Robert Thomas born Llansilin, Denbighshire c1780

[johneowens]

I'm looking for my 3rd gtgrandfather, Robert Thomas. According to his 26 September 1803 marriage entry at St. Oswald's Oswestry (where  he  married Elizabeth Hughes), he hailed from Llansilin. I'm guessing from this data that he was also born and baptised c1780 at St. Silin's in Llansilin. Their children John (1804), Ann (1805), Mary (1809), Catharine (1813), Richard (1816) and Robert (1819) were baptised at St. Oswalds.There may be another child, Henry (1818 at Eaton-Constantine). Catherine's baptismal entry gives her parents as "Robert & Elizabeth Thomas of Trefonnen".

In the 1851 Census, Robert is located at Treferclawdd, Shropshire.

Does anyone have access to the St Silin's baptismal records, please, and would be kind enough to lookup a baptism for me?

Many thanks and best wishes
John

[MarMnkly]

Hi John, I can see two Robert Thomas' baptised in 1781 in Llansilin:
18 March to parents Roger and Elinor
3 June to parents Thomas and Elizabeth
Be cautious that the entry on his marriage entry could be where he was living at the time of his marriage/or recent to his marriage, rather than where he was born.
The baptism of Henry in Eaton Constantine on 9 August 1818 (born 12 July 1818) says to parents Robert and Elizabeth Thomas, fathers occupation is shopkeeper.

Mar

[johneowens]

Many thanks, Mar.

Hmm, 2 to choose from. Going on the practice that the son (and his wife) often name their children with the same name as their father or mother, Robert has no children named Roger or Elinor (and none named Thomas or Elizabeth) but his eldest son John named 2 of his children Roger and Ellen (Elinor?) - which seems points to the 18 Mar baptism, which I have now found on FindMyPast. Brilliant!

The image I have shows the word Moelfre in the first col - and I now see that this is a village or township in Llansilin parish 7˝ miles SW of Chirk - which pins the locations down much more precisely.

Yes, Henry's parents Thomas and Elizabeth are correct but Eaton Constantine is 34 miles from Llansilin, near Shrewsbury. So, I'm not sure Henry is one of theirs. However, Robert was a shopkeeper - a victualler - by the time my gtgrandmother Catharine married in 1840.

Any thoughts appreciated - but in any event many thanks for tracking this down

Best wishes

John

[MarMnkly]

John
looking at the 1851 census he does give his place of birth as LLansilin, so could be one of the above baptisms; also I notice his grandchild is named Roger
Mar
*Edit - sorry John posted at the same time as you

[MarMnkly]

Hi John
Agree, I think it reads Moelfre (others have it listed against baptisms on the same page). On google it comes up as a hamlet of Llansilin
Mar

[MarMnkly]

John
may be a family link in NLW wills
https://www.llgc.org.uk/discover/nlw-resources/wills/
as there is a Thomas, Roger, Llansilin, Denbigh, Farmer
St. Asaph Probate Records, 1521-1858 9933041202419 (1785)

[johneowens]

John
may be a family link in NLW wills
https://www.llgc.org.uk/discover/nlw-resources/wills/
as there is a Thomas, Roger, Llansilin, Denbigh, Farmer
St. Asaph Probate Records, 1521-1858 9933041202419 (1785)

Many thanks again, Mar. This looks like one of mine too.

Best

John

[Gadget]

Not sure if either of you have noticed but the marriage entry of 1803 is written as:

Robert Rogers Thomas of the parish of Llansilin.

Two points arise from this ~

*  It was possible that it was either an error or a patronymic form  might have been used initially -           maybe son of Roger Thomas 

* he was 'of the parish of Llansilin' at his marriage, not necessarily born there. I have a few ancestors from that area and found that I had to consult quite a few of the nearby parishes (in Montgomeryshire, Merionethshire as well as Denbighsire and Shropshire) to be certain of the correct  births/marraiges.

Gadget

[Gadget]

Further to the above, I notice that one of the witnesses to the marriage was a Thomas Thomas - possibly brother??