Wales of Old
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Richard JONES & the Horeb Chapel
(Dwygyfylchi, Caernarfonshire)
Pictures and family history provided by
Pat Smith (née Jones) of St Louis, Missouri, USA
Photographs of Dwygyfylchi by Tony Carr, originally of
Penmaenmawr, Caernarfonshire
Pat's great great great grandfather was Richard JONES, born Dec 26th, 1816, and baptised on Jan 6th, 1817 at Horeb Independent Chapel in the village of Dwygyfylchi, Caernarfonshire.
The document (left) is a certificate issued in 1888, validating the original chapel records of Richard's baptism, sixty years earlier.
We'll examine the certificate more closely later.
Dwygyfylchi is a small village on the North Wales coast, between Penmaenmawr and Conwy. Horeb Independent Chapel is shown in the two photographs below.
Above and below: Horeb Independent Chapel, Dwygyfylchi, established circa 1813.
The next series of pictures shows details of the certificate authenticating the record of Richard Jones's baptism. Each picture is followed by a transcript of the wording.
CERTIFICATE or STATEMENT, to accompany Register Books,
as recommended in the Circular.
To the Commissioners for inquiring into the State, Custody, and Authenticity of
Non-parochial Registers.
The annexed or accompanying Book is (or are) the original Register Book
of of Births and Baptisms
which has been kept for the Chapel or Meeting-house, called Horeb near Conway
being of the Independent denomination, situate in
the Parish of Dwygyfylchi in the County of Carnarvon
founded about the year 1813 :-
The Book sent has been from time to time in the custody of the
Minister for the time being, of the Congregation; and is (or are)
sent to the Commissioners from the immediate custody of the Minister
of Horeb Chapel in the Parish of Dwygyfylchi
who has kept it (or them) since 1813.
Signed the Twentysixth day of March 1888
William Jones Minister.
Below: Two photographs of St Gwynan's Church, the parish church of Dwygyfylchi.
Above: St Gwynan's viewed from the approach road.
Below: St Gwynan's Church and the lychgate entrance to the graveyard.
Richard JONES married Ellen (?), who gave birth to William on Christmas Day 1838. William married Ann WATSON in 1857. Their son Francis JONES (Pat's great grandfather) was born in 1864 and emigrated to America. There, in 1888, he married Mary Ann Barbara WEIDINGER at The Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Atlanta, Georgia.
Left: Ann JONES, née WATSON (1839 - 1921), Pat's great great grandmother. According to family legend, Ann was around 6ft 2ins tall and weighed about 210 pounds.
The two photographs below show Pat's great grandparents, together with some of their family.
Below left: Francis JONES and his bride Mary Ann Barbara WEIDINGER, probably on their wedding day in 1888. Pat says Mary Ann was standing with her knees bent so she wouldn't appear taller than her husband. |
 
Above right: Francis and Mary Ann surrounded by their family (circa 1910).
Back row (L to R): Daughters Mary Gertrude (1896 - ?) and Anne Kathryne (1889 - 1973), and son Francis Andrew (1891 - 1922)
Seated (L to R): Mary Ann Barbara (1866 - 1948), and Francis (1864 - 1917)
Far right: Daughter Clara Aloysia (1899 - ?)
At the front: Daughter Loretta Genevieve (1906 - 1987)
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Left: Francis Andrew JONES and his sister Anna Kathryne.
Below: The front and back of a postcard written Feb 13th, 1910 in Lithonia, and postmarked Feb 16th, Atlanta, Georgia, by Francis Andrew JONES to his grandfather William JONES in Wales. The photograph shows Andrew sitting at the wheel of a "buggy". Pat says this postcard is her prized possesion.
Sources
Pat says: I got the information about Richard JONES, my great great grandfather, at the LDS Family History Centre. The birth register in the Bishop's Transcripts for Dwygyfylchi Parish stated:
Richard, the son of Richard JONES of Ty-mawr, in the Parish of Dwygyfylchi, by Ann his wife, was born Dec 26th 1816 and Baptized the 6th of Jan 1817, by William Jones. (Minister of the Horeb Independent Chapel)
There are also birth registers for Richard's sisters, Jane and Elizabeth.
Can you help Pat with her research?
She says:
"One of my problems is how to figure out where Richard JONES is buried. Horeb Chapel does not have a cemetery. Any suggestions?"
If you can help Pat find her ancestors' graves, or if you can help her in any other way, please e-mail her - she'll be delighted to hear from you.
You can also find out more about Pat's family history by visiting her website at:
http://www.hometown.aol.com/msmith3030/myhomepage/heritage.html
Pronunciation
Are you curious about how Welsh people pronounce names such as Dwygyfylchi and Penmaenmawr? If so, visit the Sounds of Wales page of my website, where you'll find sound files giving the pronunciation of these and over 220 other Welsh place-names.
Acknowledgement
Many thanks to Pat Smith for allowing me to use her old photographs and to Tony Carr for the photos of Horeb Chapel and St Gwynan's Church.
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