This view of Esguan Hill was taken in 1965, and appears by kind permission of John Ball

From Merionethshire to Monmouthshire

The tranquil town of Towyn (known today as Tywyn), meaning “sand dunes” in English, is located about 30 miles north of the University town of Aberystwyth. It’s on the edge of the Snowdonia National Park, and is surrounded by mountains to the north, east, and south, with the sweeping Cardigan Bay to the west where bottle-nosed dolphins are frequently seen. It’s the location of the Cadfan Stone dating from the 8th or 9th century with the earliest known example of written Welsh. It’s also home to the world’s first preserved heritage steam railway at Talyllyn.

During the 18th century, the Corbet family of Ynysymaengwyn played a leading role in the Tywyn area. They were responsible for draining much of the salt marsh between the town and the Dysynni river, greatly increasing the land available for farming. In Samuel Lewis’ “A Topographical Dictionary of Wales” (1833), it is reported that popular horse races were held on land by the Dysynni river every September. The raven was the Corbet family emblem, and the bird is still used as part of the town’s crest, as can be seen on the flag (right).

According to the 1851, 1861, and 1871 Censuses of Wales, my great great great grandfather, Jonathan Jones, consistently gave his birthplace as Towyn, Merionethshire. Based on the details he had given on his marriage certificate regarding his father’s name and occupation, I began searching for any Farmers named John Jones in and around Towyn.

The most likely John Jones I could find, given his occupation and the rough estimation of his age, is found farming at Esguan in Towyn in the 1841 Census (Ref: HO107 Piece 1429 Book 17 Folio 26 Page 1). He and his wife Catherine are both aged 55, and it appears that the following are their children: Margaret (aged 18), Elizabeth (aged 16), Anne (aged 15), Richard (aged 14), and Mary (aged 10). As Jonathan’s approximate year of birth was given as 1815, this would indicate that if my Jonathan Jones is indeed the son of this John and Catherine, he was born several years before his sister Margaret.

The following baptism records found at Towyn match up with the children from this particular Jones family found in the 1841 Census: Margaret (3rd February 1823); Elizabeth (28th August 1824); Anne (22nd April 1826); Richard (24th May 1827); Mary (24th September 1830); and Catharine (14th January 1834, who passed away aged 4 and was buried on 2nd January 1839).

On all the baptism entries, their mother is named as Catherine Price. Their father John Jones is said to be a Farmer of Eskirwidar [or Eskirwedar] in 1823, Bryncastell in 1827, and Escuan in 1830 and 1834.

There is a marriage of a John Jones and Catherine Price at Towyn on 2nd October 1822, John being a resident of Tywyn while Catherine was from Pandy (a hamlet located southeast of Bryn-Crug). Their marital conditions were recorded as Bachelor and Spinster, and as both were born about 1785 or 1786 according to their Census entries, they would have been around 35 or 36 years old when they were married.

If this is the correct marriage, it either means that Jonathan was their illegitimate son and they married several years after his birth, or that John isn’t Jonathan’s biological father. Of course, it could also mean this is not the correct Jones family.

When the 1851 Census was taken on the night of 30th March, John Jones is again found farming at Esguan in Towyn (Ref: HO107 Piece 2495 Folio 271 Page 4). He was said to be a 66 year-old Farmer of 100 acres and 276 acres of heath, and he employed 7 Labourers. His wife Cathrina was 65 years-old, their widowed daughter Margaret Pugh was aged 28 and recorded as a “Milkman’s Widow,”, Elizabeth was 26, Ann was 24, and Mary was 20. Also with them was their 4 year-old grandson, Evan Robert Pughe, recorded as a “Milkmans son.”

There is a fascinating little story regarding Evan Robert Pughe. His parents, Evan Pughe and Margaret Jones, were married at Towyn on 27th February 1846, in the presence of William Pughe and Elizabeth Jones. Evan was recorded as a Farmer of Llanfeddigaid in the parish of Celynin, while Margaret was of Esguan in the parish of Towyn. Their fathers were named as Robert Pughe and John Jones, who were both Farmers. Almost 4 months later, Evan Robert Pughe was born on 24th June 1846, but not in Towyn, not in Merionethshire, not even in Wales – but according to his entries in the Welsh Censuses of 1851, 1861, and 1871, he was born in the United States of America! The 1910 Census of the United States gave his birthplace more specifically as New York. Meanwhile, just over 4 months after his birth, he was baptised back at Towyn on 30th October!

Eddowes’s Shrewsbury Journal in its issue dated Wednesday 2nd August 1854 reported on a very nasty accident involving John Jones and his horse:

TOWYN
Accident – On Thursday evening last an accident occurred to Mr. John Jones, of Esgain farm near this town. He was returning from Towyn with a cart laden with two wheels, which had been newly bound at the blacksmith’s. Suddenly the horse heard footsteps of others behind him, and ran off at a furious rate, knocking Mr. Jones down. One of the wheels passed over his leg and side, and broke two of his ribs. It also passed over the side of his head. He was taken up insensible, and conveyed to the farm, about a hundred yards off. Fortunately Dr. Owen, of Machynlleth, was near the spot, and rendered every assistance. Mr. Jones is, we are happy to say, going on favourably.

A few years later, the Shrewsbury Chronicle of Friday 2nd April 1858 included a testimonial from John Jones:

Jones’s Cough Balls for Horses
Jones’s Cough Balls have been proved to be the most effectual cure for Coughs arising from Cold. Also in cases of Inflammation of the Lungs they will be found useful when a Veterinary Surgeon cannot be procured. The efficacy of these Balls will at once be seen by the numerous testimonials received from gentlemen of high standing, farmers, and grooms.
TESTIMONIAL. – “Esguan, near Towyn, 25th Sept., 1857. Mr. Jones, Sir, – My mare was troubled with a severe cough for some time. Having heard of your Cough Balls, I was determined to try them, which I am happy to say, after a few doses, had the desired effect. Had I not had them, it would have resulted in the mare being broken winded. – I am, sir, yours respectfully, John Jones.”
Prepared only by Robert Jones, Chemist and Druggist, Corbet Square, Towyn, Merioneth; and sold in packets, Six Balls each, at 2s. per packet.

John and Catherine’s 32 year-old son, Richard, a Farmer of Esguen in the parish of Towyn, was married by Licence on 6th May 1859 at Llanwrin in Montgomeryshire. His bride was 33 year-old Mary Davies, their wedding taking place in the presence of David Jones and Margaret Davies. Their fathers, John Jones and Richard Davies, were both recorded as Farmers. Richard and Mary appear to have had just one child, a daughter named Mary Jane, who was born in the summer of 1862.

Shortly after Richard’s marriage, his mother Catharina passed away at Esguen at the age of 73, and was buried in the parish of Towyn on 26th July 1859.

Almost two years later when the 1861 Census was taken on the night of 7th April, the now widowed John Jones is again found farming at Esguen (Ref: RG09 Piece 4241 Folio 5 Page 3). He is said to be a 75 year-old Farmer of 376 acres Employing 7 Labourers and 1 Boy. With him are his 38 year-old widowed daughter, Margaret Pugh, his 28 year-old unmarried daughter Mary Jones, and his 15 year-old grandson Evan Robert Pugh who is a Drapers Apprentice. John’s birthplace is given more specifically as Bryncastell, possibly referring to the Bryn-y-Castell Farm at Bryn-Crug, located northeast of the town of Tywyn. His daughters Margaret and Mary are said to have been born at Pandy and Edgware respectively. Also with them in this Census are five Servants, Owen Owens (a 26 year-old Cowman), Evan Gabriel (a 21 year-old Waggoner), Griffith Parry (an 18 year-old Waggoner), David Evans (a 16 year-old General Servant), and Jane Jones (an 18 year-old Dairy Maid).

DNA testing hasn’t yet been able to shed further light on whether this is actually my Jones family or not. Whatever the case, the question still remains, what made my ancestor Jonathan Jones decide to move from Merionethshire to Monmouthshire?

Credits

The photo of Esguan Hill was taken in 1965, and appears by kind permission of John Ball.

The flag of Tywyn’s town crest was found at Wikipedia, and has been released into the public domain by user:Hogweard.