The Griffith family of Criccieth

[keyboard86]

Hi again, yes I forgot about the possibility of a Henry Henry with a Henry Griffith as a father!

Also note the Elizabeth/Eliza Griffith aged 9 months ( possible birth June qtr 1850 Pwlheli mmn Williams) on 1851 was also baptised the same day as Sarah, same venue/parents
Keyboard86

[Glynm]

Bryncroes Register
Harry Griffith bachelor and Ann Hughes widow both of this parish were married in this church by license this 23rd day of May 1807.
Henry could sign his name Ann with a cross.
Witnesses Evan Hughes and John Robert
Glyn

[Philip Bell]

Fantastic! Thanks for the leads.  That Is so helpful
Philip

[Glynm]

I have found this bond in the wills section of the National Library of Wales. http://www.rootschat.com/links/01ldk/  It has got me scratching my head since it is concerned with a yeoman Henry Griffith of Bryncroes, who died intestate in 1805, whose widow was Anne Hughes (in the 18th C many Welsh wives retained their maiden names). This was two years before the marriage between Henry Griffith and Ann Hughes. I do not know if there is any connection.

Glyn 

[Glynm]

Hi again Philip
If you can try and get hold of a copy of the collection of family trees in T. Ceiri Griffith's book "Achau rhai o deuluoedd hen siroedd Caernafon, Meirionnydd, a Threfaldwyn". I found Henry Griffith at the top of chart [63], it doesn't give much more information on him than you have got already. He was known as "Cae Harry", (horse jockey), (connected to the family of Gwilym Williams,Criccieth who died in 1968 aged 86 years), baptised 1808 Bryncroes, buried 20/11/1894.
There is far more on Ellin since you have to go through around 10 charts to collect all her siblings. Her entry is Ellin of Brynhyfrd and Cefniwrch Bach, Criccieth baptised 27/22/1813 Dolbenmaen, buried 15/9/1907.
Ellin's parents on chart [57] are:
William Jones, Penybryn, Criccieth, baptised 13/9/1790 Dolbenmaen, buried 31/10/1845 Dolbenmaen aged 55yrs.
Jane Williams, Brynrefail Isaf, Garn Dolbenmaen. baptised 27/1/1790 Dolbenmaen, buried 20/5/1871 Dolbenmaen aged 78. It then refers to two other charts [15] and [271]. Two generations of her ancestors are to be found on charts [55] and [56].
They were married 21/3/1812 Dolbenmaen.
With regard to Henry Griffith since the search is in the Llyn peninsula area I would suggest considering making a donation to Yffor.com to allow you access for a month to that database which has the transcriptions for most of the registers for that area. Bryncroes for example goes back to 1732.

Glyn

[Philip Bell]

Glyn, thank you so much for all this info and tips. I had found Yffor but not looked too closely so I will do as you suggest. The Griffiths family were clearly an enterprising family. Ann Griffiths ran a lodging house at 30 Marine Terrace Criccieth and sister Eliza ran another one at No. 29! My mother had told me that my grandmother used to travel from Liverpool to Criccieth to help her aunts in the school holidays so it is very gratifying when a family story can be confirmed. Jane Griffiths married John Leighton, a mariner from Flint and moved to Liverpool. John seems to have disappeared from the record. He was a lowly AB seaman but Jane's brother Eliseus and her nephews William Williams and William Owen Parry were all Master Mariners.

[Glynm]

Hi Philip hopefully the info is correct and leading you in the right direction. If you decide to go to Yffor.com and you initially find it a bit daunting Personal Message me and I will try and help.
I know Criccieth quite well since my Dad was originally from Porthmadog so it was one of the beaches we would go to when visiting my Nain (Grandmother). I had two Great Grandfathers who were sailors, one becoming a master mariner, in fact they were sailing around the same time as Eliseus. They both had sons who became master mariners and a number of my Nain's sisters also married master mariners. That part of Wales was a breeding ground for mariners who learnt their skills on the sailing vessels built locally before transferring to steam vessels usually out of Liverpool. With regard to John Leighton you mention he "disappeared off the record" could this be because he was always at sea at census time, one of my GGrandfathers is never recorded on the census after the age of 13. I notice on the family tree [63] that Eliseus's entry has Boston, USA against it, did he emigrate there?
The author of the tree, which has Henry Griffith and Ellin at the top, is Harry G. Parry, Shipston-on-Stour in case it is someone your family might know.

Good luck with your research.

Glyn

[Philip Bell]

Hi Glyn! I have found the book of trees you mentioned on Abebooks and so duly ordered it. John Leighton (b Bagilt Flint c.1826) is shown as deceased on my grandmother's wedding cert. of August 1891. He appears on crew lists in 1864, 1881, and 1884 sailing variously from Chester and Liverpool. He last appears in the 1871 Census but by 1881, Jane (nee Griffith) is living in as a housekeeper. I have not been able to positively find a death certificate. The family had a few tragedies which might explain his disappearance, the eldest son John was lost at sea in 1875 aged 20. The youngest daughter Emma died in Lancaster Asylum of Epilepsy aged 23 in 1899. Interesting comment you made about the training of mariners on sailing vessels. That is born out in the records of the family members. I am intrigued by your reference to the family tree of Harry Parry. My Nana's cousin William Owen Parry was the son of Sarah Griffith and Owen Parry who ran the Railway Inn in Criccieth and then reinvented himself as a house builder. Billy, a Master Mariner emigrated to Niteroi in Brazil and I have not been able to trace whether he ever returned or when he died. In one picture in Liverpool he is holding a baby but all that is for another day!
Sorry I am rambling. Thanks again for the great help
Philip

[Philip Bell]

Glyn
I followed your link to the Administration Deed for the Estate of Henry Griffith of Bodgauaf and have come to the conclusion that, as unlikely as it seems, the Anne Hughes who is Henry's widow is the same Anne who married err... Henry Griffiths 2  on the 23rd March 1807 in Bryncroes. Henry Griffiths 3, my GGrandfather was baptised on the 1st August 1808.
Henry 2 died I think in 1838 and Anne is shown as still living at Bodgauaf in the 1841 census and also in the 1851 census where she is described as a farmer of 120 acres employing 3 men. A redoubtable lady!