David Davies and Family

By Kent Davis

David Davies (1799-1865), I believe, was born in Aberporth, Cardigan, Wales in about 1799 (see 1851 census for Manmoel, Monmouth, Wales pg. 840+) the son of John Davies (I have not found a record that lists the name of David's mother, in his temple journal John Davis listed his Grandmother Davies as Mrs. John Davies). The Parish record for Aberporth, Cardigan, Wales does not have any baptism records prior to 1811 so I was unable to find a record of a John Davies family in this Parish.

The Davies surname is found throughout Wales with its main concentration centered in Cardigan on the west coast of Wales. After a survey of the 1841 and 1851 censuses of Aberporth it appears that most of the men were fishermen or day laborers. Although David may have been born there his family may have left there, to work in the mines in the Merthyr Tydfil and Bedwellty area.

David Davies married Mary Lleashon or Leyshon on the 16th of April 1821 in the Parish of Bedwelty, Monmouth, England (FHL film #104847 pg. 98 #295). David worked as a Collier, Coal Miner and Smith Sticker (Census & marriage record listed occupations). David and Mary had seven children that I have record of, Esther 1824, David 1826, Thomas 1828, Mary 1830, Jane 1834, John 1839 and Hannah 1841.

I found David Davies & Mary his wife in the 1841 Census for Manmoel or Manhoel, Tredegar District, Bedwelty Parish, Monmouth, England (film #438846 District #17). David 40 (not born in county), Mary 35, David 15, Ester 15, Thomas 13, Mary 11, Jane 7, & John 1 year 4 months. Mary Lleashon Davies died 5 August 1846 in Aberdare, Glamorgan, Wales (cause of death childbirth).

After the death of his first wife David Davies married again 15 February 1847, Martha Harris (1818-1853) from Pembroke, Wales, residence Tram Road, Merthyr Tydfil, Glamorgan (see British Civil Registration, Merthyr Tydfil District #219). At the time of his second marriage David indicated, on the marriage register, that his father John Davies, was a "Smith" who was still living.

David and Martha had three children, Samson, William & Christiana, who all died in infancy in about 1853 (see John Davis Temple Journal FHL film #673275). The family was listed in the 1851 census for Manmoel, Bedwelty, Monmouth, Wales (film #104185, pg. 840+) David 52 years, born Aberporth, Cardigan; Martha 33 years, born Pembroke; John 11 years; Hannah 9 years; Samson 2 years and William 6 months. It appears that his second wife Martha may also have died in March of 1853 (see British Civil Registry for 1852 & 1853).

Using the information from David Davies second marriage I tried to find his father John Davies in the 1851 and 1841 census for Bedwelty and Merthyr Tydfil, Wales, but was unable to identify a matching John Davies, in the census records for these places.

John Davies (1839-1918), David and Mary Davies' youngest son, indicates that the whole family joined the LDS Church in about 1850. But I was unable to identify the David and Mary Davies' family in the LDS Branches of Tredegar (film #104172), Ebby Vale, Rhymney (film #104171), Pontypool (film #104171) or Merthyr Tydfil (film #104170).

John also indicated that he and his father left Wales and emigrated to America in 1853 (In the 1900 & 1910 census John indicated that he emigrated in 1859). John states in a letter in 1917 that he had one brother, David and four sister, Esther, Jane, Mary and Ann who stayed in Wales when he and his father came to America. John wrote in his Temple Journal that his father died in Youngstown, Ohio in 1865 (See John Davis' temple journal film #673275, letter at back of journal).

I have looked but I have not been able to find any record of David Davies in the Ohio, Pennsylvania or New York censuses for 1860 or on a ship's passenger list for that time period.

Thomas Davies (1828-1892) joined the LDS Church in Wales, he was baptized the 3 March 1849. I believe I found a LDS Church record for Thomas and his brother David in the Merthyr Tydfil Branch membership record (see FHL film #104170 item 2 page 14). The Church record indicates that Thomas was ordained an Elder the 26 June 1851 by Richard Morris. Thomas was listed in the 1851 census for Lower Merthyr Tydfil, Glamorgan, Wales, age 23 years, miner (See FHL fiche #6344785-6).

Thomas married Ann Thomas (1828-1861) in Merthyr Tydfil, Glamorgan, Wales the 2 August 1852 (See British Civil Registration, Merthyr Tydfil District #136). The Marriage Certificate listed Ann's father as David Thomas, Farmer, deceased.

I believe I found Ann Thomas in the Merthyr Tydfil Branch LDS church records, with mother Ann Thomas, 63 years and brother William. Ann's birth date 11 March 1827, Baptized 16 March 1848, age 21 years. Also I believe I found her in the 1851 census for Merthyr Tydfil, her age 22 years and birth place Penderyn, Brecon, Wales. She was listed with her mother Ann Thomas, age 67 years and brothers Lewis 40 years and William 18 years.

In the LDS Church British Mission Registry for April 1856 (FHL film #25691 pg. 102) I found a Thomas Davies, miner, age 28 years, with wife Ann age 28 years, a Hannah Davies, spinster, age 15 years and an Anne Thomas, widow, age 74 years. I believe that Hannah Davies (b. 1841) is Thomas' sister and Anne Thomas (b. 1782) is Anne's mother. They sailed from Liverpool on 19 April 1856, on the ship S. Curling and arrived in Boston on 23 May 1856.

I found the Sealing record for Thomas Davis and his first wife Ann Thomas in the Endowment House Record for 18 October 1862. The record gave her date of birth as June 1828 & place as Glamorgan, Wales and death date as 24 March 1861 & death place as Pomeroy, Ohio.

I have searched the 1860 censuses for Ohio, W. Virginia and Pennsylvania but I have not been able to find Thomas Davies and his wife Anne or Hannah Davies in these census records.

Thomas Davis married Sophia Caroline Vickery (1844-1919), 24 May 1861 in Pomeroy, Megis, Ohio. They were sealed in the Endowment House the 18 October 1862 (See Megis County, Ohio records and LDS Church Endowment House records).

Thomas Davies was listed in "Persons Indebted to the P.E. Fund" for 1861 with his father-in-law Arthur Vickery. I have searched the Journal History for the group he may have crossed the plains with but was unable to find him. Most of the groups that crossed the plains in 1861 did not have a roster of members published in the Deseret News or Journal History of the LDS Church (this was the first year of the Civil War).

When they came to Utah the Davies' first settled in the Tooele area (Rush Valley) in 1861. They then moved to Holden, Millard, Utah in 1869 and then to Huntington, Emery, Utah in 1885. The family joined the United Order in 1874 (See Ward Membership Records). Thomas was the Huntington, Emery Co., Cemetery Sexton from 1886 until his death in 1892 (See Emery County History).

The family was in the 1870 census of Holden Utah and in the 1880 census for Huntington, Utah with a last name of Davies but Sophia was listed as Davis for the 1900 & 1910 census for Huntington, Utah. LDS Church records in Wales used the family name of Davies while stateside Church records used the family name of Davis.

Thomas and Sophia had ten children. In Rush Valley Mary Ann 1867, in Holden Esther 1869, David 1872, Rose Hannah 1874, George Arthur 1876 (my grandfather), Elizabeth 1876, Susan Caroline 1878, Fanny May 1884, in Huntington James 1889 & Janet 1889. Elizabeth and James died shortly after birth.