Thomas & Pritchard family early 1800's

[jaerae439]

I’m looking for the family of John R Thomas, born 27 Mar 1798 Melin Bodowyr, Llanidan, Anglesey [Ynys Mon] Wales.  From his death certificate, his parents were Robert and Margaret Thomas.

John R. Thomas married Eleanor Pritchard 14 May 1828 at Llanddaniel Fab, Anglesey, Wales. 

Eleanor Pritchard was born about 1809 in Gaerwen, Anglesey, Wales.  From her death certificate, her parents were Mercil/Maynard [hard to read] and Margaret PRITCHARD.
from book Hanes Cymry Minnesota
“....Both of John R Thomas's parents were drowned when he was 21 years old. In 1831 he removed to Liverpool, where he stayed twelve years, and where in 1837 he joined the C.M. church. He was a machinist by trade, and in 1843, removed to Crew  England to work in the shops of the London and N.W. Ry. Co.

John R Thomas, his wife and six children arrive in New York on the ship the Aberdeen in 1850.
Their six children were born in Liverpool, Lancashire, England.

If the book is correct, I’m anticipating that there must be a death about 1819 of both Robert and Margaret Thomas when they were in the shipwreck.  It is reported through the family that grandmother Thomas said they died crossing from Anglesey to Liverpool.

It is also rumored in the family that the children were told that the family “lived in a castle” and that the family [I’m guessing the Pritchard side] are related to David Lloyd George….but of course no proof has been given.

Any help will be appreciated.

[graf]

Robert Thomas of Bodowyr Mill, Llanidan died on 5 August 1820
according to the probate papers at NLW B/1826/47.

Administration was issued to his son Robert Thomas, who
appears to have married Jane Edwards on 25 June 1828 at Llanidan
church, was living at Bodowyr Mills in the 1841 census aged 35 and
who was buried at the new church at Llanidan with a gravestone
inscription stating that he died 5 February 1864 in his 60th year
followed by his wife Jane who died 18 November 1866 in her 66th year.

Robert Thomas and Ellin or Elinor Prichard had a number of children
whose births were recorded in the register of the calvinistic methodist
chapel of Horeb in Brynsiencyn in the period 1808-1819. He was
described as miller of Tyddyn Felin, Bodowyr.

The Llanidan parish register records the marriage on 31 August 1793
of Robert Thomas of Llanidan to Eleanor Prichard of Newborough, Anglesey.

[jaerae439]

WOW.  Thanks, I think....if I understand correctly
Robert Thomas of Bodowyr Mill, Llanidan died on 5 August 1820...than this is the father and that means his wife Margaret [unknown maiden name] also died that day, as they died in a shipwreck.

"The Llanidan parish register records the marriage on 31 August 1793 of Robert Thomas of Llanidan to Eleanor Prichard of Newborough, Anglesey" this also is the father of John Thomas...but you are saying his wife's name is Elinor and NOT Margaret?

THUS  Robert and Eleanor [Pritchard] Thomas who  married 1793 and both died in a shipwreck in 1820 had a son, Robert Thomas who married Jane Edwards on 25 June 1828
and my ancestor
John Thomas b. 1798 who married Eleanor [Pritchard] Thomas in 1828

can this be right?  I've never been so confused in my life.  I just want to be sure of what I'm seeing.

[hiraeth]

Welcome to Rootschat jaerae439

I have access to a transcript of marriages in Anglesey 1812-1837

14 Jan, 1828 at Llanddaniel-Fab  - John THOMAS and Elinor PRICHARD, both of LLaniden

25 June, 1828 at Llanidan - Robert THOMAS and Jane EDWARDS

The baptisms at the Calvinistic Methodist Chapel mentioned by graf are listed on line on family search.   

The probate document at the National Library of Wales is viewable for free at http://hdl.handle.net/10107/950887

Hope this helps
Heather

[graf]

The Chester Courant of 15 August 1820 reported:
[as reprinted in the Morning Chronicle of August 17,
1820]

MOST AFFLICTING CALAMITY.- (FURTHER PARTICULARS)
- On Saturday week, being market-day at Carnarvon, when
the farmers and their domestics, from Anglesey, were
crossing the river in great numbers, a most heart-rending
calamity occurred, at a ferry recently established from
Llanidan, across to Plas Brunton, about a mile of Carnarvon.
From every information, it appears that the boat started
with about twenty-three passengers, besides a variety
of articles, intended for Carnarvon market.
They had not proceeded quite half way over, it blowing
fresh, when the boatman having climbed up the small mast
to disentangle a rope attached to the sail, unfortunately
fell into the water; in the rush to save him, the pressure
proved too great for the crazy bark to sustain, and it in
a moment separated nearly in the centre, when, dreadful
to relate, with the exception of one individual, the whole
were engulphed in the waves! Their screams were heard for
an instant resounding to the shore, but in the returning wave,
they were for ever hushed! In about an hour the bodies of
four females were brought in boats to Carnarvon, and all the
exertions of the medical gentlemen, aided by the utmost skill
and perserverance of Dr. Mason, proved unavailing. It is
impossible to describe the consternation and anxiety
expressed in the benevolent feelings of the inhabitants of
Carnarvon; business was completely suspended, and when it is
considered that numbers from Anglesey had previously arrived
in town, and were expecting to be followed by relatives and
friends, the scene was appalling, and totally out of our
power to describe in adequate terms.

The only person saved was Hugh Williams, of Bodowyr Issa,
who fortunately clung to the mast, and was picked up nearly
exhausted, and from whose testimony this account is chiefly
taken.


[An inquest was held at Caernarfon a few days later and reports
say the boat was overloaded and that most of the victims came
from Llanidan. £603 was collected for the bereaved families.

North Wales Gazette 10 August 1820 and 21 March 1821 contain
further information, but I don't have access to those issues.]

[jaerae439]

OH MY  WHAT A WONDERFUL THING TO HAVE....A REPORT OF THIS ACCIDENT AT SEA
Thank you, thank you.  It's a story that has been handed down for all these years in our family of how the first grandchild of this event [now a grandmother herself] would show on a world globe where this event occurred and re-tell the story.  Now 4 generations later the story had almost been lost.  What a gift you have given.

[Gele]

I don't know how this Thomas family "fits in" to the Melin Bodowyr family but Ann Thomas, born 1823, daughter of John Thomas (wheelwright) and Ellen (Edwards) of Brynsiencyn, married John Owens (born Llanrug) about 1845 and they emigrated to USA in 1855 and settled in Dodgeville, Wisconsin, where Ann died in 1859. I can't find the family in 1841 but they had another daughter Margaret, born 1832, and in 1841 and 1851 she was with Robert Thomas and his wife Jane at Bodowyr and in 1851 she was described as his niece. It looks like John and Ellen had died. They obviously cannot have been the John R. Thomas and Eleanor Pritchard mentioned in this thread last year, so who were they?  Perhaps the connection is via Robert's wife Jane Edwards - a sister of Ellen, maybe? Is there a gravestone for John Thomas and Ellen in Llanidan?

[jaerae439]

I have a .jpg copy from a book called "Hanes Cymry Minnesota" in which half the book is written in the Welsh language - is that what it's called? 
I'm going to try to attach it here.  Perhaps someone who can read this can shed more light on this family. 

also, How can I get access to North Wales Gazette 10 August 1820 and 21 March 1821
I'd just love to see if the Thomas names show up.

[graf]

The North Wales Gazette was the first english language newspaper in North Wales
and began at Bangor in 1808. Neither the British Library nor the National
Library of Wales has a full run, but there is a nearly complete run in the rare
newspaper section at Bangor University Library, which includes the issues you
requested.

There was a welsh language religious publication called Yr Eurgrawn Wesleyaidd
[The Wesleyan magazine] published in Dolgellau and in September 1820 it printed
a report on the ferry disaster which you can see in Google books:

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=9yYwAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA1-PA70

The first half is more or less the story reported in the Chester Courant but
the second half contains the names of the victims and I suspect this may have
come originally from the North Wales Gazette report.

I am including this list here as others may find it useful.

Robert Thomas and his wife (leaving 11 children), of the parish of Llanidan;
Catherine Williams, Ty'n y Pwll, Llanidan;
Elinor Williams, Trenant, Llanidan;
Margaret Williams, Llanidan;
Elinor Williams, Tan y Cowrt, Llanidan;
Hugh Jones, Tan y grisiau, Llanidan and his son;
Catherine Williams, of Lanidan;
Margaret Parry, Bryn gwyn, Llanidan;
Catherine Owen, Bryn gwyn, Llanidan;
Margaret Hughes, Trefan, Llanidan;
Edw. Humphreys, Trefan, Llanidan;
Ann Jones, Bryn Shenkin, Llanidan;
Jane Price, Bryn Shenkin, Llanidan;
Mrs. W. Lewis, Dinam;
W. Griffith and his wife, Rhos y meirch, near Llangefni;
John Hughes, Treauan, near Llanerchymedd;
Elizabeth Jones, Ty mawr, Llanddaniel;
Mary Williams, Glan y Rhos, Llanidan;
W. Williams, boatman;
John Evans, Llanddaniel;
A woman whose name is unknown.