More information on the Rhydderch family

After doing more reasearch, here's what I know about the Rhydderch family:

In 1841, the Thomas Rhydderch family is in the census as "Rudderch." They're living at the Victoria Iron works south of Ebbw Vale, Monmouthshire County. They had lived in Ebbw Vale at least since my ancestor, Elizabeth Jane Rhydderch, was born there in 1836.

In 1851, the Thomas Rhydderch family is in the census as "Ryddch." They're living in the village of Govilon near Blaenavon, Monmouthshire County.

In 1861 I have not found them anywhere yet. But if the family had already moved to the vicinity of St Woollos on the edge of Newport (see below) by 1861, some of those census records were lost.

In 1871, the Thomas Rhydderch family is in the census as "Rhydorch." Thomas Rhydderch, then age 61, is listed with his children, Thomas age 20, and Jane age 27, and they are living in the village of St. Woollos, Monmouthshire County. I have not been able to find Jane after that, but I believe Thomas Junior shows up on the 1880 census in Colombus, Ohio, USA, using the name "Thomas Roderick." No other Thomas Rhydderch\Roderick, born in 1851, shows up in Wales or the USA so I expect it's him.

I found a death notice for 1872 for Thomas Rhydderch of Glamorgan County which is probably my ancestor. I have also found a death notice for 1854 for Thomas' wife, Mary Rhydderch. She died fairly early since she's not found with Thomas on the 1871 census. Though the census-takers somehow misspelled the family's name every year, the death notices had the names spelled correctly.

Searching for the Rhydderch Family

Last night I finally found the Rhydderch family in the 1851 Wales census. For some unknown reason, the Rhydderchs listed their name as "Rudderch" in 1841, then switched to "Ryddch" in 1851. I was surfing the internet last night when I stumbled on someone in Australia searching for a sister of my great great grandmother Elizabeth Rhydderch. Thanks to that cyber conversation on Rootschat.com, I found the family's weird spelling and filled in one more missing piece to my genealogical puzzle. Never give up. They're all out there somewhere!

The surname Rhydderch in the Welsh context is not a very common surname. It can be found spelt as Rhytherch, Rutherch, Rudderch, Rodrick, Rhoderick, abbreviated to Ruddz, and, as you've seen above, Ryddch. Most Welsh Rhydderchs seem to have their roots in the south and west Wales areas. Most seem to be from a small area of Carmarthenshire and West Glamorganshire. Though there are Rhydderchs to be found in other counties such as Cardiganshire, Pembrokeshire, Breconshire and Monmouthshire, by and large the first two counties seem to have provided the World with most of the Rhydderchs of Welsh origin.

If you happen to be a Rhydderch (with its many spelling variations) and would like to read about an ongoing genetic study being done on the family, try accessing the link below for some very interesting reading:

http://members.aol.com/Roderickdna/Roderick/RoderickDna.htm

The Davis family in 1841

The Davis family lived in Blaenavon in 1841. Blaenavon is a village in the parish of Llanover, upper division of the hundred of Abergavenny, county of Monmouth; four miles from Brynmawr, six from Pontypool, and a like distance from Abergavenny. The male members of the Davis clan were iron workers and there were very extensive iron works there.

Interestingly, my future great, great grandmother, Elizabeth Rhydderch, lived just 5 miles up the road in Govilon and shows up on the 1851 Wales census there. By 1851, the Davis family had moved a few miles away to Trevethin near Pontypool. But, I wonder, did the two children possibly attend the same school for a short time? Were they perhaps childhood sweathearts who found their way back to each other nearly two decades later? Something to ponder, especially since if they hadn't met, I might not be here!!!

12 Weeks to go before retirement

This past weekend I passed the 12-week mark. When I first started this blog I had six months to go before retirement. The purpose was to put down my thoughts as I planned a trip to the land of my ancestors. The airline reservations are set (for what that's worth in this day of mergers), the B&Bs are set, the rental car is set, the world phone is purchased, the various passes are purchased, and work on my genealogy is coming along nicely. I want to travel to all the places in Scotland, Wales, and England where my father's ancestors lived and worked. The Davis family, Welshmen all, made their living as iron workers in the mid nineteenth century before they immigrated to America. Other members of the family, the Browns of Scotland, were also iron workers in Wales. At the same time, the Burton family made their living as farmers just down the road from Stonehenge. So, I have plenty of territory to visit. We plan to start in Edinburgh, and motor through Wales, southern England, and return to Scotland along the east coast of England. But for now, the countdown continues.