Needle in a haystack - tracing Edward Pugh back

[Londar]

Hi,

After a few years I am coming back to researching my family tree.  My wife posted on here (http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,494163.0.html) about searching for my Great Granddad's marriage record.  The result of that thread was that they didn't marry.
However I did get his parent's names.  Edward Pugh (1826 - Born in Guilsfield, Montgomeryshire) and Martha Lowe.

My question is tracing Edward Pugh back - he is the "Welsh" relative that came to England and as you can imagine, Edward and Pugh are both very popular names in Wales

So the question is:
Is there any way to "know" who his parents were when I can't find his birth record?  I have 6 possible census records from 1841, assuming he was still living at home and in Montgomeryshire (which I agree is not a guarantee.....)  Where do you start looking when you have nothing to go on?

I appreciate ANY help!!!

Thanks!

[lizdb]

Who does he name as father when he marries Martha ? (Assuming they actually married) and also who were the witnesses? That might narrow down your Edward Pughs.

[osprey]

Welcome to Rootschat!   

On the other thread, it was established that they didn't marry, but if that 1861 census is correct, you do know the names of 2 maiden aunts.

Eliza Pugh was baptised 27 march 1803 in Guilsfield, daughter of Simon & Sarah

Simon Pugh, Innkeeper, of Varchoel in Guilsfield left a will in 1838 & you can read it on the NLW site. It mentions daughters Mary Ann & Eliza & son John among others.

http://cat.llgc.org.uk/cgi-bin/gw/chameleon?skin=profeb&lng=en

The Eliza Pugh in Staffordshire gives her place of birth on the 1881 census as Varchoel. So still work to do on his father, but it looks like Simon & Sarah were his grandparents.

[Londar]

Thanks Osprey!  That is great.  I'd done a brief search for his aunts, but hadn't been able to narrow it down.  Will work on that!!

[Londar]

How did you work out that he died in 1838??

[Londar]

Also - if the 1861 census is to be believed, her birth year is 4 years out....  I think this is why I couldn't find her earlier......!

[osprey]

having found a possible baptism, I checked for a will and found one in the right place, right sort of occupation, with daughters Eliza & Mary Ann & Emma mentioned. Simon Pugh of Varchoel was buried 18 April 1838 aged 82.

This must be the John mentioned in the will

1851 Tyddyn Inn, Varchoel, Tyddyn Hamlet, Montgomeryshire HO107/2498 folio 566 pg 23
John Pugh head mar 52 innkeeper & maltster b. Guilsfield
Sarah wife 40 b. Guilsfield
+ 2 servants

[Londar]

Makes sense (sort of!)
I've found Eliza in an 1881 census, as a retired publican - so definitely the right one as she's living on the same road.  However her sister isn't with her, so I did a death search and found a death record in the right location in 1876.  So happy with that.  It has her age as 75, so I know she was born around 1801 and the '61 census was just 4 years out for both of them.
However I can't find Mary Ann's birth/baptism record.

[despair]

Could this be it?

http://www.rootschat.com/links/01gld/

Added: Sorry,the link only seems to bring up the blank form.
Regards
Roger