Birth of John Roberts

[Rob7upp]

When  David Roberts married Mary Davies in Gwyddelwern in 1842  he showed his age as "full" and gave his father's name as John Roberts.  Entries in successive censuses show
1851 aged 32 Meirioneths (b 1819)
1861 aged 44 Llanfor (b1817)
1871 aged 55 Bryneglwys. Suggest we can ignore this.
1881 aged 60 Llanfor (b1821)
1891 aged 73 Llanfor (b1818)

From this unreliable evidence it seem likely that David was born in Llanfor but the year is vague, being anywhere between 1817 and 1821, but 1817-19 look possible. I have checked Llanfawr PRs and Llanuwchllyn Methodist records, to no avail so widened my search by looking at all the PRs and NC records held at Dolgellau and found at least two families where the head was John and with a son David born at around the right time.

There is no naming pattern which points to the right family, so can anyone suggest how I might pin them down?

Incidentally, the Archivist at Dogellau tells me they do not have microfilm of every chapel which existed in the county, so is there any list of those not held form which likely locations might be deduced?

Any help would be greatly appreciated to enable me to move back further generations.

Rob7upp

[Gadget]

Hi Rob

I'm not sure if I can help but I can sympathise 

I also have a John Roberts, somewhere in Merionethshire. This one had a son Robert, b.c. 1822, Merionethshire who appears in the Llanarmon DC/Llansilin area on the 1841. I've searched for 4 years but can't find John or Robert's birth 

One possiblility was that they were still using patronymics off and on even then in that area (info from Bryn Ellis, etc.). Have you investigated that possiblility?

Gadget

[Rob7upp]

Tks G.

Yes, I've thought about it but it's a real minefield. If patronymics were involved David Roberts would be the son of Robert X and there's no way he could be identified. I fear I am irretrievably stuck but will continue to live in hope.

Rob7upp

[Gadget]

Did he have any brothers? I managed to track another line and verify by finding a brother who was a witness at the marriage.

Gadget

[iolanthe]

This probably won't be a direct help to you in your search, but it may help somehow.  With so many Roberts families in the area, it's difficult to pin down the right one!

My G G Grandfather was Evan Roberts (b 1815 Llanfor) who married Jane Davies from Ty Isaf, Melin-y-Wig, Gwyddelwern in 1838.  On their marriage certificate it gives his father as John Roberts, with one of the witnesses as Robert Roberts.  I assume Robert R could be a brother.  Evan and Jane later had 8 children, Elizabeth, John, Margaret,  Humphrey, Jane, Evan, Mary and Robert, all except Elizabeth born in Llanfor. 

When Evan R Sr died in 1866, the informant was Caldwalader Roberts, who could have been a neighbour or another relative.  I haven't been able to prove any more than this.

I haven't found a David in the family, but who knows?

Good luck.