cert.

 

 

[hanes teulu]

            died 23 Dec 1948

I also received a very old photo identified on the reverse side of the photo as “the family home in Dinas Cross” (c. early 1920’s) with the phrase/term “Yet Y Bontbren”.
It is a two-story stone house with a chimney at each end of the roof.

My Welsh cousin just sent me an email regarding this house in which she states:
“…The photograph of the cottage we are pretty sure it is Ty-Canol, (meaning middle cottage), at Yet-y-Bontbren. 

First, a belated very warm welcome to Rootschat.

1861 Census (ref. RG09  4173  23  2)

Address - Tycanol, Dinas, Cardigan, Pembrokeshire
Henry Edwards, head, marr, 25, Ag lab, born Brawdy
Hannah Edwards, wife, marr, 26, born Newport
Mary Edwards, dau, 6, born Newport
Thomas Edwards, son, 2, Newport

[osprey]

if those are the correct parents for Mary, there's a likely marriage in Hayscastle 5 April 1855 for Henry Edwards, 21, servant in husbandry, address Llanglophan, father Levi Edwards, deceased & Hannah Phillips, 21, Newhouse, father David Phillips, labourer, he signed, she marked, witnesses James Edwards & William Marl???

Birth reg
Mary Edward sept qtr 1855 Cardigan vol 11b pg 1 mother's maiden name Phillips.

 

[hanes teulu]

Here's hoping the marriage cert. can deliver.

I wonder what the source of the birth dates for John (1856) and Mary (1855) is, as provided by Walt69's Welsh cousin?