Jenkin Powell Defynnock or Llywell 1708

[Llanfihangel]

Hi,

I am searching for ancestors of a James Powel(l) of Cefn Gweision Llywell born around 1708 in the area around Defynnock, Llywell, etc.  James's father was another James Powel who married into the Williams family of Abercamlais about that time. The settlement was between Jenkin Powel and Hester Williams for the marriage between James Powell and her daughter Sarah Williams.....................

I would like to have any information regarding Jenkin Williams who might have been fairly wealthy and managed to get a  farm north of Llywel (Cefn Gweision) for the young couple. Cefn Gweison later passed to a Thomas Powell who might have been a brother to James (junior) along with a sister Sarah.

I have searched the usual places (FindMyPast) etc as well as the oline Wills at the Library of Wales, without success, and I would really like your help.

Thanks!
Llanfi 

Here are the legal documents I found:

B/D/JPO/17/66-67  Marriage settlement
 1. Jenkin Powel of p. Devynock, co. Brecon, gent.; Anne, his wife; James Powel, son and heir apparent.
2. Hester Williams of Abercamlais, widow; Sarah Williams, one of her dters.
 3. Daniel Williams of Penpont, esq., Edward Williams of Abercamlais, gent. Before marriage of James Powel with Sarah Williams. £120 portion.
Conveying uses of m, tmt, and lands Tyr Rhue Velen (David John Beavan); m etc Tyr Keven y Gweision Yssa (Watkin John); house and garden (Evan Beavan); house and garden (Thomas Arthur) in Division of Sclydach, p. Llywel, co. Brecon. 10-11 May 1708
 B/D/JPO/17/68   Bond 1. James Powell of p. Llewell, gent. 15 April 1819 2. Thomas Watkin of Lanspidditt, weaver. In £28 to pay £10 of 1 September.

B/D/JPO/17/70 Administration (St David’s) to Mary Powell, widow, of estate of James Powell of Llewell, co. Brecon’, dec’d
Attached inventory 7 March 1722/3
25 March 1723

B/D/JPO/17/72
Release (deed poll)
 1. Jenkin Powell of p. Devynock, gent.
 2. Sarah Powell, dter-in-law and administratrix of James Powell, gdson, son and heir of James Powell
 Of all claim to illegal bond in £40 for payment of £20 after marriage of James Powell the son with Sarah. Marriage took place and produced children  James, Thomas and Sarah.25 May 1730

B/D/JPO/17/74
Will of Sarah Powell of Keven y Gweision, p. Llywell, widow.
 Release of son James Powell from debt of £200 on payment of £20 to her executor. £50 to dter Sarah Powell of Cwmclyn, p. Devynnock. Sole executor: son Thomas Powell. PS: ‘my request is to be buried in Trallong Church 24 March 1736/7

B/D/JPO/17/82-83 Conveyance and mortgage.
1. James Powell of p. Trinity, city and county Coventry, clerk (son and heir of James Powell of p. Llywell dec’d) by Sarah, his wife, dec’d); Elizabeth, his wife.
 2. Penry Williams of Penpont, co. Brecon, esq.
 3. Thomas Powell of p. Llywell, gent.
 Of 2 ms etc Tyr Rhud Velen and Tyr Keven y Gwisson Issa (formerly David John Bevan and Watkin John, now 3); house and garden (late Thomas Arthur, now Elizabeth John), widow) in hamlet or division of Sclydach otherwise Ysclidach, p. Llywell) Dorse of release: note by Thomas Powell that £300 is to bear interest from 9 August 1835
 8-9 August 1740

[Greensleeves]

Not sure if this is of any relevance but I'll post anyway:

The house we owned in Trecastle (Llywel) had the following amongst the deeds -

5 October 1841 Memorandum of Agreement  James Powell Esq Gent of Devynnock to Daniel Thomas of Trecastle in occupation of Thomas Jones Mason - 60 yr lease of house gardens stables and yard

2 January 1913 Conveyance of Bear House gardens stables and yard
Miss Powell & Ors  Xors of William Austin Powell (died 3 May 1906) to Mr William Davies

Regards
GS

[Llanfihangel]

Hello Greensleeves,
Many Thanks for your reply!

Perhaps your house is where they lived after selling Cefn Gweison in 1840, but they didn't stay much longer in Breconshire according to this:

THE POWELLS OF DEVYNOCK
AND CHURCH LAWFORD

https://journals.library.wales/view/1380216/1382160/46#?cv=46&m=9&c=0&s=0&manifest=https%3A%2F%2Fdamsssl.llgc.org.uk%2Fiiif%2F2.0%2F1380216%2Fmanifest.json&xywh=-2196%2C-227%2C7460%2C4527

All the best!

LLanfi 

[Greensleeves]

They wouldn't have lived in The Bear, Llanfi, as it was a drovers' inn, owned by James Powell, Gent, of Devynnock and he leased it to Daniel Thomas, Registrar, of Trecastle who in turn rented it to Thomas Jones, Mason.  When I lived there, there were still bits of tombstones and carved cherubs in the back garden, but it ceased being a pub early in the 20th century.

I have all sorts of notes relating to the families involved with the inns of Trecastle, some of which feature the Powells who were major landowners in the area;  eg I have a note of Powell siblings Jenkin (baptised 21 Aug 1766), Josias (baptised  3 July 1768) and Letitia (baptised 7 Aug 1770).  I also have scribbles relating to various marriages and issue.

I'll see if I can get all the notes in order to see if they actually make sense, since they were made over thirty years ago.  Some of the players in the story are descendants of Sir Watkin Llwyd ab Ieuan of Ynys Marchog, Trecastle, who was knighted posthumously after the Battle of Agincourt.

Regards
GS

[Llanfihangel]

Hello Greensleeves,
I would very much like to see those notes... I am working on the DNA trace back to Bleddyn ap Maenarch as well.

I found a record of the burial of a Jenkin Powell, Glyntawe (Callwen), 1690 on FindmyPast that is the only trace I can find pre-1700.

If you see a record of a Giles Powell around that time, I would like to know because he may be another family relation.

Thanks again!

Llanfi 

[Greensleeves]

Could be the same Jenkin Powell - Callwen is very close via the old mountain road and there has always been a lot of coming and going between those two communities.  Another very strong link exists even today between Trecastle/Llywel and Myddfai.  The two areas shared a common (and still do) so there was a lot of intermarriage between the communities.  I'm sure you already know about the Physicians of Myddfai, but it's interesting that there are likely to be familial links between them and Trecastle.

Will try to get my notes sorted into sensible order and get back to you!

Regards
GS

[Greensleeves]

Well, Llanfi, I've deciphered a few of my notes, which might help, or add to your confusion.  Here goes:

Notes on people who lived in Trecastle/Llywel

Josias Bates  died 1792

Josias Bates was a Londoner,  who came to Trecastle to run the White Hart Inn which was a major coaching inn, a stopping- place on the road between Brecon and Llandovery.    It was formerly known as The Hall  and was the home of the Gwyn family, and is nowadays known as Neuadd.

 His daughter Molly married Howell Powell of The Rose & Crown, Trecastle.  They had children:  Jenkin Powell baptised 21 Aug 1766; Josias Powell baptised 3 July 1768; Letitia Powell baptised 2 Aug 1770.

 His daughter Letitia married  (1)  Rees Price son of Howell Prees, Cefn Crai and they had a daughter Catherine who married Thomas Powell, gent and had children Mary born 1793, Letitia born 1794,  and Lewis.

Letitia Price nee Bates married (2) Thomas Robert Nicholas of The Bear Inn, Trecastle.  He moved from The Bear into The White Hart to run it, Josias Bates having died in 1793.

Thomas Robert Nicholas

Thomas Robert Nicholas (1751-1826) was descended from Thomas Nicholas of Marchogdir, who died in about 1695.  Thomas Nicholas was descended maternally from Sir Watkin Llwyd who died at Agincourt in 1415, and the Nicholas family continued to live at and farm Marchogdir  for many years.   The farm and lands of Marchogdir are now known as Ynysmarchog.  (As a matter of interest there is a field in Aberbran where legend has it the local archers practised their skills prior for departure to Agincourt.)   Father, son and grandson are all called Thomas Robert Nicholas, and all three there llandlords of The Bear,  which can lead to confusion!

[Greensleeves]

I do have more info about most of these people, but mostly relating to the Nicholas family as they were former owners of Bear House where we used to live.  The interesting bit about them is their descent from Sir Watkin Llwyd but my notes on them only go back to the late 1600s.

Regards
GS

[Llanfihangel]

Hello Greensleeves

It's odd how clues come up sometimes!
Do you know anything about the Powell family of Penvay Llywel?
There was a Gwenllian Powell buried 1802 who seems to have had a lot to do with the Nicholas family.

I think the Powells of Penvay were fairly wealthy, and Gwenllian left 60 pounds to her granddaughter Anne the wife of DAVID WILLIAMS SHOPKEEPER OF DEVYNNOCK.

Gwenllian Powell's executrix was her daughter Gwenllian, who married a Richard Nicholas soon after her mother's death in 1802.

Strike a bell? I'd like to know as I am researching David Williams who emigrated to Ohio about 1832

Cheers,

Llanfi