Finding father of Mary Jones (1780 - 1850) in Llanfor

[redvanman]

My ancestors Edward Davies (1780 - 1853) and Mary Jones (c 1780 - 1850) were married on 30 January 1805 at Corwen, Merionethshire.
The family story is that she was the daughter of a David Jones from Cwm Tir Mynach, Llanfor, a farmer and carpenter. I have found a David and Margaret Jones in the area who had a daughter named Mary who was baptised in 1780, but as Mary Jones is a very common name I cannot be sure if she is the right one.
The original source for the family story is now deceased. Does anyone have any knowledge of this family, or ideas about how I could confirm this relationship?
Thank you.
Alyn

[ColC]

Have you found Mary on the 1841 census?
Do you know the names of their children and where they were born?

Colin

[redvanman]

Colin,
Thank you for your interest. This is what the 1841 census shows:

Peny Bryn, Gwyddelwern, Corwen, Merionethshire, Wales
First name(s) Last name   Sex       Age   Birth year   Birth place
Edward          Davies   Male       60   1781   Merionethshire, Wales      Farmer
Mary            Davies   Female  60   1781   Merionethshire, Wales
Mary               Davies   Female  15   1826   Merionethshire, Wales      Female servant
Ann               Davies   Female  15   1826   Merionethshire, Wales      Female servant
Elizabeth       Davies   Female   9           1832   Merionethshire, Wales      Female servant
They had a daughter Margaret who was born shortly after their marriage in 1805, and a daughter Mary born 1810, both baptised in Llandrillo. Both were married and living elsewhere in 1841. There may be other children who I have not yet discovered.
I suspect the young women on the census record were not Edward and Mary's children but more likely nieces.

Alyn

[Gadget]

Two possible ways to check

1. Do you have the children in birth order. They are likely to  have been using a naming pattern.

2. Check for patronymics - Mary might be referred to as Mary vch David in some records.

I have a line from Llanfor and recall a flip flop of patronymic to surnames and back in that broad time period. Also, her father might be entered in the registers in the patronymic form.

Gadget

[redvanman]

Thanks Gadget,
I have some of the children, including the first daughter Margaret - same name as her presumed  grandmother, so that strengthens the case. Finding the other children is work in progress and in view of your suggestion will be my next task.
Thanks also for your hint regarding patronyms - I have had to deal with this previously in men, but all the women I've encountered in my researches so far have had surnames.
Alyn

 

[ColC]

Hi Alyn,
No luck on Ancestry, Family Search or freereg for Mary, it looks possible that there might be a record on Find My Past, 4 Mary's baptised Llanfor, my membership has expired.

Sorry I cannot help.

Colin

[Gadget]

There are four  n the broad timeframe:

10 Nov 1778 to Evan and Mary of Llan (i.e. Llanfor village)

1 Feb 1780  to David and Lowry of Penmach

17 May 1780 to Evan and Catherine of Nantlleidiog

17 June 1780 to David and Margaret of Llaithgwm  - which would fit

They could be non-conformist. I could check my Clwyd FHS records but later today.

Gadget

[redvanman]

Thanks Gadget
I'm tempted to stick with fathers named David - if that bit of the story is wrong, then the other bit -- that she came from Llanfor -- cannot be relied on. And in that case, Mary's origin will remain a mystery.
However, "17 June 1780 to David and Margaret of Llaithgwm" looks promising, and I will investigate that one further.

Alyn

[Gadget]

I checked all of the David Jones burials in Llanfor in a 40 year period but not very easy to decide if any were him. None recorded as  of the farm that you mentioned but, of course, he could have moved.