REES LEWIS (1784 - 1873) and HIS FAMILY

My great great great grandfather Rees Lewis came from what only can be termed "an interesting family"

His brothers and sisters were as follows

REES LEWIS my great great great grandfather (grandfather x 3) was born at Tynwain Farm, Llanafan Fawr, Breconshire in 1784 (baptised in Llanafan Fawr 5th December 1784), the second youngest in the family. From the records we can roughly plot his life but some of the information does require further verification 

The area that is unclear concerns his marriages. It is believed that Rees first married a MARGARET EVANS, though I have no detail when or where. Margaret was born around 1785, and she died at Llysdinam, Breconshire, around 1816. Rees and Margaret had a son, who's name is unknown at present. It is said that he married below Brecon, and became a Bailiff of Bye tack?
REES next marriage was with a MARGARET PRICE on the 4th December 1815, in St Gwrthwl's Church, Llanwrthwl, Breconshire. Margaret was the daughter of EINON and SARAH PRICE, born at Tywaun, Llanafan Fawr, Breconshire. The obvious conclusion that can be drawn is that his first wife died circa 1815 but I have no evidence as yet to support this.

 REES and MARGARET LEWIS (nee PRICE) had the following children:-

1. ANN LEWIS born. 1826 in Llysdinam, Breconshire. ANN was my great great grandmother and my link with the LEWIS family

          2. Benjamin Lewis. ( no detail ), Believed to have gone to live in the USA.

          3. Margaret Lewis. ( no detail ) d. 1862.

4. Thomas Lewis. born circa 1816 at Llanwrthwl, Breconshire

5. Sarah Lewis. born circa 1822 at Llanwrthwl, Breconshire

There is also an entry in the Baptism Register, at Llanwrthwl, showing the baptism of a girl, Catherine Price born 1817, said to be the daughter of Rees Lewis and Ann Price, whilst it is not proved that Rees is the Father.

The 1861 census shows Rees Lewis and Margaret Price living at Tynpant, Llanfihangel, Bry Pabuan, Breconshire, along with his daughter Sarah Bowen and her family.

The 1871 census shows Rees Lewis as a Lodger aged 88yrs with his daughter Sarah Bowen and her family at Wellfield, Llanwrthwl, Breconshire, Margaret Price has passed away over the last few years.

Rees Lewis died on the 3rd May 1873, in Wellfield, Llanwrthwl, Breconshire, and was buried on the 8th May 1873, at Newbridge Baptist Church, Llanyre, Radnorshire.

DAVID (1745 - 1792) and MARGARET LEWIS (1752 - 1835)

  

Rees Lewis's father and my great great great great grandfather (grandfather x 4) was a DAVID LEWIS who was christened in Llanafan on Wednesday 1st September 1745. There is a record of his christening that is written in Latin

 

He married MARGARET DAVIES on 28th November 1768 in St Cannen's Church, Llangarten, Cilnery, Breconshire. Margaret at the time of the marriage was 16 years old and was the daughter of William Furbelow (born 1724 Llanafan Fawr) and a woman called Davies whose Christian name is not known.

There is a record of the Banns of Marriage

"Banns of Marriage between David Lewis of the parish of Llanafan Fawr and Margaret Davies of this parish were published on the      three Sundays underwritten. That is to say 30th October, 6th November,13th November 1768"

As you can see from the dates Margaret was already pregnant on her Wedding Day with their first son David who was named after his father. They then had a further three boys and four girls in the next eighteen years. They were no more children from that marriage after 1786 due to the fact that at the Quarter Sessions (17th April 1787) David received a sentence of seven years transportation for stealing a turkey and a ploughshare. I have detailed the facts that I know to date about the actual transportation in 1791 and its aftermath. A copy of the original verdict is posted as well

The sentence meant that he was taken from his family and probably transferred to a prison hulk before being transported. He left three children under the age of four.

While he was awaiting transportation his wife MARGARET (nee Davies) was tried for the murder of her bastard child. She was found not guilty and returned to Llanafan Fawr where she became a midwife and lived another 46 years. It must have been an incredibly brave thing to do as twenty three local people had testified against her at her trial and the executions of David's brother and nephew took place soon after.

In fact David's wife MARGARET LEWIS lived until September 1833. She was buried on the 15th of the month at St Afan's, in Llanafan Fawr - she never saw her husband again. Unfortunately the records of Margaret's family are poor and so it looks as though we will be unable to go further into her background

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NOTES on CHARLES LEWIS (1786 - 1851)

Charles Lewis was born in 1786, at Tywaun, Llanafan Fawr, Breconshire.
He was baptized at St. Afan's Church, Llanafan Fawr, Breconshire, 27th July 1786.
He married Sarah Price on the 22nd January 1812, at St Gwrthwl's Church, Llanwrthwl, Breconshire.

Sarah was born 1792, to Einon and Sarah Price.
She was Baptized at St. Gwrthwl's. on the 27th March 1792.
Charles and Sarah had the following children:-

Ann Price born. at Llanerchcawr. Baptized as Ann Price, at Llanwrthwl on 7th April 1816. Ann was not sired by Charles Lewis, but later adopted by her.

Mary Lewis born. Probably at Tanrallt cottage. Baptized on the 6th September 1818.

Richard Lewis born. Nantycar. Baptized at Llanwrthwl on the 19th September 1821.

Sarah Lewis born. Gro Uchaf, Llanwrthwl, Breconshire. Baptized 12th June 1824.

Elizabeth Lewis born. Gro Uchaf, Llanwrthwl, Breconshire. Baptized 6th February 1827.

Anne Lewis born. Gro Uchaf, Llanwrthwl, Breconshire. Baptized 5th December 1829.

Sarah Price died in 1832, and was buried at Llanwrthwl Church on the 17th November1832, at the age of 40.

Charles remarried to:- Elizabeth Lewis, at St. Gwrthwl's Church, Llanwrthwl, on the 17th May 1839. No children have been found from this marriage.

The census of 1851, shows Charles and Elizabeth resident at Pen-him-bren, Cwmdeuddwr, Radnorshire. Charles is shown as 63, Elizabeth as 59, born in 1792 at Llanbadarn, Cardiganshire. Also in residence is Charles son Richard, unmarried aged 28, employed as a labourer.

Charles died at Pen-him-bren, Cwmdeuddwr, Radnorshire on the 19th May 1851.

I have no record of Elizabeth's death.

NOTE

In May 2021 I received an email from a reader of this article who sent me three images of a clock that bore the makers name "Rees Lewis Newbridge"

 

The question raised was whether or not the clocks were made by my great great great grandfather Rees Lewis. The Census has Rees down as a farmer and then a bailiff but it was not at all unusual for people to have secondary occupations. The dates the clocks were made tie in and Rees was buried in Newbridge Baptist Church Llanyre Radnorshire on 8th May 1873. But as things stand I cannot state categorically that the clocks were made by my great great great grandfather.

This page was last updated on 07/02/26 15:46