RootsChat.Com

Tracking down a DNA match I have come across a relative William Macdonald, the grandson of my 3rd GGPs William Hughes and Elizabeth Williams.   His parents Thomas Macdonald (a miner) and Margaret Hughes married in Gwaenysgor on 28th May 1864.   William was baptised on 24th September 1864 in Gwaenysgor.   

He does not appear on the 1871 Census with the family, and the DNA matches have led me to the USA.  The next reference I have found is the 1900 Aurora, Portage, Ohio census where he is living with his wife and three children.   It records he went to the US in 1870 - so when he was 6/7 years old.  I have not been able to find a record of his arrival in the US yet, but want to know - did families send their children to the US for a better life - or maybe he travelled with another family member.   Can anyone shed any light on how I can go about finding out?

TIA  Ellenmaggie

I have now managed to find supporting documentation for John Evans and his family in Chubut, Argentina.   I have also confirmed that he is the son of Edward Evans born in Abergele in 1836 (according to th 1861 census) and Elizabeth Hughes born abt 1835 in Llysfaen, Caernarvonshire.  So far I have found nine children - Hugh, William, Evan, Jane, Elizabeth, John, Robert, Anne and Edward.

Edward and Elizabeth, John and Robert (not sure about the rest of the family) must have taken the opportunity to go to Patagonia.   As yet John is the only one I have confirmed - still working on the rest.

I have found baptismal records for John and Mary's children Edward (4years and 10 months old), John (2years and 10months old) and Margaret Jane (9months old) on 13 February 1899.  They were living in Dorfa-fawr, Lower Valley in Chubut, Patagonia.   

In 19th June 1910 John A Evans arrived in Southampton from Santos, Brazil on the Royal Mail Steam Packet ship "Avon". The rest of the family travelled from Buenos Aires to Southamtpon on the Royal Mail Steam Packet ship Aragon arriving on 2nd July 1910 - Mary, Edward, John, Margaret, Annie, Helen, Elizbeth, Catherine and Eva.

The family then travelled to Australia - yet to find those records but I am working on it.

My main priority is now to find out who Mary Davies is, where she came from - is she a member of my Davies family.   Is that where the DNA link is?   

Thank you for your help in pointing me in the right direction!  Ellenmaggie

Hello,  I am wondering whether anyone can help me.  I am trying to find out more about John Abergale Evans and his wife Mary Davies.  A DNA match led me to them and I am trying to connect my tree to them - the link I think maybe Mary Davies.

I believe John Evans (I am assuming the Abergale came about because he was born in Abergele) to be the son of Edward Evans (1835-1886) and Elizabeth Jones.  Trees I have found have John Evans married to Mary Davies (1875-1995).  My research led me to the Welsh settlers in Chubut Argentina as the trees I am looking at have John and Mary married on 6th May 1893 in Chubut, but as yet I have not found any record to confirm this.   John's father Edward apparently died in Chubut in 1886, so if the family I have found on the 1881 census is correct (living at 8 Crown Street, Abergele) the family must have travelled to Argentina between 1881 and 1886.   Is there anywhere I can see passenger list for ships to Argentina? 

I am also trying to ascertain who Mary Davies is - most trees have her date of birth as 1st March 1875 born at Ystradgynlais, Breconshire, Wales but again I have found no sources to back that up and if she is the Mary Davies on my tree she would have been born in 1879 in Harwarden to John Davies (born 1847) and Elizabeth (born in 1841).   So I am trying to see if I can find a record of their marriage in Chubut to see if it will tell me more about them.   

Both John and Mary died in Western Australia.

TIA  Ellenmaggie

Thank you so much for your help with George and the paper making link.   I will follow them up.