Sorry folks but I've gone back as far as I can with this one.
I have the Marriage Certificate for William VAUGHAN and Sarah Frances METCALFE in 1885, I’ve laboured long and hard to find his father, but, unfortunately, he didn’t appear anywhere, and without this information I couldn’t go back further down the VAUGHAN line, which is very disappointing and frustrating. However, these things happen (especially in Welsh Genealogy) and I’ve had to admit defeat and accept the inevitable on this particular occasion.
The two main reasons for this are, 1) Williams’s mother (Jane VAUGHAN) was single when she had him around 1859 in Hope, and 2), also, she was illegitimate when she was baptized on 22 July 1838 in Hope. Then to add to the confusion, after she married John HUGHES in 1863, William variously appears as HUGHES & JONES in various Census Returns, ‘muddying the waters’ even more. He even gave his Father’s name as John VAUGHAN on his Marriage Certificate, when in fact, his step-father John HUGHES was actually a Witness.. So you can see what a minefield it’s been trying to get a handle on the correct information.
The JONES name came about because he spent most of his life with his Grandmother, Sarah JONES (nee’ VAUGHAN) who married Griffith JONES in 1844 in Great Boughton, and Jane VAUGHAN was her illegitimate daughter born in 1838 in Hope. Consequently, it wasn’t possible to find Sarah VAUGHAN’s father either because she was born around 1814, and official records didn’t begin until 1837.
Thanks again everyone.
Anne