John Williams b. 1775 Beguildy

[Mimble]

The only clues I have to go on concerning John Williams are from the 1841 census, which as you know gives a 'rounded' age, in his case it gives him born abt 1781, and the 1851 census which gives him as born abt 1775 in 'Begue' Radnorshire, Wales, which I believe is Beguildy. In both cases he is now farming in Chapel Lawn, Shropshire and is a widower. His farm may have been the largest in Chapel Lawn itself, as there are 6 workers living with the family. He is given as 'not born in county', but may have been born in Beguildy but baptised in Shropshire? There is an old lady living with them, Anne Owens, 60, independent. Perhaps this is an elderly relative?

I think I have his marriage to Nancy Edwards in 1815 in Clun and apparently there are no parents' names recorded, and no ages. The two witnesses were Sarah Rawlins and John Millington. His monumental inscription at St George's in Clun reads "John Williams of Chapel Lawn died 22 March 1855 aged 80. Nancy his wife died 13 April 1820 aged 27". His daughter Mary Ann was my great great grandmother.

Mary

[kmo]

Hi,
Another possible place for "Begue" is Beddugre.

Beddugre Hill
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.srf?x=308900&y=270000&z=0&st=3&mapp=newmap.srf&searchp=newsearch.srf

[Mimble]

OK I have some progress to report. The Williams family in Beguildy was not that big at that time, so not too difficult to pick this family out of the Parish Registers, especially with the help of the Powys FHS's new CD for Beguildy. John's family farmed at Gwarnerrin, (which is still there) and his parents were Stephen and Elizabeth. Stephen's will survives. John was farming at Chapel Lawn in 1832, where he appears in the 1841 census. Intriguingly, graffitti survives on an old beam at the farmhouse in Chapel Lawn, IW 1714. Could the IW be the initials of John Williams, who was our John William's grandfather? Would the J have been inscribed as an I in those days?