Nellie Owen and Frances Williams' parents-grandparents--- and beyond

[Rachel Williams]

Hi there

I have an entry at ancestry.ca and provide a number of photos etc... but the documents are few and far between.

I am trying to trace Nellie Owen's lineage back a ways and admittedly have not gotten far at all. At any rate here's what I have:

Birth 26 Oct 1888 in Waunfawr, Caernarvonshire, Wales
Death 28 Aug 1955 in Penticton, British Columbia

Marrriage to Stephen A Thomas 1917  5 Nov
Age: 29
Spokane, Spokane, Washington, USA

I know Nellie's history well from 1917 onward but I am interested in finding more about Kate and Frances and about their grandparents, great-grandparents and so on. I have no specific birthdate or anything for Kate and her daughter Francis

Her parents are identified as Owen Owen and Catherine Owen I obtained the names via her Washington state marriage certificate. However, I am not convinced Owen was her mother's maiden name.

To my my knowledge she had a half-sister, Katherine "Kate" (surname?) Kate had a daughter, known universally as "Frances" although I suspect her full name may have been Elizabeth Francis Williams. The three of them emigrated to the USA in 1914. I believe Washington State initially and later NYC. (Frances or Francis) became well connected in New York's Welsh community and was a teacher of music there. I believe she later married a man name Eric Davies. After his death she is rumoured to have remarried and moved to California.

That's about all I have. I will try and post two photos one features Kate and Nellie's grandmother from circa 1908 (my guess) and the other features Kate along with Nellie, Francis and Nellie's daughter Bette in NYC 1951

Thanking you in advance,

Rachel

[Sam Swift]

Thomas Jones aged 70 b 1831 Llanddeiniolen Carnarvonshire Head working on the Railway
Elizabeth Jones aged 59  b 1841 Abererch, wife
Griffith Owen aged 22 stepson born Waun Fawr 1879 aged 22 slate quarryman, single
Richard Owen born 1874 aged 27 stepson born Waun Fawr slate wuarryman, single
Ellen Owen aged 13 born 1888 Waun Fawr step daughter, single
Kate Owen aged 17 b 1884 Waun Fawr, single
They all spoke Welsh and the census form was completed in Welsh
All living at Allt Coed Mawr
Civil parish of Bettws Garmon, Ecclesiastical Parish Llanwnda, Rural Dist Gwyrfai
Source Citation: Class: RG12; Piece: 4661; Folio: 73; Page: 19; GSU Roll: 6099771.
 


"Nell Owen" Sailed on the "Cymric" from Liverpool to New York on 9 May 1915. She was single and aged 26 years and 6 months. Her occupation was a cook and she could read and write and stated she was Welsh. Her next of kin was Elin Jones Rallt Fawr near Caernarvon Wales.

[Kay99]

This is probably the same family in 1891 minus Ellen/Nellie. Kate is listed as grandchild  Living as Llanwnda

Thomas Jones    59 b Llandeiniolen, Caernarvonshire
Elizabeth Jones    50 b Abererch
Richard Owen 17 b Llanbeblig, Caernarvonshire
Griffith Jones 11
Kate Owen 8  b Llanbeblig
RG12 Piece: 4656 Folio: 152 Page: 3

[Sam Swift]

Thomas Jones  married Elizabeth Owen Dec Quarter 1889 Carnarvon  11b 748

[Sam Swift]

This could be Elizabeth with her first husband John Owen(s) on 1881 Census.
RG number:RG11 Piece:5570  Folio:62 Page:19  Reg. District:Carnarvon Sub District:Carnarvon
Parish:Llanbeblig
Address:Cae Steel, Llanbeblig
County:Caernarvonshire
John Owens Head Married  M 45 1836 Slate Quarry Lab
 Llanor, Caernarvonshire, Wales
Elizabeth OWENS, Wife Married  F 40 1841
 Abererch, Caernarvonshire, Wales
John OWENS,Son Single  M 17 1864 Slate Quarrier
 Waenfawr, Caernarvonshire, Wales
Elizabeth OWENS,Daughter Single  F 10 1871 Scholar
 Waenfawr, Caernarvonshire, Wales
Richard OWENS,Son Single  M 7 1874 Scholar
 Waenfawr, Caernarvonshire, Wales
Griffith OWENS,Son Single  M 2 1879
 Waenfawr, Caernarvonshire, Wales
Ellin OWENS,Mother In Law Widow  F 70 1811
 Llanbedrog, Caernarvonshire, Wales

[Kay99]

The same family in 1871 with daughter Cathrine - the mother of Ellen/Nellie and Kate??  Living at Llanbeblig.  In 1881 Catherine appears I think as a servant at Llanllechid

John Owens 36 Quarry Labourer b Llanover
Elizabeth Owens 28 b Abererch, Caernarfonshire
Cathrine Owens    9 b Abererch, Caernarfonshire
John Owens 7 b Llanbeblig
Ellin Owens 6 b Llanbeblig
Elizabeth Owens 8 Months b Llanbeblig

RG10 Piece: 5722 Folio: 22 Page: 14

[shellyesq]

"Nell Owen" Sailed on the "Cymric" from Liverpool to New York on 9 May 1915. She was single and aged 26 years and 6 months. Her occupation was a cook and she could read and write and stated she was Welsh. Her next of kin was Elin Jones Rallt Fawr near Caernarvon Wales.

You can see the image of the passenger list through here - https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/JJWF-3PP  (It is free to sign up at www.ellisisland.org.) The second page notes that she was going to join half-brother Griffith Evans, Pager(?) Hotel, Wardner, Idaho.

A 1916 Shoshone Co., Idaho directory has this:
Evans, Griffith, miner, resides R.R. Williams, Wardner

[Rachel Williams]

Thanks everyone--- I have been busy following other branches of my family tree. The entry on Griiffith Evans Pager is a big help and fills in another missing piece of this rather complex family picture

Rachel

[Rachel Williams]

Making progress---

Family legend says Kate is the half-sister to my grandmother, Nellie. Maybe when Nellie remarried following the death of Thomas Evans (so far no luck finding him) she sent older siblings from the first marriage to live with Elizabeth Jones nee Roberts--- that would explain why Nellie is absent from the 1891 census citation provided by Kay99.

On Nellie's marriage certificate from Spokane Washington 05 November 1917 to Stephen Thomas it lists her father as Owen Owen but I am wondering if that is accurate. Her death registration has "Not known" for her father's first name.

So far I have not found a marriage date for either of Catherine's 2 marriages --- the 1st to Thomas Evans and the 2nd to Owen/s.

I think I should try searching for alternatives here