Notes on Thomas Jones 1770 – 1829 Early research leading to a possible Hereford connection
Thomas was blacksmith at Pant Glas near Selattyn when his children were born. I have found baptisms for 9 children between 1797 and 1817 with Elias being the fifth.
In the 1841 census Catherine (65) is living at Pant Glas with sons Isaac (blacksmith) and Thomas (labourer). She is recorded as having been born outside the county of Shropshire. I have been unable to find their marriage in Shropshire and intend following up a lead in Kingswinford, Stafford. The name of the blacksmith at Pant Glas before Thomas was not Jones so he did not take over from his father and could well have moved to Pant Glas with his wife from outside the area or county.
The 1851 census shows Isaac (36, blacksmith) at Pant Glas with wife, Sarah, and 2 children. Isaac died in 1858, aged 43, and the 1861 census shows Sarah has remarried and is living with her children in Keele, Staffs.
GAJ Nov 2009
Thomas Jones marriage to Catherine ~ 1797 Update
I visited the Dudley Archives at the end of January 2010 and found the marriage of Thomas Jones and Catherine Marsh on 3.09.1798. I was hoping to find an ‘Elias’ link but marriage records at that time did not record fathers’ names. I looked for baptisms for Thomas (b ~ 1770) and Catherine (b ~ 1774) but was unsuccessful and so without names of parents I could not look for siblings named Elias.
The Family Search website shows a baptism for a Catherine Marsh in Segley, Staffs on 16.03.1779. Assuming she was baptised soon after birth it makes her old enough for the Kingswinford marriage but 5 years too young to be the right person. It is looking unlikely that the Kingswinford marriage is the one for our Thomas Jones.
Using the idea of a possible Elias link as father or brother of Thomas I used Family Search to look for baptisms of Elias Jones as a brother to Thomas but had no success. Next I searched for Elias Jones marriages (1750 – 1770) as possible father to Thomas and had two interesting hits : 1764 in Handsworth, Staffs and 1760 in Hereford. Further searches showed the Handsworth marriage produced 3 children but no Thomas. However, the Hereford marriage of Elias Jones and Ann Howells 20.04.1760 produced 6 children, one of whom was Thomas b August 1769.
Following on from this I found 2 Hereford marriages, both in 1797, for Thomas Jones to Catherine. This is looking hopeful but I will need to visit Hereford Archives to find out more.
GAJ Feb 2010
Thomas Jones 1770 – 1829 Update
In April 2010 I visited Hereford Archives to look into the possibility of a Hereford connection. The IGI Family Search website had given a couple of leads :-
1. Thomas son of Elias Jones and Ann was baptised 13 Aug 1769 at All Saints Hereford. (this date is consistent with his age, 59, recorded at his burial, 30 Apr 1829)
2. Two marriages in Herefordshire (Dulas 30 Dec and Kentchurch 25 Oct) and one near Hereford (Stottesden 4 May) in 1797 between Thomas Jones and Catherine.
Thomas and Catherine’s first child, Elizabeth, was born 10.09.1797 and baptised 1.10.1797 in Selattyn. This puts the Dulas and Kentchurch weddings in doubt but not out of the question. Other factors :-
a. Dulas I discovered a Thomas and Catherine Jones who had children baptised in Dulas in 1798 and 1801. This seems to rule out the Dulas wedding.
b. Kentchurch I discovered a Thomas and Catherine Jones who had children baptised in Staunton by Monmouth, Gloucester in 1802, 1804 and 1807. In the Kentchurch wedding Thomas was from Stanton, Gloucester. Could this be the same couple ? If so, it seems to rule out the Kentchurch wedding.
c. Stottesden Although the marriage date, 4 May 1797, is more likely I had initially ruled it out because Stottesden is in Shropshire and in the 1841 census Catherine is recorded as being born outside Shropshire. However, I have discovered that the parish of Stottesden and Farlow spans Shropshire and Herefordshire and it is possible that this Catherine lived in Herefordshire.
My next step is to go to Shrewsbury records office and investigate this Stottesden possibility :-
* find marriage record - where are Thomas and Catherine from ?
* find baptism for Catherine - names of parents and place of baptism.
* did they stay in this area after the marriage - any children baptised in the area with parents Thomas and Catherine Jones ?
GAJ May 2010
Thomas Jones Update
I visited Shropshire archives in September and found the Stottesdon marriage of Thomas Jones and Catherine Cook. It does not give names of parents but does mention witnesses, John Jones and Jane Reynolds. Thomas, son of Elias from Hereford, had a brother called John. Both Thomas and Catherine are described as 'from this parish'.
I found a baptism in Stottesdon for Catherine Cook on 25.11.1773 which fits in with her age at death in 1848 as 74 years. I searched the baptisms at Stottesdon and Farlow from 1797 to 1806 for children from marriage of Thomas Jones and Catherine but found none which could imply that they moved away (Selattyn ?).
This information does not prove that I have the right couple but there are a number points in its favour. It would be nice if I could show that this Thomas Jones was a blacksmith.
The IGI search also picked up 3 other possible marriages. Two were rather late, 1799, in Shrewsbury and in Cheadle and the third was in 1795 in Carmarthen. The Shrewsbury marriage can be discounted because they appear to have had children baptised in that area. I have not checked up on the Cheadle or Carmarthen possibilities.
GAJ Sep 2010