Morgan Price Trichwmwl

The Family of Morgan Price, Trichwmwl

Morgan Price Trichwmwl was just 4 when his father William died at the young age of 44 in 1823. It must have been quite a struggle for his mother Elinor to bring up the family at Trichwmwl. 

Morgan married Mary Williams of Cilycwm* in 1848 at which time he probably took over Trichwmwl from his mother Elinor who went to live with her elder son William at Penlan, Telych. In fact Morgan also died at the age of 44 in 1863 leaving his widow Mary with three boys aged 15, 14 and 12. The youngest son Morgan died at the young age of 16 in 1866.

Memorial to Morgan Price Trichwmwl at St. Michaels, Myddfai

On 15 July 1870 aged 46 Mary married a second time at Llandovery Registry Office - this time to Thomas Prosser (aged 70), a blacksmith liiving in 1861 at Llwynberllan in Llanfair ar y Bryn parish (Maesyberllan on their marriage certificate). In 1871 the census records

Trichwmwl Myddfai 1871

Thos Prosser, 71, Farmer of 172 acres, Myddfai CMN

Mary Prosser, wife, 47, Cayo (sic), CMN

David Price, Stepson, 23, Cayo (sic), CMN

William Price, Stepson, 22, Myddfai CMN

Thomas Prosser died 9 Aug 1879 aged 82 and was buried with his first wife Gwen at Cefnarthen Chapel. A later post will have more information about the Prosser family.

In the early 1870's David Price married but was widowed early - it is possible his first wife died giving birth to their son David who was born around 1872/73. The young David was with his grandmother at Trichwmwl in 1881.

David probably got to know his second wife Jane Prosser through his stepfather Thomas Prosser (Jane was Thomas' grandaughter) and David and Jane Prosser married in 1880.
William Price, the younger surviving brother married Gwenllian Davies in1875 and in 1881 was farming nearby Bwlchbrane Myddfai and subsequently Dagfa in 1891 and 1901.

Mary Prosser was living alone at Pentrebach near Halfway, Cwmdwr in the 1891 census. It is possible that she lived there for a while with her son David before the family left to farm at Pantyffordd, Senny.  Her MI at Bwlchyrhiw Chapel, Myddfai records that she was with her son William at Dagfa when she died on 16 Mar 1901.

Memorial to Mary Prosser at Bwlchyrhiw Chapel Myddfai

Morgan Price (1819 - 1863), Trichwmwl b. 9 Oct 1819 bp. 19 Oct 1819 MPC bd. 10 Sep 1863 aged 44 [MI 251] = Mary Williams (1826 - 1881), Caio. Married 25 Jan 1848.

• Children:
• David PRICE, Pentrebach, Halfway and later Pantyffordd, Senny (1848 - 1916) b. 25 Feb 1848 at Coydca (sic) Cilycwm (probably Caio*) = 1) Unknown and 2) Jane PROSSER (ca.1858 - 1925). See separate family page.
• William PRICE, Dagfa, Myddfai (1849 - 1923?) later of Colbrook, Llandovery (MI 69 MPC) d. 27 Feb 1923 aged 72 = Gwenllian Davies of Gellifelin Halfway (1849 - 1891) m.19 Jun1875 Llandovery Reg. d. 16 Dec 1891 bd. MPC [MI 64] See separate family page.
• Morgan PRICE (1851 - 1866) Died aged 16 last qtr. 1866 Llandovery Reg.

*Note: Mary mostly registered her home parish as Caio (also spelled Cayo) and David likewise.

The Family of William Price Trichwmwl

Trichwmwl - nestling in the trees on the North side of Mynydd Bach

William and his wife Elinor lived initially at Trawsllwynddu where, according to the Myddfai Parish Records, most of the children appear to have been born. He is not mentioned in his father Morgan's will but his widow Elinor is mentioned in his mother Gwenllian's will. There may be a very simple explanation for this. William married before his father's death and he is likely to have received stock etc. from Morgan at that time and therefore Morgan was free to leave the remainder of the tenancy of Trawsllwynddu to his son David after Gwenllian’s death.

William and Eleanor moved across Mynydd Myddfai to Trichwmwl around 1818* (see note) just before his brother David's marriage. At some point William was an excise man (he is described as "late excise man" in the PR baptismal entry for his daughter Margaret in 1808. Also for a while William was a schoolmaster at Myddfai School (1810 - 1812) - confirmed in PR baptismal entry for William in 1816 (also in David James MLP**- see note).

William died at the comparatively young age of 44 in 1823 after which time Eleanor continued to farm Trichwmwl until sometime between 1841 and 1851 by which time she was living with her son William at Penlan, Telych. Her son Morgan took over Trichwmmwl probably on his marriage to Mary Williams in 1848.

Trichwmwl hidden in the trees. This was the closest I got on that day.

TRICHWMWL: a farm of 58 acres (1839) occupied by Elinor Price and owned by Edward Jones of Felindre, Llandovery. The farm house is now unoccupied. Documents from the last century, as often as not, refer to the place as Trichwmwd. Thus there are at least two rather literal meanings, three clouds or three commotes. There is no record of it being a place where commotes meet and neither for that matter do three clouds. What do meet within a short distance are three small valleys, tri chwm; thus the name may refer to this fact. (David B James MLP)

The bare bones are as follows -

William PRICE (1780 - 1823) bp. 22 Jun 1780 MPC, died at Trichwmwl, bd. 3 Mar 1823 (44) MPC = Elinor JONES (1780 - 1860), bp. d/o Morgan John and Gwenllian 30 Apr 1780, Llywel PR. Married 8 Jul 1803 Llywel PC. After William's death in 1823 Elinor continued to live at Trichwmwl - see 1841 census. She then lived with her son William. She died at Black Cock Myddfai (the home of her daughter Anne) and was buried 9 Oct 1860 MPC (per Myddfai BT’s).

Children:

Elinor PRICE (1804 - ?) bp. 2 Sep 1804 MPC (d/o Wm. Price) - No mention of her found in subsequent records or censuses.

Gwenllian PRICE (1806 - 1878) bp. 6 Jul 1806 MPC d. 31 Dec 1878 aged 71 bd. Defynock PC (MI BK3) = John PRICE (1809 - 1898) of Torffynnon, Llywel and Tanyfedw, Cray (brother of Howell Price Cwmllech-see below). Married 1841 at Llywel PC. John d. 28 Aug 1898 aged 90 (MI Defynock BK3). John was at home with his father at Cwmllech in 1841. They lived at Torffynnon, Pentrefelin in 1851c, then Clwydcaenewydd, Cray 1861c and 1871c. Finally lived at Tanyfedw Cray (includes Berthevan) where the family line continues to this day.

        Children:

• Ann PRICE (1843 - 1877) d. 12 Nov 1877 aged 34 bd. Defynock PC (MI A90)
• Elinor PRICE (1845 - 1924) unmarried lived at home until her brother John married, then at Elias Row Sennybridge in 1901 bd. Horeb Cray d. 24 Jun 1924 aged 80 (MI Cray A27)
• Mary PRICE (1848 - 1850) d. 2- Jan 1850 aged 2 yrs. 6 months bd. Defynock PC MI A90

• John PRICE (1849 - 1936) d. 9 Mar 1836 aged 87 (MI Horeb A27) = Margaret (1862 - 1954) d. 23 Mar 1954 aged 92 Horeb MI A27. Lived at Tanyfedw Children: Elinor G (1895), Annie (1896 - 1939) d. 9 Feb 1939 Horeb MI A27, Johnny Tanyfedw (1897- 1951) d12 Oct 1951 aged 54 Horeb married Abigail Jennet ? (1903 - 1950) d. 17 Mar 1950 (47), Margaret (1899), David (1902 - 1919) d. 9 Oct 1919 aged 17 (Horeb MI A27and others?)
• Mary PRICE (1851 - 1908) d. 19 Feb 1908 aged 56 bd. Defynock PC (MI BI1)= Daniel WILLIAMS (1857 - 1923) d. 25 Aug 1923 aged 66 MI BI1 Defynock. Lived at Penwain Aberdare.

Margaret PRICE (1808) bp. 17 Jan 1808 MPC bd. 27 Jan 1808 (9 days old) MPR.

Mary PRICE (1809 - 1883) bp. 17 Jan 1809 MPC d. 8 Feb 1883 aged 73 Defynock PC BK2 = Howell PRICE (1806 - 1881), Cwmllech  Llandeilo'r Fan Breconshire (s/o Howell Price Cwmllech and brother of John Price Torffynnon who married Mary's sister Gwen - see above) Married 1833 Llywel PC. Howell died 17 May 1881 aged 78 Defynock PC (MI BK2)

Children:

• Howell PRICE bca. 1836 = Margaret ? married ca. 1855. At Carnau Llanfihangel Nant Bran 1861 with Children Howell(1856), John (1858), William(1860), David (1861)
• Eleanor PRICE (1837) bp. 20 Aug 1837 Llandeilo'r Fan PC
• Anne PRICE 1840 bp. 20 Apr 1840 Llandeilo'r Fan PC
• Mary PRICE 1843 bp. 2 Jan 1843 Llandeilo'r Fan PC = ? Davies - kept house for brother William 1891/1901 census.
• Gwen PRICE 1846
• William PRICE 1850 farmed Cwmllech after his father - bachelor (sister Mary kept house for him 1891 and 1901 census)  - bd. Llandeilo'r Fan MI 104 d. 26 Dec 1934 aged 88 together with nephew John (s/o Howell) d 14 Aug 1934 aged 76.
• John PRICE 1853

Anne PRICE (1811 -1863) b. 3 Mar 1811 at Trawsllwynddu, bp. 3 Apr 1811 MPC d. 23 Dec 1883 aged 73 MI Cefnarthen 20.2 = David JONES (1814 - 1899), Black Cock***(see note), Myddfai and later Hafod Fawr Myddfai. bp. Cefnarthen 3 Jun 1814 s/o David John David and Elizabeth. Married 14 Jun 1834 MPC d. 19 May 1889 aged 75 MI Cefnarthen 20.2

         Children:

• Eleanor JONES b. 5 Feb 1835 bp. 8 Jun 1835 MPC
• William  JONES bp. 18 Jul 1837 MPC
• David JONES (1840 - 1880) bp. 2 Jun 1840 MPC  d. 21 Mar 1880 aged 38 bd. Saron Cwmwysg MI71 = Margaret JONES ****(see note)  (1836 - 1897) of Brynmaendu, Traianglas, Llywel (1861 census) d. 15 Oct 1897 aged 63 bd. Saron Cwmwysg MI 71. Married ca. 1867. Living at Brynmaendu, Traianglas in 1871c. Children: Anne 1868, James 1869 - 1916 = Mary Evans, Thomas 1872, Howell 1876.
• John JONES bp. 1 Feb 1843 = Anne DAVIES
• Joseph JONES bca. 1845 - 20 Jul 1918 aged 72 Cefnarthen MI 10.1 = Eleanor ? (1852 - 1 Aug 1936 age 84) Cefnarthen MI 10.1. Children: Mary 1875, David 1877, Josephus 1879, Hannah 1891, Joshua 1893 - 2 Dec 1916 aged 25 (MI Cefnarthen 10.1), Lizzie 1895 Edgar 1897.
• Elizabeth JONES bca. 1848
• Thomas JONES Hafod Fawr, Myddfai bca. 1853 = Anne ? Children: Sarah Anne 1887 (became assistant teacher at Myddfai School around 1919), Lizzie Jane 1889, Mary Ellen 2890, Alice A 1892, Morgan 1895, Maggie H 1897, John E 1900

Margaret PRICE (1813 - ?) b. 22 Aug 1813, bp. 30 Aug 1813 MPC. = William WILLIAMS (1804 - 1858) Pentwyn Uchaf (1804 – 1858) Myddfai (s/o David Williams, farmer of Cayo) d. 16 Nov 1858 aged 54 bd. Seion Chapel Myddfai MI 112 . Married at MPC 31 Oct 1840. Living at Pentwyn Uchaf in 1841 and 1851 census. Following William's death in 1858 Margaret continued to farm Pentwyn Uchaf in 1861 but by 1871 she (and the whole family apart from John) is at Bedw Hir Merthyr Rd. Llwydcoed, Aberdare - she is a housekeeper, Eleanor a dressmaker and the boys are all working. Also in this census is a grandson William aged 1.

       Children: 

• Eleanor WILLIAMS (bp. 18 Sep 1841 MPC)
• David WILLIAMS (1843)
• John WILLIAMS (1845)
• Mary WILLIAMS(1848)
• Morgan WILLIAMS(1851)
• Dan WILLIAMS(1855)
• Joseph WILLIAMS(1857)

William PRICE (1816-1866), Penlan Telych and Butter Hall Llandovery  b. 22 Jan 1816, bp. 1 Feb 1816 MPC, bd. 9 Dec 1866 aged 51 MPC (MI 252) = Elinor EVANS (bca 1820 - 188?), born Pencarreg, Llanybyther, Cards. In 1851 William, still single, was farming Penlan, Telych. His mother Eleanor was living there with him together with a servant, Elinor Evans of Pencarreg. Eleanor Price died in 1860 and by the 1861 census, William had married Eleanor Evans (married ca. 1852) and they were living at Butter Hall, a fairly large house on the main road in Llandovery. By this time William is described as a haulier. William died in 1866 and is buried at Myddfai next to his brother Morgan Price of Trichwmwl. William and Elinor's first daughter Mary was born at Caio according to the 1861 census. By 1871 Mary the eldest daughter has married - she married William Hughes last quarter 1867 at Llandovery and three of her siblings Morgan, Eleanor, David and John are with her but no sign of Eleanor in this census. In 1881 Eleanor with William (Mason), David and John (labourers) had moved to 40 Morris St, Llangyfelach, Swansea. I have some further details of this family should anyone be interested.

Morgan Price (1819 - 1863), Trichwmwl  b. 9 Oct 1819 bp. 19 Oct 1819 MPC bd. 10 Sep 1863 aged 44 [MI 251] = Mary Williams (1826 - 1881), Cilycwm. Married 25 Jan 1848. See further post.

• Children:
• David PRICE, Pentrefelin, Halfway and later Pantyffordd, Senny (1848 - 1916) b. 25 Feb 1848 at Coydca (sic) Cilycwm = 1) Unknown and 2) Jane PROSSER (ca.1858 - 1925). See separate family page.
• William PRICE, Dagfa, Myddfai (1849 - 1923?) later of Colbrook, Llandovery (MI 69 MPC) d. 27 Feb 1923 aged 72 = Gwenllian Davies (1849 - 1891) m. 2nd qtr. 1875 Llandovery Reg. d. 16 Dec 1891 bd. MPC [MI 64] See separate family page.
• Morgan PRICE (1851 - 1866) Died aged 16 last qtr. 1866 Llandovery Reg. 

Census Information (relevant to Elinor Price).

1841 Trichwmwl, Myddfai

Eleanor PRICE, 62, Farmer

Gwen PRICE, daughter, 32

William PRICE, son, 20

Morgan PRICE, son, 16 

1851 Penlan, Telych (note - Telych is a hamlet or district between Myddfai and Llandovery. It is part of Llandingat parish)

William PRICE, head, unmarried, 32 farming 115 acres 2 employees, CMN Mothvey

Elinor PRICE, mother, widow, 75, farmer's mother, BRE Llywel

Elinor Evans, servant, 30, CRD Pencarreg

* The previous occupiers of Trichwmwl were William and Lewis John. William John died in 1816 aged 78 and Lewis John died 1817 aged 88. Presumably the tenancy thus became vacant and was taken up by William Price. It is also of interest that according to D.B. James MLP (p. 75) Trichwmwl had either been built or extensively rebuilt around 1806. Many barns and even houses before this period were of mud wall construction but many were rebuilt in stone during the first half of the 19th century.

** D. James MLP p.154

*** David Jones and Anne lived at Black Cock (aka The Heath Cock in 18th century) which was originally an inn on one of the early mountain routes between Trecastle and Llandovery before the current main road through Cwmdwr became the main turnpike road. By the 19th century Black Cock was a smallholding and by 1839 or so had passed into the ownership of Edward Jones of Velindre, Llandovery, the solicitor who also owned adjacent farms including Llanerchgoch, Trichwmwl, Hafod Fawr and Hafod Fach. David and Anne were at Black Cock in 1841 until approx. 1862. In the 1850's the adjacent farm Hafod Fawr was occupied by Daniel Jones, originally of Cilycwm and his wife Mary and their numerous children - they are to be found there in the 1861 census. However, from information in the DTM Jones collection and also Llandovery court records researched by D.B. James in MLP (page 94) Daniel Jones was declared bankrupt in 1862 and all his possessions sold to pay his creditors with the result that David Jones and Anne moved to Hafod Fawr and Daniel Jones and his family moved into Black Cock. This family is an interesting one since it provides a ink with my family. One of Daniel Jones' daughters, Margaret, married John Jones of Meity Fechan who was a son of Llewellyn Jones, my paternal great great grandfather.

****In fact Margaret was the daughter of James Jones originally of Llanddeusant who himself was the son of Jane Price and Rees John (Jane was the daughter of William Price Tynllwyn) so Margaret was a distant cousin of David Jones. James Jones of Llanddeusant (1793 - 1852 see MI 28 Saron) married Anne Griffiths of Penycae Myddfai (MI 22 Saron) at Llywel PC in 1816. Living at Brynmaendu in 1841 and 1851 they had Children Mary 1826, Howell 1829, Margaret 1836 and Gwenllian 1837. Anne died in 1849 and James in 1852 leaving Margaret and Gwenllian alone at Brynmaendu in 1861. I am indebted to Gareth Jones of Brewood for some of this information. David Jones and Margaret are in his female line.

The Will of Gwenllian Price Nantygweision

Gwenllian PRICE (nee Davies) (1749-1844) married Morgan PRICE 8 Nov 1777 at Llywel Parish Church. She survived her husband by 39 years living to the age of 95. She made her will in 1834 and died 10 years later on 21 Apr 1844. She is buried at Saron Independent Chapel, Cwmwysg (MI 1)

The Will.

The preamble quotes her late husband Morgan’s will dated 2 Jun 1804 (see previous post)which bequeathed £10 and suitable chambering to their daughter Margaret and £20 to and suitable chambering to their daughter Mary.

Morgan had bequeathed all that was left after funeral expenses and other bequests to Gwenllian and after her to his sons, John, David, Morgan, Joseph and Daniel in the proportions that Gwenllian should will or in default to be divided equally between them. He appointed Gwenllian and David his son joint executors of his will.

She states that Margaret and Mary have already been paid their “pecuniary and specific legacies” and that each of her sons John, David, Morgan and Daniel in “money and goods considerable sums more than their share of the residue of the said personal property of Morgan.” whereas my son Joseph has not received any part of his share of the residue of the said testator’s personal estate.”

The residue of that estate now amounts to £5. “To each of my sons, John Price, David Price, Joseph Price and Daniel Price I bequeath the sum of £1, part of that said sum of £5 and I bequeath to Anne, the widow of my said son Morgan Price the sum of £1.”

“To David, my son and executor £125 on trust so that it would be invested and the interest used to provide for the clothing, maintenance and support of my son Joseph Price in such a manner as David Price shall think suitable and if this interest is insufficient then the principal can be used so long as the interest and the sum from the principal does not exceed £11 in that year.” After Joseph’s decease whatever is left of the £125 to be paid to all and every one of my grandchildren living at the time of Joseph's death"

“To Eleanor, the widow of William Price of Trichwmmwl [sic.], to Margaret, wife of Rees Williams and Mary the wife of Thomas Thomas the sum of £1 each.” 

“All the rest and residue of personal effects and estate to my son David Price.” 

Gwenllian Price

Will dated 23 Aug 1834

Will proved 1 Jun 1844 at Llandovery in the diocese of St. David’s by David Price of Trawsllwynddu.

Gwenllian died 21 Apr 1844 (95) and buried at Saron, Cwmwysg (MI1)

Probate value of estate was under £200.

Notes

1. Anne widow of Morgan. Morgan is a bit of a mystery. He obviously died before 1834 (the date of Gwenllian's will) but no record of his death has been found. However, there is a baptism for Mary 1827 and Elizabeth 1829 at Saron Cwmwysg daughters of Morgan and Anne Price, Pwll Uchaf. There is also a marriage record for Morgan Price = Anne Jones at Llanfairarybryn on 31 Dec 1825 – tentative at best.

2. William Price Trichwmwl died in 1823, his widow Eleanor continued to live at Trichwmwl through 1851 and died in 1860.

3. Joseph Price was obviously physically or impaired in some way and remained with David his brother at Trawsllwynddu until his death on Christmas Day 1861. He was buried with his mother at Saron.

The Will of Morgan Price Nantygweision

Morgan Price Nantygweision died at the comparatively young age of 52 on 1st Mar 1805 just 6 years after his father William. He made his will in June 1804 indicating that he probably died of natural causes. His will can be seen at the NLW and online here.

Morgan Price's Will

(Note that this is part transcript, part précis)

Will probate valuation £145

 "This is the last will and testament of me Morgan Price of the parish of Mothvey in the county of Carmarthen, farmer.

 I give and devise one moiety half part or share (the whole into two equal parts to be divided) of and in all those messuages or dwelling houses, stables, gardens and appurtenances thereunto belonging, situate in Stone Street within the town and borough of Llandovery in the parish of Llandingat in the said county of Carmarthen and now in the several tenures or occupations of John Jones, cobler [sic.], William Jones, blacksmith, John Davies, earthenware man and Joseph Jones, taylor [sic.] unto my brothers Rev. John Price and David Price, their heirs and assigns to such uses upon such trusts and to and for such intents and purposes as are herein after mentioned expressed and declared of and concerning the same (that is to say) to the use of my beloved wife Gwenllian and her assigns for and during the term of her natural life and from and after her decease as to for and concerning one moiety half part or shares, the whole into two equal parts or shares to be divided in the aforesaid moiety of the aforesaid hereditaments and premises with the appurtenances to the use of my son John Price his heirs and assigns forever and as to for and concerning the other moiety half part or share of and in the aforesaid moiety of the aforesaid hereditaments and premises with the appurtenances to the use of my son David Price his heirs and assigns forever."

Précis of the remainder of the will -

The tenement of Nantygweision and Drainllwynddu to his wife Gwenllian for the rest of her life.

After Gwenllian's decease the remainder of the tenement of Drainllwynddu to David his son.

After Gwenllian's decease the remainder of the tenement of Nantygweision to Morgan his son.

To his daughter Margaret ten pounds and suitable chambering after Gwenllian’s decease.

To his daughter Mary twenty pounds and suitable chambering after Gwenllian’s decease.

To Morgan, Joseph and Daniel 2 cows after Gwenllian’s decease.

To Morgan his son his cupboard bedstead and my largest iron pot after Gwenllian’s decease.

To Joseph my son his large brass pan, tribbet belonging to it and my kive or mash tun after Gwenllian’s decease.

To Daniel my son my clock and case and kitchen table after Gwenllian’s decease.

The rest and residue to Gwenllian subject to payment of debts. It is then up to her to decide how the inheritance should be apportioned at her death between his sons.

To my son John £5 being the legacy my late father bequeathed to me to be paid six months after my decease.

Gwenllian and David his son are appointed executors of Morgan’s will.

If Gwenllian marries a second time then the will was to be executed as though she had died.

Morgan Price

Dated 2 Jun 1804

Witnesses, Morgan Davies Llanerchgoch and William Morgan, Bailyglace.

Gwenllian's will states that Morgan's will was proved in the consistory court of Archdeaconry of Carmarthen 16th March 1805 by Gwenllian Price.

Notes:

1. Drainllwynddu is probably the origiinal name of Trawsllwynddu. It is significant that although Trawsllwynlddu and Nantygwesion were distinct properties in 1841 the latter had disappeared from the census in 1851 where Trawsllwynddu is listed as a property of 250 acres.

2. The initial part of the will sounds complex but as far as I can tell it is a device for ensuring that Gwenllian does not dispose of these properties during her life time. Morgan assigns them in trust to his brothers John and David and their heirs during Gwen's lifetime and then to his sons John and David his sons after Gwenllian's death. From the will of Mrgan's son John Price Tircyd we know that John did indeed inherit The Star and The Plough in Stone St. Llandovery in turn leaving them to his sons at his death.

3. It is noticeable that Morgan’s son William is not mentioned in his will but this does not necessarily mean that there was a rift between father and son. It should be remembered that William was married in 1803 and lived at Trawsllwynddu until approx. 1816 when he moved to Trichwmwl. Morgan may well have set up his son with stock etc. before his death and this might well be the reason that William is not mentioned in this will.  Morgan’s son John would have been 22 at this time and so may already have been farming Tircyd.

4 A kive or mash tun is a vessel for brewing. It is interesting that what we would consider basic furniture etc. was valued so highly at this time.

The Family of Morgan Price Nantygweision

Morgan Price was William Price Tynllwyn's second son. He is recorded as a freeholder and gent. in the parish records and he and his wife Gwenllian farmed Nantygweision.

The Usk Reservoir from the South shore

Nantygweision (meaning "servants' brook") was one of the eight or nine small farms to the South East of Myddfai Parish in an area generally known as Dolhowell. DOL HYWEL: an area which corresponds closely to the area of land now covered by the waters of the Usk Reservoir and its immediate environs. This being part of the grange belonging to Talley Abbey. Signifies the riverside meadow of Hywel. (David B. James Myddfai, Its Land and People.)

"During the historic period much of the area was operated as a grange, Dôl Hywel, which had been granted to Talley Abbey by 1324 (Ludlow 1998). The grange chapel, dedicated to St David, was also a chapel-of-ease to Myddfai parish (ibid.), but its site appears to lie beneath the Usk Reservoir. It was an upland grange, probably operated by tenant farmers primarily concerned with the mountain pasturing of animals, and appears to have been largely unenclosed during the historic period, as it still is today. The earliest historic maps depict it as open moorland with few settlements." (Cambrian Archeology)

Usk Reservoir. Trawsllwynddu would have stood on the other shore. Nantygweision would have been under the reservoir.

The farms were separated from the remainder of Myddfai parish by Mynydd Myddfai (Myddfai Mountain) more commonly known as Mynydd Bach (little mountain). Nantygweision was flanked by Tircyd (meaning "adjoining land") to the West and Trawsllwynddu (meaning "across the black grove") close by. All three farms formed part of the Cilgwyn estate at that time. Trawsllwynddu appears to be a later name as it is referred to as Drainllwynddu (possibly meaning "blackthorn grove"?) in Morgan Price's will of 1804.

Looking carefully at a map of the area of 1891, the positions of the farms can be accurately pinpointed. In fact both Tircyd and Trawsllwynddu farmhouses were situated just above the present waterline on the Northern shore of the Usk reservoir. Nantygweision by this time looks comparatively small and its location today seems to be beneath the reservoir not far from the estimated location of Trawsllwynddu. In fact it's significant that after 1841 Nantygweision is not mentioned in the censuses. I would hazard a guess that the land of the two small farms were merged and Nantygweision ceased to be inhabited after Gwenllian's time - she was living there aged 90 in 1841 and died in 1844.

It is also worth noting that Dolhowell forms a rather isolated part of Myddfai parish and is bounded to the East by the area of Traianglas in the parish of Llywel which is in Breconshire. In fact Aberhenwen Fach (Myddfai) which is to the East of Trawsllwynddu is divided from Aberhenwen Fawr (Traianglas) by the Henwen brook which flows down from Mynydd Bach into the Usk river. From a modern geographic viewpoint it is rather surprising that this area did not form part of Trainglas, but then this also forms part of the county boundary. It is not therefore that surprising that in lots of ways the families in this area grew away from the established church at Myddfai and joined the Independent cause at the newly established Saron chapel at Cwmwysg. This is illustrated by the fact that Morgan was buried at Myddfai PC in 1804 and Gwenllian was buried at Saron. These factors also account for the marriage of some of Morgan and Gwen's children with Llywel partners. 

The Family of Morgan Price Nantygweision, Myddfai

Morgan PRICE Nantygweision (1753 - 1805) bp. 29 Apr 1753 MPC bd. 1 Mar 1805 Myddfai PC = Gwenllian Davies (1749 - 1844) Married 8 Nov 1777 at Llywel PC, bd. Saron Independent Chapel, Cwmwysg (MI 1)

Children

(According to Wm. Price Tynllwyn's will, Morgan had 9 children in 1799).

Margaret PRICE (1778 - ) bp. 11 Sep 1778 Myddfai PC = Rees WILLIAMS (1762 - 1846) d. 14 Apr 1846 aged 84 (MI A30 Defynock Parish Church). Rees and Margaret were married 7 Nov 1806 Myddfai PC (Wit: W Price, Rees Davies and Lewis Lewis). 1841 census Cwrtfoesydd, Cray, Rees (Tiler) aged 75, Margaret aged 60

• Children (per census) - Elizabeth (bca 1816), Rees (bca 1821), Lewis (bca 1826)

William PRICE, Trawsllwynddu / Trichwmwl, farmer, (1780 - 1823) bp. 22 Jun 1780 Myddfai PC bd. 3 Mar 1823 (aged 44) Myddfai PC = Elinor JONES Llywel (1780 - 1860) bp. Llywel d/o Morgan John and Gwenllian 30 Apr 1780. Married Llywel PC 8 Jul 1803 bd. 9 Oct 1860 Myddfai PC. It appears that, based on the fact that the baptisms of his children took place while he was at Trawsllwynddu (PR entries) William and Eleanor lived at Trawsllwynddu until approx. 1817 when he moved to Trichwmwl and his brother David took over at Trawsllwynddu.  (Eleanor continued to live at Trichwmwl after William's death (1841 and 1851 census) died at Black Cock Myddfai, home of her daughter Anne). More details of William and Elinor are given in a separate post.

John PRICE, Tircyd (1782 - 1854), farmer, bp. 24 Jun 1782 bd. 18 Oct 1854 (73) Saron Ind. Cwmwysg (MI 2) = Mary PRICE (ca. 1773 - 1808) bd. 23 Mar 1841 (67) Saron Ind. Cwmwysg (MI 2). Married 9 Dec 1808 MPC. This family line will be expanded in a future post.

David PRICE, Trawsllwynddu (1785 - 1861), farmer bp. 18 Nov 1785 MPC bd. 4 Aug 1861 (77) Saron Ind. Cwmwysg (MI 16) = Anne REES (1786 - 1836) bd. 13 Nov 1837 (47) Saron Ind. Cwmwysg. Married 20 Nov 1818 MPC. This family line will be expanded in a future post.

Morgan PRICE* (1788 - before 1834) bp. 12 May 1788 MPC = Anne ? Morgan was living in 1804 at the time of his father's death but had died when his mother Gwenllian made her will on 23 Aug 1834 - the will mentions his widow Anne. There are two children (Mary 1827 and Elizabeth 1829 baptised to Morgan and Anne Price, Pwll Uchaf at Saron, Cwmwysg) but no record of Morgan's death has been found.

Elizabeth (1790 - 1804) bp. 23 Jun 1799 MPC Almost certainly Elizabeth Price Dolhowell bd. 4 Jan 1804 (Myddfai PR). She is not mentioned in Morgan's will dated 2 Jun 1804 but her sisters are.

Mary PRICE (1793 - 1871) bp. 8 Aug 1793 MPC  bd. 29 Apr 1871 (88) Saron Ind. Cwmwysg (MI 44) = Thomas THOMAS (1788 - 1862), Llywel bp. Sep 1788 Llywel s/o John Thomas. Married 15 Nov 1811 MPC. Lived at Gwernwyddog, Llywel (just to the East of Trawsllwynddu in Traianglas). This family line will be expanded in a future post.

Joseph PRICE (1797 - 1861) bp. 26 May 1797 MPC d. 25 Dec 1861 bd. Saron Ind. Cwmwysg (MI 1). Lived at Nantygweision with his mother until her death then with his brother David at Trawsllwynddu. Gwenllian's will makes it clear that he was in some way mentally impaired or backward and special provision was made in it for his maintenance (he having received no share of his father Morgan's estate). It is possible that he married (there is a marriage for Joseph PRICE= Margaret PHILIP17 Feb 1824 MPC and there is no other Joseph Price known in the parish records of the time). Gwenllian his mother entrusted Joseph to David's care after her death and from the census information it appears that he lived there until his death when he was buried with his mother at Saron, Cwmwysg.

Daniel PRICE (1799 - ) bp. 3 Mar 1799 MPC. = Margaret THOMAS (d/o David & Mgt. Thomas bp. 31 Aug 1794 MPC). Married 2 Feb 1821 MPC (witnesses William Price and Wm. Thomas) d. 14 May 1839 aged 45 MI 7 Saron, Cwmwysg.

Children - fom the Saron baptismal Register

• Gwen b. 6 Apr 1822, bp. 20 Apr 1822 Cefnarthen Independent d. 1 Sep 1824 MI 7 Saron 
• Sarah b. 16 Aug 1824 bp. 25 Aug 1824 Bwllfa, Traianglas  
• Gwenllian b. 19 Aug 1826 bp. 26 Aug 1826 Bwllfa, Traianglas 
• Margaret b. 3 Aug 1828 bp. 17 Aug 1828
•            Daniel bp. 23 Nov 1830 Clos Traianglas  
• Shadrach b. 14 Dec bp. 18 Dec 1832 Clos Traianglas d. 5 Dec 1833 MI 7 Saron 
• William b. 30 Oct 1834 bp. 22 Nov 1834 Clos Traianglas

 Census Information

1841 Nantygweision

Gwen Price, 90, farmer, N

Joseph Price, 40, Y

Gwen Price, 20, F.S., Y

General Notes 

Morgan and Gwenllian's son John settled at Tircyd. David eventually settled at Trawsllwynddu taking over from William who, after initially living at there, finally settled at Trichwmwl which is directly on the opposite (north) side of Mynydd Bach. Nantygweision, Trawsllwynddu and Tircyd originally formed part of the Cilgwyn Estate. Trichwmwl was owned by Edward Jones of Velindre, he Llandovery solicitor.

Nantygweision, Tircyd and Trawsllwynddu all disappeared under the water when the Usk Reservoir was completed in 1955. Due to their geographical location it is easy to understand how the families living on these farms would have grown as many ties with Llywel parish to the North East of them as well as with the home parish of Myddfai from which they were separated by the physical barrier of Mynydd Bach.

*Morgan and Gwenllian's son Morgan is something of a mystery. He was alive at the time of his father Morgan's death in 1804 (he would have been 16) but had died before 1844 when Gwenllian's will was written. In that will she bequeathed a sum to his widow Anne which might imply that he had died not long before. No burial or MI has been found for Morgan. However the baptisms recorded at Saron and the nearness of Pwll Uchaf to Nantygweision and Trawsllwynddu seem to be a good indication that he an Anne lived there for a time. (One marriage which might fit would be Morgan Price = Anne Jones at Llanfairarybryn PC 31 Dec 1825 - he would have been 37. However this is highly speculative and the entry seems to indicate that both parties were of Llanfairarybryn parish. The witnesses were David Morgan and Morgan Jones.)

William Price Tynllwyn Summary and Family

The evidence points to the fact that Willam Price Tynllwyn was a man of some substance. How he came by his property is not known but it is likely that he inherited at least some of it. He calls himself a farmer in his will and presumably this was his chosen vocation. He was able to rent the largest farm in the Upper division of Myddfai parish. He was in a position to send his eldest son John to schooling and then to Oxford University. William of Mothvey his son who predeceased him was a farmer and although he died intestate he left a considerable estate which was proved by his widow.

William Price Tynllwyn lent money to his son in law Evan Morgan in the form of a mortgage. His son David Price Glasallt became a well known and respected member of the local community and although his son Morgan farmed in the remotest part of the parish he was a property owner and freeholder and left a will.

It is frustrating that so little can be discovered of William's origins. If, as Arber-Cooke suggests, he was related to Thomas Price, the Llandovery mercer whose children appear in the Myddfai Parish Records as suddenly and around the same period as Willam's children, then there might be some possibility of discovering more at some point - although to date I have drawn a blank. Details of the said Thomas Price will be provided in a later post.

The only other bit of information to add is from oral sources. The late David Rees Powell of Pwllycalch Myddfai wrote in the foreword of a book of poetry the following -

"My mother was one of six children of David and Mary Price Gorllwynfach, they were from the family of Price Tynewydd who were descended before that from Glasallt and Llwynifanfeddyg.' He goes on to say that his mother always told them that her roots lay with the drover's from Shrewsbury who had settled in the area". (Hanner Canrif o'r

Digri a'r Difri o fro Meddygon Myddfai' David Rees Powell 2000)

If this oral tradition is true then it explains why there is so little information about Wiliam Price's origins in the Llandovery / Myddfai area and maybe even why he and Thomas Price 'suddenly appear' in the Myddfai area in the mid 18th century.

So it remains to provide the details that are available for the immediate family each member of which will have a later post devoted to them.

The Family of William Price Tynllwyn Gent.

William PRICE Tynllwyn born ca 1720?. He made his will 1 July 1799, died later that month and was buried at Myddfai Parish Church on 24 July 1799

1. He married his first wife Margaret ? ca 1745. She died 1777 and was buried 17 Apr 1777 at Myddfai PC.
2. He married Magdalen REES (? - 1804) on 25 Nov 1779 at Myddfai PC Magdalen was buried. 16 Jan 1804 Myddfai PC Children by his first marriage -

Rev. John  PRICE B.A. (1749 - 1819) (bp. 12 Nov 1749 Myddfai PC died  24 Nov 1819) married

1. Elizabeth ?? (ca. 1755 - 1795) (bd. 9 Dec 1795 (aged 40) Myddfai PC). Marriage date and place unknown.
2. Frances JOSEPH (m. 25 Sep 1804 at Llanwrtyd)

Jane PRICE (1750 - ?) bp. 24 Nov 1750 Myddfai PC married Rees JOHN of Llanthoysant (Llanddeusant)

Morgan PRICE (1753 - 1805) bp. 29 Apr 1753 Myddfai PC, bd. 1 Mar 1805 Myddfai PC  married Gwenllian DAVIES (ca 1749 - 1844) bd. Saron, Cwmwysg (MI 1). Married at Llywel PC 8 Nov 1777. Morgan farmed Nantygweision and noted as a freeholder and gent. in Myddfai PR

David PRICE (1754 - 1837) bp. 26 Oct 1755 MPC bd. 29 Nov 1837 Myddfai PC married Mary ?? (ca. 1757 - 1833) married ca 1780. Farmed Glasallt Fawr and probably Llwynifanfeddyg and noted as a freeholder in Myddfai PR.

William PRICE (1758 - 1797) bp. 29 Jan 1758 Myddfai PC bd. 27 May 1797 Myddfai PC Noted as a farmer and freeholder in Myddfai PR but not known where he farmed. William predeceased his father, dying intestate in 1797. William married Elizabeth WILLIAM (1758 - ??) (possibly d/o Wm. Richard and Gwenllian bp. 18 Jun 1758 Myddfai PC). Married at Myddfai PC 12 Sep 1783.

Elizabeth PRICE (1761 - 1802) bp. 15 Mar 1761 Myddfai PC bd. 21 May 1802 married Evan MORGAN (? - 1800). Married 10 Jun 1783 at Myddfai PC

And now we must follow the direct line through Morgan Price Nantygweision leaving the other Price lines for a future blog.


Note on MI's (Memorial Inscriptions) - Where numbers are given they reference the inscription in the relevant church or chapel in the excellent series of surveys produced by Mr. Gareth Jones of Brewood, Staffordshire to whom I am indebted for much help in my research. He has produced these detailed surveys for the churches and chapels of Myddfai, Llywel, and Devynock among others.

Note on Parish Records. These exist in two forms, A register of Baptisms, Marriages and Burials for each Parish Church and an annual summary known as the Bishop's Transcripts which were 'returns' from each parish transcribed from the Parsh Register. There are gaps in the records and they are often illegible. Some chapels (Cefnarthen is a good example) also kept records of baptisms etc. although again these can be quite patchy and discontinuous. Copies of parish records on film can be seen at County Record offices and the BT's are available at The National Library of Wales and at various LDS Family History Centres.

Prospect House

Prospect House.

Prospect House Llandovery now a branch of Lloyds Bank.

A-C "The deeds of Prospect House, which recite the history of the property since 1788, describe it as "formerly known as Castell yr Esgob or Bishop's Castle but now known as Prospect House".... " The earliest documents among the existing deeds of the house are two indentures of Lease and Release dated the 22nd and 23rd Nov 1788 made between William Price and John Evans, vendor and purchaser of the house.....[This establishes the fact that a William Price owned Prospect House in 1788.]

An indenture of the 31^st March 1789, between John Evans and Elizabeth his wife of the one part and Morgan Davies, gentleman, of the other part shows the new owner and his wife mortgaging the property, presumably in order to complete the purchase. Other documents refer to this transaction. One is the chirography of a fine levied between Morgan Davies, plaintiff, and John and Elizabeth Evans, deforceants, on 30^th March 1795. [This effectively conveyed the property to Morgan Davies who presumably had provided the mortgage – see footnote regarding this legal device]

Another (document) is an indenture dated the 3^rd October 1795 between John and Elizabeth Evans of the one part and Morgan Davies of the other part.

Finally there are indentures of Lease and Release made 6th and 7th July 1796 between 1) William Price and his wife Maudlin or Maud 2) Morgan Davies 3) John Evans 4) Thomas Bishop and 5) John Rees Bishop. By this transaction all the parties to the earlier documents united to transfer the ownership of the property to Thomas Bishop...On 29th June 1797 there is the chirography of a fine levied at Great Sessions, Carmarthen between Thomas Bishop, plaintiff, and William and Maudlin Price, deforceants."

This appears to be a complex series of events and the following is an attempt at simplifying them.

William Price sold the property in Nov 1788.

March 1789. In order to complete the transaction John and Elizabeth Evans obtain a mortgage from Morgan Davies.

1795. The terms of the chirograph are unknown. It obviously authenticates some agreement between the mortgagee Morgan Davies and borrowers John and Elizabeth Evans. The usual use of this legal device was to authenticate title to the property.

1796 At some point John and Elizabeth Evans are either forced to default on the mortgage or they want to sell the house and repay it. All parties, William and Maudlin Price (William the original owner), Morgan Davies (mortgagee), John and Elizabeth Evans (the occupiers and borrowers) and two Llandovery solicitors, Thomas Bishop (purchaser) and his son John Rees Bishop unite to transfer the title of the property to Thomas Bishop.

By the legal transaction of a levied fine Thomas Bishop establishes his title to the property.

The fact that 1796 and 1797 documents mention Maud / Maudlin as William’s wife makes it highly likely that the original owner was William Price Tynllwyn who would have sold the property prior to his marriage to Magdalen Rees in 1789. It's worth noting that this house was a considerable property with its own grounds in the High St. which were eventually built upon. A-C tells us that "In 1810 he house was rated on survey at £2 a year, more than five times the value placed on Butter Hall and Penygawse. Prospect House must have been a building of considerable size" [Both Butter Hall and Penygawse are considerable properties.]

Some notes for anyone interested in the legalese (!) -

A chirograph was a means of authenticating a legal agreement – having its roots in medieval times. The agreement was written twice (sometimes 3 or 4 times) on a single piece of vellum and between the copies was written the word ‘cirographum’. The vellum was then cut through the centre of the word and each party to the agreement kept a section which could then be produced together with the other part(s) to authenticate the transaction in case of dispute.

The legalese “a fine levied ….etc.” refers to a legal method of conveying a property from one person to another where there may be no direct proof of title. The overall intention is that Thomas Bishop, a Llandovery lawyer ends up with a chirograph which authenticates him as the legal owner. Thomas Bishop as plaintiff brings a fictitious case against William and Maudlin claiming that they (the deforceants) are wrongly in possession of his house. The court find in favour of the plaintiff and his ownership of the property is authenticated in legal terms and Thomas Bishop goes away with the chirograph which authenticates his title to the property. This legal device was also used in the transaction mentioned earlier between Morgan Davies and John and Elizabeth Evans.

The Star (The Old Star) - now No. 20. Star House.

The Star was built on the frontage of the Prospect House garden (see previous paragraph). A-C comments "It was the second in a line of six public houses standing side by side. Unlike the other houses built on the frontage of the Prospect House garden it did not belong to the Lloyd Harries family. Rate books from 1836 to 1866 name the owner as William Price. It is not known whether he was related to the William Price who sold Prospect House in 1788. According to the rating valuation, the owner in 1892 - 1893 was Edward Price. The rate book of 1899 names the owner as Anne Rees."

Was this the Star that is mentioned in the will of John Price Tircyd in 1854?