THE FAMILY OF DAVID LEWIS

DAVID LEWIS also came from a large family. In fact he was of eleven children who were born to MORGAN SIMON LEWIS - JOHN (Born 1706 in Llanafan Fawr) and ELEANOR POWELL (Born 1710 in Llanafan Fawr). Eleanor was the eldest daughter of RICE DAVID POWELL. From the information one of the results of this marriage was that the family for several generations afterwards had red or sandy hair. Morgan and Eleanor were married on 29th July 1727 at St Afan's Church in Llanafan and their first son was born four months later!

The Lewis Family in the eighteenth century were infamous throughout the region as you will see

• Morgan Lewis was christened in Llanafan Fawr on 12th November 1727 and died 76 years later at Pantoilu Cottage Llanafan. He was buried on 11th February 1803. From what we can ascertain Morgan had a somewhat eventful life. He was sentenced for transportation in 1753 for Cattle Stealing but whilst he was being escorted to the ship he escaped. He married an Anne Bedward on Sunday 26th February 1741 and it looks as though he remarried for there is an entry in the Register stating that Morgan Lewis married a Mary Lewis on 31st January 1758 at St Gwrthwl's Llanafan.

• Elizabeth Lewis was christened in Llanafan Fawr on 13th May 1729 and was buried later the same month on 30th May

• Rees Simon Lewis was christened in Llanafan Fawr on 14th June 1730 and died 67 years later on in Pantioilu, Llanafan Fawr. He was buried Friday 7th July 1797 at St Afan's, Lllanafan Fawr. He was involved in the cattle steaing incident with his brother Morgan but he turned Kings Evidence and blamed his eldest brother for the whole affair. He married a Joan Jones who was 12 years younger than himself and had nine children. Joan died Monday 12th June 1797 Pantioilu, Llanafan Fawr and was buried four days later in Llanafan. Rees Simon as he was known farmed the Nefel farm in Llanafan Fawr. Rees Simon and Joan had the following children

• Margaret Lewis christened 6th May 1762 in Llanafan Fawr

• Elinor Lewis christened 29th April 1764 in Llanafan Fawr. She married a Rees Evans at St Afan's, Llanafan Fawr on Tuesday 14th February 1792. She died on Saturday 9th January 1841 at Shop Y Gof,llanfihangel, Bryn PaBaun

• Rees Lewis christened 23rd December 1766 in Llanafan Fawr. Rees married a Magdalen Jones at St Afan's Church, Llanafan Fawr on Friday 21 May 1802.

• Morgan Lewis was christened on Sunday 28th May 1769 at Llanafan. He was an agricultural labourer at the time of his death aged 70. He died at Tybach, Llanafan Fawr

• Joan Lewis christened Sunday 22^nd December 1769 in Llanafan Fawr, Breconshire.
  Married Samuel Bowen Friday 9^th February 1798 St Afan’s Llanafan Fawr, Breconshire.
  Children: Margaret (June 1798) Elinor (January 1801) Joan (January 1803) Mary (January 1805) Rees (January 1807) – last four born at Ty Malachi, Llysdinam).Samuel (1809) Daniel (1812) Elizabeth (1814)

  Joan died December 10^th 1859

        Samuel Bowen died Dec 17 1862 Hengenau,Llanfihangel Bryn Pabuan

• Lewis Lewis christened Sunday 19^th June 1774 in Tyncwm Llanafan Fawr , Breconshire Married Friday 30^th August 1799. Lydia Bowen (born 1775 Nantmel) at St Afan’s Llanafan Fawr, Breconshire. Seven Children Edward (1799) Elizabeth (1803) Rees (1806) Thomas (1809) David (1813) Evan (1814)

Occupation: Labourer and Shepherd

Lewis died 9th May 1845 at, Troedrhiwgogh, Llanfihangel LBP. –

          Lydia died Thursday 17^th June 1869 Crogaufach LBP. Buried St Afans , Llanafan Fawr, Breconshire

• Rowland Lewis christened Sunday 3rd November 1776 at Tyncwm, Llanafan Fawr and died at the age of 36 on Friday 5th February 1813. at the time of his death he was a Farmer. Rowland was buried three days later at Llanfihangel, Bryn PaBaun. He married a Charlotte Jones (Born 1778 in Llanafan) on Saturday 21st July 1804 at St Afan's Church, Llanafan. Charlotte lived another forty four years before she died on Friday 16th January 1857 at Tydbuan, Llanwrthwl.

• Elizabeth Lewis born 1779 in Llanafan Fawr, Breconshire. Baptised Wednesday 17^th March 1779 Tyncwm Llanafan Fawr

• David Lewis  born 1781 in Llanafan Fawr, Breconshire. Baptised Sunday 4^th March 1779 Tyncwm Llanafan Fawr

• Meredith Lewis born 1785 in Llanafan Fawr, Breconshire Baptised Sunday 16th January 1785 Tyncwm Llanafan Fawr. Went to live in Hereford and married there
  
   

• Eleanor Lewis was christened in Llanafan Fawr on 5th September 1731. She married a James Thomas Daniel James. One of her grandchildren a Rees Evans was also transported

• Joanna Lewis was christened in Llanafan Fawr on 29th June 1733 Married James, James Thomas David, Pencraig Feb 18 1757. Eight children. Died Mar 1819 Builth

• SIMON LEWIS was christened in Llanafan Fawr on 29th June 1736 and died in Brecon 2nd September 1791. He was married at St Afan's        Llanafan Fawr on 5th August 1757 to a SARAH DAVIES. They had seven children. However what was more noticeable about Simon Lewis or Lewis Lewis The Elder is that he was hung for being an accomplice to murder outside the same gaol as his son Lewis was hung two years earlier. Lewis Simon was hung on 2nd September 1791, in Brecon Gaol Breconshire for inciting his son's Lewis and Thomas, to murder.

The above is a copy of the actual court record Court Journal 27th Aug 1791 that was taken at the time sentence was passed. I came across this article in the Library of Wales and it is the first indication that Lewis Lewis the Elder was executed in Sept 1791.

Following the hanging of her husband Sarah had to vacate the farm in which they dwelt as tenants. She lived in a "Poor House", called Gravolen, on nearby farmland. She died a pauper.

• Thomas Lewis who was born in Llanafan Fawr in January 1759. Thomas was tried for murder along with his father and brother Lewis, however he turned Kings evidence, thus he did not suffer the same fate. Died. 1849 in Penrhiwbaedd nr Pontypool, Monmouthshire.

• LEWIS LEWIS who was born on 16th March 1763 in Llanafan Fawr. He is probably the most infamous member of the family to date for it was LEWIS who was  hanged in public outside Brecon Goal on 28th August 1789 for the murder of Thomas Price

• David Lewis born at the Nefel Llanafan Fawr 22nd January 1768. David was charged and acquitted of sheep stealing

William Lewis born 1771, in Llanafan Fawr, Breconshire. Christened Sunday 25^th August 1771 Llanafan Fawr, Breconshire. Married Diana Davies (b 1759) Friday 22 May 1795 St Afan’s Llanafan Fawr, Breconshire Died Tydwr Llanafan Fawr, Breconshire Buried Thursday 9^th August 1838 St Afan’s Llanafan Fawr, Breconshire

• Rees Lewis born in Pennygarth Llanafan Fawr and christened on 16th December 1773. He died at Tynganfa, Llanafan Fawr and was buried on Thursday 17 December 1846 at St Afan's. He was 73 at the time of death.

• James Lewis was born at Pengraig Llanafan Fawr  and christened on 6th April 1777

• John Lewis was born  in Llanafan Fawr and christened on 5th September 1780. John's occupation was a Labourer. He died in 1851 at Cwmculle Uchaf.

Simon Lewis was also known as Lewis Lewis the Elder and was implicated in the murder of Thomas along with his sons Thomas and Lewis. He was found guilty of assisting in the murder and was hung outside Brecon Goal on Friday 2nd September 1791

• Elizabeth Lewis was christened at Llanafan Fawr on 2nd November 1738

• Catherine Lewis was christened at Llanafan Fawr on 20th March 1743

• DAVID LEWIS my great great great great grandfather was christened in Llanafan Fawr on 1st September 1745. He was transported to Australia in 1791 for stealing a turkey and a ploughshare. He died within a year of reaching New South Wales. There is a record in the Archive Office (AO5001 page41 V1792 807 Vol 2a) that states the following "11 June 1792 David Lewis of Paramatta a convict buried at Paramatta. Reg held Paramatta A."

• Details of his family are on the page of his son Rees Lewis

• JOHN LEWIS was christened in Llanafan Fawr 13th September 1747 and so he was about two years younger than his brother David. He married a woman by the name of ELIZABETH SAMUEL and they had four children

  1. John who was christened  in Pantilou Llanafan Fawr on Saturday 22nd July 1769

  2. Roger, who was christened in Llanafan Fawr on Thursday 4th February 1773

  3. Sarah, who was christened in Llanafan Fawr on Sunday 10th March  1776

  4. Morgan who was christened in Cwmwynfel, Llanafan Fawr on Sunday 3rd July 1785

  John had the same fate as his elder brother David. Convicted of sheep stealing he was initially sentenced to death but was later reprieved by a pardon. Instead he was sentenced to 14 years transportation. Full details of the trial and its aftermath can be found by using the John Lewis link

• Jane Lewis was christened at Llanafan Fawr 26th June 1750 and was the youngest of the eleven children

MORGAN SIMON LEWIS-JOHN and ELEANOR were my great great great great great grandparents (grandparentsx5). MORGAN was the son of SIMON and ELIZABETH LEWIS-JOHN and was born in 1706 in Llanafan Fawr in 1706. Elenor was four years younger having been born in 1710 in Llanafan Fawr. She was buried on Monday 14th 1791 aged 81 "at the expense of the Parish"

Return to the Rees Lewis Page

Return to main Family History Page

This page was last updated on 07/08/07 11:24