Wales Genealogy
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Mathews Brick Wall
I understand that my ancestors emigrated from Wales in 1712 or 1713, to the U.S., and claimed to be from Merthyr Tydfil, Carmarthenshire.
Charles Mathews was born in 1688; his brother John Mathews, in 1689.
I can find no records of their parents, and no verifiable record of them in Wales.
The only suggestion I found for parents was: John Mathews, Merthyr Tydfil, Glamorgan [20 Dec 1657–29 Oct 1731] and Sarah Ann Halstead [13 May 1659–1731]—born in Wales and died in England. But I can’t find them.
Any ideas would be appreciated…thanks for any help anyone can provide….
Walter M. Mathews
[The red dust is in my hair, but the wall stands firm.]
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@Cedar Kedar can you help?
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@Shannon Potter Wilcox I will look but that far back the records will probably be in Welsh. But the fun is in the looking so I will try.
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Hi there,
I have tried several ways to find who you are looking for but so far no success. However just so that you know you haven't been ignored I'm posting links to two sites that might be useful to you. One is in Research Wiki: -
The other is the The National Library of Wales that has many interesting collections and might have something on emigration records.
I will keep on digging to see what I can find although I can't promise anything.
Best regards
Cedar
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Thanks for your offer, Shannon...It is appreciated!
I am Walter Mathews IV [of VI] of Fredericksburg, Virginia, trying to leave a written record of our Mathews family.
Y'day I spent the day in the 'archives' of the 1699, "Old Brick" Dutch Reformed Church in New Jersey, because some folks said the children of Charles Mathews, the brother of my Welsh ancestor John Mathews, were married there. So I wanted to search there for information about the parents of Charles.
It seemed illogical since the Church held services in Dutch back then, but I had to do it.
Sadly their records were in total disarray, incomplete and not helpful.
The good news was that the cemetery of a neighboring "Dutch Reform Church," that spun off from Old Brick in 1856, did have tombstones of my ancestors identified as "Matthews." Helpful, but not from the century where I need help.
Of course, I've found information about Sir Mathew ap Evan [Jevan], Eleventh Lord of Cardiganshire, Wales, who was knighted by Richard II in 1386. His sons took the surname Mathews, adding “s” to the father’s given name instead of the Welch “ap". [BTW, my Welsh ancestor, John--brother of Charles--changed his family name from Mathews to Mathis when he settled in the southern tip of New Jersey--claiming it was easier to say and spell.]
I understand that the second son of Sir Mathew, Robert of Castle-Mynech, Wales was the progenitor of a Mathews family in Virginia. His great, great grandson, Tobias Mathews, Archbishop of York, married Frances Barlow, and was the father of Samuel Mathews [1592--c.1657], who was sent to Virginia from London about 1618 by James I and became governor of the colony in 1657 until his death in 1671. Samuel married the daughter of Sir Thomas Hinton and had two sons, Samuel and Francis.
Then there was John Mathews who emigrated from North Ireland about 1737, stopping first in Pennsylvania and then going to Augusta County, Virginia. His son George went on to be three times the governor of Georgia.
Lots of impressive immigrants from Wales--but no known connection to my guys: Charles [1688] and John Mathews [1689].
Again, I appreciate your willingness to try to help, Shannon...anything you find would be welcome...Stay well...and thanks again...Walter
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Thanks, Cedar...Sorry I didn't see your msg before I responded to Shannon...I will pursue those two suggestions...today I'm exhausted from my trip y'day...w
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Or is that Mathis? What a lovely bit of history you have, it is fun to find the good, the bad and beautiful. I will see if I can find out more for you. I'm sure with those names there must be something. Have you actually tried Googling some of those important names? Sometimes you can find information that way. I have with some of my ancestors. True one or two of the were not so much famous as infamous and ended their lives a head shorter. What is a family without a back sheep or two or three? As a couple were involved in the Babington Plot you can understand why they were not popular way back when. I'm not saying if I'm sort of sneakily proud of them or not on grounds I might incriminate myself.
Did you photograph those gravestones? What a treasured find.
Rest well and best regards
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Thanks...after spending two full days at church records, cemeteries & an historic society in New Jersey [and spending over $85 for gas], I took 150 photos and have worked hard to evaluate and sort what I found.
Of course some is interesting, and some wrong, but worth the time and effort.
Unfortunately, I couldn't document a connection up to Charles Mathews [1688-1780] who emigrated from Wales about 1713--but my best bet is that they are all his progeny. Curiously, they all go by Matthews, and are not in my direct line with Charles' brother John.
I've been asked to give a presentation to my family in mid July, so putting that together is my immediate task just now.
I plan to tell them that my best info is that John and Charles where sons of John Mathews [1657-1731] of Merthyr Tydfil, Glamorgan, Wales, and Sarah Ann Halstead [1659-1731].
And that John was the son of Edmund Mathews [1620 - ] of Merthyr, Carmarthenshire, Wales, who married Susan Weeks [1620- ] in 1635.
And then refer them back to Sir Mathew ap Evan for the origin of the family name.
It's been a long week in NJ...Sunday it's back to VA...thank you both for your efforts...Walter
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Hi Walter,
I hope your presentation goes well and no family history does not come cheap, but it is so very satisfying.
If some of your ancestors emigrated then I'm guessing some of them stayed. There are a lot of interesting articles about Merthyr Tydfil on the internet, particularly about the coal and steel works in and around Merthyr. It must have seemed like hell on earth for many of those who worked in those industries, as conditions were more than dreadful.
The Welsh are very proud of their country, its history and culture and these are your ancestors and distant family. These are the people who were at the very heart of the industrial revolution.
There are some other links to articles of interest in the discussion threads, however if you would like more please ask.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merthyr_Tydfil
Now most of Wales is green once again, the steel works have gone, the slag heaps are over grown with trees, bushes and grass, the pits have closed. "But they’ll still cut their coal, and they’ll still clear their falls, When they meet for a yarn in the pensioner halls."
Oh and if you are having a family get together maybe you could have Welsh Cakes and Bara Brith 😉
Best regards
Cedar
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Hi, Cedar...I hope you are well...
My presentation went fine...thank you...
Recall, I had previously told you that:
"I plan to tell them that my best info is that John and Charles where sons of John Mathews [1657-1731] of Merthyr Tydfil, Glamorgan, Wales, and Sarah Ann Halstead [1659-1731]. And that John was the son of Edmund Mathews [1620 - ] of Merthyr,
Carmarthenshire, Wales, who married Susan Weeks [1620- ] in 1635. And then refer them back to Sir Mathew ap Evan for the origin of the family name."Since then, I have followed your suggestions [and that of others along the way] , and vigorously looked for possible connections for my John & Charles in Glamorgan, Wales :
# Quakers there from the time of George Fox and after...
# 17th & 18th century births/deaths/baptisms for people named Mathews...
# Related family histories and biographies..
# Of course Ancestry and FamilySearch...and Glamorgan Archives...
# The above named Edmund/Susan and John/Sarah...
AND I HAVE FOUND NO CONNECTION TO MY JOHN & CHARLES WHO CAME TO LONG ISLAND IN 1713.
But I have learned a lot about Wales, its history and Quakers...and I value all that.
So, I have removed Edmund/Susan & John/Sarah from the family lineage, and painfully, but realistically, concluded that the brick wall before John & Charles is impenetrable by me.
I now have two options:
- End my search back in time--let it begin with the arrival of the two brothers in 1713, and leave the challenge to a future generation of the Mathews family, or,
- Hire someone to break that wall and find the parents of my John and Charles.
If you can recommend someone who might take on the paid task, I will pursue it, otherwise, I will carry on with option #1.
Thank you for your caring.
Your encouragement has been appreciated...Walter
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I'm so pleased for you that your presentation went well. Like you I have a brick was and have no way round it as yet. The only advice I can give you, unless you want to hire someone, I'm sorry I don't know anyone I can recommend, is to keep going back to it to find out if it has had a brick or two knocked out of it. New records are being indexed and coming on line every day. You never know but one day you might find that some kind volunteer has just finished the work you might need. Every so often I go back to my tree to see if I can find my 4x great grandparents on my father's paternal line. One day maybe, one day. And then I will need to find their parents! And so on ad infinitum!
The next bit of advice, and it sounds as though you have already done that, it to enthuse your younger generation in family history. It would be such a shame for all your work to go to waste. Have you self printed a family history book? That a project on my bucket list for my children and grandchildren.
If you need any more help, please message us here on the Welsh Group.
Take care and best regards
Cedar
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Even though you still haven’t removed any bricks for the Matthews, it sounds like you had a fun adventure and it sounds like your presentation went well. I am sure someone along the way will learn much for what you have learned and like Cedar said, keep looking as records are coming forth regularly.
Thank you Cedar for helping Walter. You truly are so good at Welsh research.
Kind Regards,
Shannon
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Hi, Shannon and Cedar,
My son [WM5] gave me Option 3:
The two of us plan to go to Glamorgan, specifically, Merthyr Tydfil, in early October.
Again, the need is to identify the parents of Charles & John Mathews.
Are there any members of our Wales Genealogy Community who are in Glamorgan?
We want to find a tour guide, a local genealogist, and also meet locals who share our surname.
Can you give us any suggestions of people/places/organizations to contact before or after we get there?
Thanks for any information, direction or ideas you can provide…
My enthusiasm has been revived...cheers...walter
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Hello Walter, I like you are a fellow American, but @Cedar Kedar is from Wales and she is the one who might know someone or point you in a direction that might be of some help for you. What a fun trip for you and your son and I hope it becomes a productive trip and you enjoy beautiful Wales while you are there.
Kind Regards,
Shannon
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Hi Walter,
I'm just going to start looking for help for you and will get back to you as soon as I can.
Bring a brolly and wellies, just kidding., maybe 🤔😀
best regards
Cedar
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Hi Walter,
I have found this page in Research Wiki for you.
It lists may societies in Glamorgan and there are two in Merthyr which might be helpful. If you do ring any UK numbers please make sure you drop the '0' in the number. 01685 376792 would be anywhere from the UK but if you are phoning from outside the UK drop the '0' and it would be 00441685 376792.
Don't forget there is also the National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth. You can look at records there, I believe it's free but I'm not a hundred percent sure. You might have to pay to look at some records. Check before going about making an appointment.
And of course this: -
I know I have posted some of those links before but this saves you scrolling through to whole chain again.
Please let me know if you need anymore help. I will keep looking for more information.
Best regards
Cedar
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@Cedar Kedar I had to look up brolly and wellies and with all your rain, it's not a half bad idea to have those. 😊
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Thank you both...
Our plan is to fly into Heathrow to arrive Sunday, October 2, rent a car and drive to MT.
[return Saturday, October 8].
My son mentioned a two-bedroom Airbnb in MT.
We are supposed to talk tonight about flights [he will fly out of Ft. Lauderdale; me, Dulles].
More as we firm things up.
w
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