Hello group,
I'm hoping someone can help tracing the birth or marriage record of Lydia Jones.
I'm trying to identify the father of Lydia, who is shown in the 1871 census aged 17, single, on board the 'Atlantic' boat in Grindley Brook, Shropshire, listed as niece to it's 74-year old owner John Jones.
John is my 3rd gt grandfather, born around 1796 in Froncysyllte, so, if the census is correct, Lydia's father is probably a younger brother of John. Unfortunately, I've not been able to identify John's birth record or parents, so any siblings remain unresolved so far.
The 1871 census states Lydia is born around 1853 in Llangollen (which often covers Froncysyllte as well in this era). Later censuses show her married to a William Morris and settled in Chester in 1881, her birthplace listed simply as N. Wales, and in Ellesmere 1901 stating birth in Corwen. Their eldest child is shown born circa 1873, suggesting they were married between 1871 and that year, but I've not found a marriage record. I've not traced her in the 1891 census either, or the 1861, which is missing for Froncysyllte.
I've several DNA matches descending from this household, which confirms Lydia's connection to my John Jones, however, the identity of her father is eluding me. I can't find a marriage record for her and William Morris, nor a reliable birth record.
There is a possible birth entry for 1853 Mar qtr Wrexham 11b 327, however, I noticed a 20 Apr 1874 Wrexham marriage of Lydia Jones to Thomas Pierce that could be this individual, listing her as a daughter of Edward Jones, a miner... not much to do with the canals. As the 1871 census states my Lydia's birthplace as 'Llangollen' (which would include Fron, like John) more likely her birth district is Corwen, or an independant chapel birth rather than Wrexham. Also there's a Brymbo 27 Dec 1852 baptism to a John & Ann Jones, but it's a miner's family, and a little early for Lydia's claimed age in 1871.
Finding her birth record or her marriage document to William Morris would help to identify her father, can anyone help?
There is another theory - that she was in fact the granddaughter of John Jones, not his niece as stated in the 1871. As there's a significant age gap between them (74 and 17) this makes sense, but why would the census state her twice as niece then? Regardless, it still leaves the identity of her father unresolved. John Jones had two sons who could be candidates - John (bapt. 8 Feb 1824 in Cysyllte, Llangollen, boatman with his parents aged 15 in the 1841 census), and Richard (bapt. 4 Oct 1833 in the Glan yr Afon Chapel, Llangollen, and also a boatman with his parents aged 18 in the 1851 in Vron Vian, Cysyllte). Both of these I've traced up to teenage years, but not thereafter.
Some trees on Ancestry have listed Lydia's father as Richard, born 1836 (rather than 1833), but with no documentary evidence.
Very grateful for any help!
