Lewis/Bowcott family

[davidjkrichards]

I am looking for any information on my GGG Grandparents. I know that Lewis Lewis married Mary Bowcott from Merthyr Cynog before 1831. I don't have any more on Lewis other than he was a Baptist Minister & that he died in Newport, Pembrokeshire in 1846 age 42. Mary was born around 1811 in Merthyr Cynog. I don't have the name of her father but know he was a farmer. Her mother, also Mary, was born around 1766/9, also in Merthyr Cynog. The family moved to Newport just after 1841 because in 1851 the children are living with their grandmother in Dinas, Pembrokeshire. I haven't yet found out what happened to Mary. Two of their children returned to Breconshire for a while. William was living with his cousin, William Bowcott, Rector of Llanfillo, and Jane, my GG Grandmother, married William Watkins of Llandefalle in 1863. Any help would be much appreciated.

[oliviv]

Brynhaulyn (Spelt Bryn Haula on the tithe map of 1840 was owned and occupied by Mrs. Mary Bowcott being over 16 acres in size with a tithe payment of 14s. 0d. per annum . The 1841 census includes Mary Bowcott aged about 75; Mary Lewis aged about 30 both of whom are described as “Ind.” with Maryanna Lewis age 12; Elizabeth age 6; William age 4; Thomas age 1.
By 1851 the spelling was Brinhailin and the families living there were:- (i) Richard Bowcott a farmer of 16 acres aged 59 and born at Alltmawr - he was farming Llwynrhydill in 1841 - his wife Amelia aged 50 and born at Llywell; their grand daughter Joan Bowcott aged 3  born at Lampeter and Margaret Williams a house servant aged 19 from Crickadarn; .
 Baptisms took place for children born at Brynhilyn during the early part of the 19th century which are abbreviated below:-


Lewis  & Mary Lewis nee Bowcott had  Mary Olwen born March 17th. 1829; Jane Dec. 24th. 1830; Thomas Bowcott Lewis on the 19th. May, 1833; and Elizabeth on 3rd. May, 1835.
There are also a number of headstones at Ebenezer relating to the families of Brynhilyn as follows:-
Sacred to the Memory of Thomas Bowcott of Brynhilyn in this Parish who died May 17 1833 aged 68 years;
   - do -    of Jane, daughter of the Revd. Lewis Lewis of Brynhilyn who died Dec.24 1830 aged 1 day
   - do -   of Thomas Bowcott Lewis son of the Revd, Lewis Lewis who died May    27th. 1834 aged 1 year.

Brynhilyn was on the east side of the Brecon/Upper Chapel/Builth Wells
road about a kilometre north of Upper Chapel village. It was demolished in
the 1950’s to make way for road improvements but the outbuildings are still standing and are on the opposite side of the road.
Rev. Lewis Lewis of Henrhyd, Card. was the congregational minister for Ebenezer Chapel, Upper Chapel from 1835 - 1839
Richard and Amelia Bowcott are buried at Merthyr Cynog Church - Richard  in 1861 aged 69 and Amelia in 1867 aged 67

[davidjkrichards]

  Wow, thank you so much. I hoped to get some info but this is fantastic.

Thanks again

Dave

[oliviv]

Glad that the info I sent was relevant - I was given a Family Tree of the Bowcotts some years ago - before computer days and it is virtually A4 sheets pasted together and it is more or less impossible to copy - however I will try and collate what I think is relevant and go from there - so you should be hearing from me again

Best Wishes
OliViv

[davidjkrichards]

Hi Oliviv,

 Thank you, that would be great. What is your link to the Bowcotts?

Dave

[oliviv]

Bowcott Tree

I am not related to the Bowcotts but they were very prominent people at one time in the area where I was born   - I suppose the only connection I have is that my Grandfather purchased the farm Llwynrhydill from a Rev. Bowcott whom I believe lived in Essex. - this would have been about the 1920’s
In the 1840 Tithe Map for Merthyr Cynog Richard Bowcott was one of only three owners / occupiers of farms at that time - all the rest of the farms were rented from Landowners  and Merthyr Cynog is the second biggest Parish in area in Breconshire. He seemed to have been a very forward looking farmer but more of that again if you are interested.
This Richard Bowcott and his wife Amelia nee Powell are buried at Merthyr Cynog but on looking at the family tree given to me it would appear I may have given some wrong information this Richard would have been an uncle to Mary Bowcott who married Lewis Lewis - so I am going to start again - this is taken from the information given to me and I am sorry I can not reproduce it  using the computer.
Here goes:- there seems to be loads with the Christian name of  Richard.-
I think it will be best if I work backwards up the appropriate branch
1941 Census for Brynhaullyn;
Mary Bowcott aged about 75; Mary Lewis aged about 30; Maryanna Lewis 12; Elizabeth 6; William 4 and Thomas 1; The husband Rev. Lewis Lewis had ceased being a Minister in 1839 at Ebenezer Congregational Chapel.
The above family had moved away by 1851 - A Richard and Amelia Bowcott were living there in 1851 - they had been in an adjoining farm Llwynrhydill in 1841 - they were relations of Mary Bowcott.
According to family tree the above Lewis Family were living with a relation Rev. William Bowcott at Llanfillo  Brecs in 1851
Mary Bowcott married Lewis Lewis (Minister of Gospel and believed to be from Henrhyd Cards.
Mary Bowcott was the daughter of Thomas Bowcott and she was mentioned in her father’s will (1833). Thomas Bowcott is probably buried at Ebenezer Chapel and Mary Bowcott may have died 1843 but don’t know where
1) Headstone = Buff sandstone - Urn in top panel with swags. Two ‘shield’ panels
Scared to the Memory of
Thomas Bowcott
of Brynhilyn in this Parish
who died May 17 1833 aged 68 years

(2)  Headstone = Low  red sandstone
Sacred to the Memory of
Jane, daughter of the Revd. Lewis Lewis of Brynhilyn
who died Dec. 24 1830 aged 1 day


(3) Headstone = Pinkish sandstone - shrouded urn panel
Scared to the Memory of
Thomas Bowcott Lewis, son the Revd. Lewis Lewis
of Brynhilyn of this Parish
who died May 27th (1834) aged 1 year
The Rev. Lewis Lewis referred to was  probably the  Ebenezer’s Minister from Henryd, Card.
It would appear that he  married into the Bowcott Family who owned  Brynhilyn in 1840

The Thomas Bowcott who died in 1833 was baptised  at  Merthyr Cynog 10th Dec. 1764.  He is mentioned in his father’s will 1812

Thomas Bowcott’s father was named Richard Bowcott who made a will 16th. Dec. 1810, proved 22nd. Feb. 1812; mentions marriage settlement with first wife MARY JONES dated 30th June 1762 then Dec 1772 Richard Bowcott Widower married Gwenllian Morgans at Merthyr Cynog.
I would like to break off at this point and approach it another way.

Richard BOLLCOT (Will made at Merthyr Cynog 14 Jan. 1757; proved 20th May 1757 mentions sons WILLIAM BOLLCUT and JOHN BOLLCUT and mentions grandsons
Richard BOLLCOT  son of William Bollcott and Richard BOLLCOTT son of John Bollcutt
After this the surname becomes Bowcott and from the tree it is not possible to say which of the Richard Bollcutts is the father of Thomas Bowcott who died in 1833.

There are loads of other branches to the tree far too complicated to explain.  Hope I have not confused you too much
Oli Viv

[davidjkrichards]

Thank you.

That gets me a bit further. It is interesing that the family tree says that the Lewis family were living with William Bowcott in 1851 (Rector of Llanfillo) as in the 1851 census most are living with their grandmother, Mary Bowcott, in Dinas, Pembrokeshire where Lewis Lewis died in 1846 and he was a Minister in 1841. William Bowcott Lewis, Lewis & Mary's son was living with his cousin, William, in Llanfillo.

I wonder if I could impose just once more. I know that of the children, Mary Ann & Richard married although neither had children. However, I have lost the others. Elizabeth was with mother & grandmother in 1841 and there is an Elizabeth Bowcott, whose details match, as a servant in Merthyr Cynog in 1851 but, of course, I don't know whether they are one & the same. Also I cannot find any trace of William after 1851 ( although he was a witness at his sister, Jane's, wedding in 1863) nor Thomas who was with his grandmother in 1851.

Do you have anything in the tree regarding those children?

Dave

[oliviv]

Sorry I don't have any info about the Lewis Children - the tree fades out when they moved away from M C - have quite a number of branches but do not know if they are relevant
OlivViv

[davidjkrichards]

Thank you for all your help,

Dave