Rees Williams (1855) [No Longer Considered a Match]

William's son Rees was likely living at 8 Upper St, Dowlais in 1871 with the Henry Jones family, working as a grocer's apprentice.

Dowlais Cholera Epidemics

Dowlais, along with many areas in Wales, experienced cholera epidemics that took the lives of many Welsh during the hot summers of 1849,1854 and 1866. Given that William's daughter Eleanor was shown in the 1851 census but none after, and son William was shown on the 1861 census but none after, it is possible that Eleanor died in the 1854 epidemic, and William in 1866. Merely a wild conjecture, but could later prove to be true. I will try to determine if there is any record of our Williams ancestors buried in the Pant Cemetery, a huge cemetery to the north of Dowlais. Hopefully this endeavor will provide more concrete birth and death dates, thus aiding my continued search.

10/27/08 I discovered that Eleanor actually died in November 1852 and was buried at the cemetery of St. John the Baptist Church in Dowlais, where her parents were married and her mother was later laid to rest. There was no record of William's or any other relatives' burial at this church.

Edward Williams of Llanddewi Brefi [No Longer Considered a Match]

According to a 11 Mar 1845 UK General Registrar Office marriage certificate, a William Williams and Mary Griffiths were married in the Dowlais Church in Glamorganshire, Wales. William's father was listed as Edward and Mary's as Thomas. Unfortunately the age of William and Mary was just listed as "of full age," so there is still some uncertainty. That said, William and Mary's first son was named Edward, and he was born in 1846, the year after this particular marriage. William and Mary were married by a E. Jenkins, and the marriage witnesses were a Joseph Davies and Margaret Morgan. Everyone but Jenkins left their mark, indicating that they were illiterate. William's profession was listed as a labourer.

A fellow Cardiganshire researcher, named Annie, discovered that a Edward Williams and Mary Edwards who were married 20 Dec 1812 in Llanddewi Brefi had a son who was born 29 Jan 1816, but the son's name was not listed. Since William was born c1816, it is plausible that this could be his parents.

Williams at War II

Thomas Richard Williams, the son of Thomas and Agnes Williams, only had two years of high school and was working as a petroleum storage technician or welder, during World War II (WWII), when he enlisted into the army at the rank of private on 16 Mar 1943. At the time of his enlistment, Thomas was listed at 5’ 6” tall. Thomas served in the 556^th Automatic Weapons Battalion, Headquarters Battery, in Europe from 1943 to 1945. During WWII, Thomas lost his right leg. He became an active life member of the Disabled American Veterans, Amputee Chapter 70, and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1810 in Brentwood, Pittsburgh, PA.

Williams at War

Thomas is likely the second from the left in the front row. (From Gilbert Fiero's Collection)

Thomas E. Williams, David’s lastborn, was short and slender with brown hair and blue eyes. In 1910, Thomas was working as a barber’s apprentice and living with his sister Margaret and her husband, Albert Gerwig, at 904 Bingham St, South Pittsburgh.

On 5 June 1917, Thomas was living at 72 13^th St and working as a driver for the Pittsburgh Transfer Company (307 Carson St, Pittsburgh), when he registered for the World War I (WWI) draft. Thomas entered the service on 10 Feb 1918, and served as a wagoner in the 318^th Field Hospital, 80^th Division (“Blue Ridge” Division”), under the command of Major General Adelbert Cronkhite. Thomas would have gone to Camp Lee in Petersburg, VA for training, before embarking at Newport News, VA for France between 17 May and 9 Jun 1918. The 80^th Division took part in Somme Offensive, Meuse Argonne, and Picardy campaigns. In France, the 318^th Field Hospital worked as part of the 305^th Sanitary Train. Thomas received an honorable discharge at Camp Dix, NJ on 9 Jun 1919. His units history indicates that his colleagues referred to him as Little Willie Williams.

318^th Field Hospital, 80^th Division

Wagoneer Patch

318th Baseball Team, Thomas Williams second from left on top row

In 1920, home from the war, Thomas was renting a place at 1211 Bingham St and was working as a janitor at a bathhouse. At the time, his brothers Ivor and David J., and sister Harriett were living with Thomas. Later that year, Thomas lived at rear of 1820 Carson St.

Thomas married Agnes Fresh (b. 4/5 May 1897 in Cambria Co., PA) in 1920 in Pittsburgh. Thomas and Agnes had the following children:

Mary C. Williams, b. 16 Aug 1920, 11 Sep 1920, premature birth at 7.5 mos, buried at South Side Cemetery
Harriet M. b. 12 Dec 1921
Thomas Richard b. 28 Sep 1924

In 1930, Thomas and his family lived in a rental at 1910 Wright Way in South Pittsburgh, for which Thomas paid $18 a month, about $244 in 2014 dollars.  At the time, Thomas was working as a laborer in the frigate yards. When Thomas applied for his WWI service medal, which was approved on 28 Jan 1938, he and his family lived a few doors down at 1924 Wright Way.   Thomas died in Feb 1955.

Neighborhood where Williams family lived in Dowlais, Merthyr Tydfil, Wales. [No Longer Considered a Match]

Our DNA - R1b1b2 Haplogroup

The following are the known Y-markers for the DNA of the William Williams of Llanddewi Brefi line:


Irish tradition suggests that the Celtic people originated from a union of a Scythian and an Egyptian princess who took over Northern Spain before going on to conquer the British Isles. DNA similarities in recent years show strong similarities between the genetics of the Celts and Basques, who largely reside in Northern Spain. So not surprisingly, it looks like we are of the R1b1b2 haplogroup.

It is said that the Basques have primarily the O blood type and have the largest percentage of RH- of any other people by far at 33%. Again not so surprisingly, my blood type is O-.

David Thomas Williams (1850); First Williams to America

David Thomas Williams (b. Nov/Dec 1850, d. 9 Jul 1927) was likely born to Edward and Harriet Williams in Dowlais, Glamorganshire, Wales. David married a Mary Jenkins (b. c1856/57 in Dowlais), probably on 2 December 1873 in Dowlais. David worked as an iron puddler and lived with his family behind the Bear Inn in Dowlais in 1881. David and Mary had the following children while in Dowlais:

David John, b. 22 Feb 1874

Edward, b. 18 Sep 1875, d. 7 Feb 1924
William, b. Feb 1878, d. 4 May 1918 
Evan Leo, b. 18 Sep 1880, d. 16 Dec 1954

Sometime between the spring of 1881 and summer of 1882, David and his family moved to Stockton, Durham, England. While in Stockton. Mary gave birth to:

Harriett, b. 13 Apr 1883, d. 26 Sep 1927

In late June 1882, David left alone from Liverpool, England aboard the SS Parthia and arrived in New York on 6 Jul 1882, while the rest of his family remained behind in England for another three years, probably when he raised enough money for them to make the journey.        Mary Williams arrived in New York from Liverpool, England via Queenstown, Ireland aboard the SS Wyoming on 11 Aug 1885, with her children David, Edward, William, Evan and Harriett.

Given that son Ivor was born in Pennsylvania, by at least 1886 the family was living in the South Side of Pittsburgh in the town of Birmingham.

David and his family remained in the South Side of Pittsburgh through the remainder of his life. In 1900, David and his family were listed at 77 South 16^th Street in Ward 28. David was working as a “leity laborer.” As of 1906, the family was living at No. 2 South Diamond St, where David's wife Mary died at the age of 48 on 30 November. She was buried in the South  Side Cemetery. Her death certificate says that her father's name was David Jenkins.

After coming to the United States, David and Mary had the following additional children:

Ivor, b. 16 Mar 1886, d. 16 Mar 1943
Margaret, b. 30 Aug 1887/89, d. 18 Feb 1932
Thomas, b. 28 Jun 1892, d. Feb 1955

Map of area were family resided from c1886 to c1908.

They lived in the neighborhood through at least the 1920s.

By 1912, David had moved in with his daughter Margaret Gerwig and family at 1415 Bingham St. In 1914, he was again living with his son Evan at 94 S. Fifteenth St. In 1915, there was a David and David J.  at 2113 Sarah St, both listed as laborers. In 1916 and 1917, 

In the 1920 census, David was listed as living with his children David J., Harriett, Thomas, and Ivor at 1211 Bingham St. David was listed as working at the steel works. That said he was crossed out on the census record as a duplicate. His son Ivor was duplicated, but he was not. It said that he arrived in America in 1886 and was naturalized in 1892. In 1921, the directory listed a David, Harrriett and Ivor still at 1211 Bingham St. Another David was listed at 1307 Bingham St.

David died in his late 70s at 4:30 am on 9 Jul 1927 of senility and gangrene of both feet. The doctor had been treating him for about 2 1/2 months. At the time of his death he was living at 40 S. 20th St in Pittsburgh with his son Ivor, who was the informant of his death. David was laid to rest at the South Side Cemetery on 12 Jul 1927. Unfortunately his parents were listed as unknown on his death certificate.

William Williams [No Longer Considered a Match]

William Williams (c1815 - 26 April 1877) was born in Llanddewi Brefi, Cardiganshire, Wales, probably to an Edward Williams.

Nothing is known yet of his growing up in Cardiganshire, but by the 1840s, William had moved to Glamorganshire, where he was working as an iron miner in the industrial town of Dowlais in Merthyr Tydfil. In 1851, William was living with his young family in the area known as "the Cwm." In 1861, William lived at 27 Ivor Newtown, but by 1871 lived at 42 Broad Street, where William would live the rest of his days while he toiled away in the Dowlais mines.

Dowlais Ironworks by George Childs (1840)

William was married to Mary Griffiths, who was born in 1821 in Llangeitho, Cardiganshire; in the early to mid 1840s. Once in Dowlais, William and Mary had the following children:


Edward, b. c1845/46
Thomas, b. c1847/48
David Thomas, b. Nov 1849
Elinor, b. 1850
Roderick, b. 7 Jun 1853
Rees, b. c1855/56
William, b. Jun 1860

William died of TB at his home at 42 Broad Street on 26 April 1877 and was buried in the Pant Cemetery on 30 April 1877 (gravesite DP/6).