I am trying to put together my Williams ancestry and whilst I can find tantalising snippets about the Williams family of clock and watch makers of Trecastle (and Brecon and Newport), I cant quite work out the earlier generations of the family.
If anyone has a copy of the book about the families in the Llywel area "Roots and Branches" by T.O.Evans, you might let me know if there is anything of this family, to justify me getting a copy for myself.
The first mention of the family I find is a WILLIAM GRIFFITH a clockmaker - who was supposedly from Devynock. I know that he was the son of GRIFFITH DAVID (patronymic).
William Griffith was buried at St David's, Llywel : "William Griffith David of Ynnsfain Trayan-Glaes clock maker was buried March ye 13th 1786".
There were supposedly 4 sons : 1) William, 2) Rees, 3) Griffith and 4) John.
1) William Williams buried Llywel 1827 aged 92 (1735).
I dont know anything more about William Williams.
2) Rees Williams buried Llywel 1827 aged 90 (1737).
My 5 x ggrandfather. I know more of him and his family history.
3) Griffith Williams.
Active in Newport until 1795. I assume that is his year of death - no more info, apart from finding a photo of one of his clocks made in Newport in 1775.
4) John Williams buried Llanfihangel Nant Bran 1822 aged 81 (1741).
If I have the right person: he lived at Berthddu or Berth-ddu in Ysclydach area of the Llywel parish and I have worked out a bit of his history.
I know of the early Williams connection to the property known as Ynysfain / Ynysfaen, near Cwmwysg in Traean-glas area of Llywel parish.
A number of descendants of this family were also clock and / or watch makers.
I have scoured the Llywel parish register looking for baptisms for the four sons of William Griffith - patronymic in mind - to no avail. And also Devynock (Defynnog). Any clues ?
Regards : Lins / South Australia.
Since posting : I have found in the Jones - History of Brecknock (Vol II Part II) - a reference to a William Griffiths in the section on Devynock. Is he the same William Griffith mentioned above ? I am not sure of the year that the text is written by Theophilus Jones, in relation to the date of death of my William Griffith in 1786.
Page 678 : "The above Rees Williams was sheriff of Breconshire in 1611 and was the ancestor of William Griffiths, late of Blancrai, now living near Devynock village".
Page 678 : when describing the interior of Devynock church - "Above, on the wall, is a small tablet to the memory of two children of the before named William Griffiths ~ ~ ~ ".