I have had a good look at my information regarding James Lee Rees and his possible descent from George Manning Rees ...
Factors in favour:
The middle name Lee.
He says that his father is George Rees watchmaker. George Manning Rees was a watchmaker.
He says he was born in Haverfordwest. George always says that was where he was born.
I put in the name Lee and Rees and came up with thousands of names but the only people named Rees who had the middle name Lee were children of George Manning Rees
George and Martha do not have any children named James
Factors not in favour:
Lack of baptism record.
In the marriage certificate James says his father is George Rees but does not mention the name 'Manning'.
James didn't give any of his children 'family' names except the middle name 'Lee'.
Lack of marriage information for George Manning Rees.
The fact that Rees is a common surname.
There are many people named George Rees in the Haverford District of Pembrokeshire
Questions:
Who were the witnesses at James Lee Rees' wedding?
Who were the witnesses at his children's wedding - any surnamed Rees?
Where is James in 1841.
Points to consider:
George Manning Rees' marriages - His middle name is the big sticking point.
The 1840 marriage could be our George but I see that Martha is listed as having the surname Rees too when in reality her surname was Llewhelin and George doesn't give his middle name. Odd, and in normal circs I would think that it is the wrong one. In fact as there are two brides and two grooms on the records we are only presuming that George m Martha. He could have married the other person (A good thing to do would be to look up the number of George Rees who are married to people call Martha in the 1841 1851 censuses)
A previous marriage for George is extremely possible when you consider the fact that his first child with Martha was born when he was 38.
Emiline Rees was not his daughter. She was the illegitimate daughter of Martha and you will find her listed in the IGI under Emeline Llewhelin but it looks as though George adopted her (however perhaps he was her father but married Martha later).
So there is my cat put in among the pigeons. . .
Kirk
