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I am trying to find anything about John Robert Davies before 1901. I have his marriage certificate. He married Mary Ann Christie in Llangollen 1896. It shows his father as John Rees Davies (deceased).I have failed totally to find out anything about John Rees Davies. I sent for birth cerificates for the two Robert John Davies who were born in the correct year and registered in Corwen. One was born in the work house, his mother was Mary Davies and no father. The other was born in Llantysilio with a mother Gwen Davies and no father. We found this child's baptism record in the church in Bryn Eglwys which looks hopeful in the light of the 1911 census where he is down as born in Bryn Eglwys but we have not proof that it is our John Robert Davies. We know that he had a sister Margaret who married a ? Matthews. We have found some hopefuls but the father is never John Rees Davies. That is the sticking point each time. Any help would be great, this is a real stone wall. He is my husband's grandfather. Thanks Ann

Are there other postings about this?

It all seems very familiar....................

I have never posted before so if there is another one like it out there I would love to see it as it may well be someone looking for the same John Robert Davies. We only just got the Bryneglwys stuff this July while staying in the area. Ann

It might pay you to try search trees........

You refer to his having a sister....have you found them together on any census records?

I found this census record for 1871 which looks hopeful but for the father who is Thomas Davies.

Name: John Robert Davis
Age: 2
Estimated birth year: abt 1869
Gender: Male
Where born: Bryneglwys, Denbighshire, Wales
Civil parish: [Llangar]
Ecclesiastical parish: Llantysilio
Town: Cymmo
County/Island: Merionethshire
Country: Wales
Registration district: Corwen
Sub-registration district: Corwen
ED, institution, or vessel: 10
Household schedule number: 39
Household Members:
Name Age
Thomas Davis 54
Mary Ann Davis 51
Margreat Davis 10
John Robert Davis 2

Then there is this one for 1871
Name: John Davies
Age: 5
Estimated birth year: abt 1866
Relation: Son
Father's Name: Thomas
Mother's Name: Gwen
Gender: Male
Where born: Llanychan, Denbighshire, Wales
Civil parish: Llanychan
County/Island: Denbighshire
Country: Wales
Registration district: Ruthin
Sub-registration district: Ruthin
ED, institution, or vessel: 2
Household schedule number: 6
Household Members:
Name Age
Thomas Davies 51
Gwen Davies 47
Samuel Davies 13
David Davies 11
Margaret Davies 9
John Davies 5


I do not know if his sister is older or younger. There is a marriage record for Margaret Davies marrying Joseph Matthews in the Corwen registration office 1893. We know his sister married a Matthews but this is not a lot to go on.

Family stories are that all the males were either John Robert or Robert John so we did a lot of research on those grounds until we got the marriage certificate and that threw it all into chaos. I often wonder of John Rees Davies could be a mistake!

Ann