William DAVIES (a Skinner) from Pontesford Hill - was he Pontesbury Parish Clerk 1816 to 1830?

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redlightandbell
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Currently I am researching William DAVIES from Pontesford Hill (Pontesbury), who is my 3rd Great Grandfather.

I am based in South Wales – not TOO far away – but far enough to just making “popping in” to the Shrewsbury Archive impossible.

 

In September 1812, a Bastardy Order is made against William DAVIES (a Skinner from Pontesford Hill) who fathered a child (not named on the document, but actually Mary LITTLEHALES 1812 – 1813), Hannah LITTLEHALES being the mother.

 

17th July 1815 William DAVIES married Mary PARRY in Pontesbury – although not provably the same William Davies, the only children Baptised in Pontesbury, with Parents William and Mary Davies, for quite a significant period of time, are the ones listed below – and Jemima would be a logical first child in 1816 after an 1815 wedding, so William DAVIES = Mary PARRY seems very probable.

 

Between 1816 and 1822 William and Mary DAVIES, from Pontesford Hill (a Skinner) parented 6 children in Pontesford Hill / Pontesbury.

Originals have been seen for all of these baptisms.

 

Jemima Davies 1816,

John Davies 1817,

Mary Davies 1819,

Philip Davies 1821,

Sarah Davies 1821,

Josiah Davies 1822.

 

By 27th December 1852, William DAVIES is shown as the deceased father of Jemima DAVIES, on her wedding certificate.

 

Birth and death dates are not known for either William OR Mary DAVIES.

 

Hannah LITTLEHALES was baptised 19th October 1783, and so, William was probably between about 5 years younger, or older, than her.

 

To have been of child bearing age in 1822, and old enough to marry in 1815, Mary Parry would have had to have been born between 1777 and 1794. There were 4 Mary PARRY’s baptised in that period – 1786, 1789, 1790 and 1793.

 

This limits Williams birth / baptism to circa 1778 – 1788, and would appear to limit his potential birth / baptism to two events -

William DAVIES – son of Thomas DAVIES and Elizabeth 25 February 1781,

William DAVIES – son of William DAVIES and Mary 1 June 1788.

 

The 1781 date fits in better with William being older than both Hannah LITTLEHALES and Mary PARRY, the 1788 date seems likely because of the father being called William, and the son being named after the father.

 

William DAVIES could have died in the Pontesbury area, anytime between 1821 and 1852 – or could have moved elsewhere after 1822. No evidence of this move has been found.

 

Fortunately, later documentation improves, and I have eliminated all the (known) deaths in the Pontesbury Parish area, except for an 1830 death.

3rd December 1830, William DAVIES aged 46, “the Parish Clerk” is buried at Pontesbury.

(Source, Pontesbury Church burial records – original seen)

 

William DAVIES, a “Skinner”, seemed initially, an unlikely choice as Pontesbury Parish Clerk , but William DAVIES signed his marriage documentation in 1815, so he had a certain amount of literacy skills.

 

James JANDUELL, who had been the previous Parish Clerk for 46 years, was buried on 20th July 1816 (aged 78), and by 1st September 1816, William DAVIES, the new Pontesbury Parish Clerk was signing as a witness, at weddings – this gives two signatures (17th July 1815 and 1st September 1816) which may have been signed by the same person.

 

 

 

Can anybody add any information, about William DAVIES, (the Skinner) husband of Mary (probably PARRY), and the father of the 6 children listed above?

 

Can anybody add any information about William DAVIES, Pontesbury Parish Clerk 1816 – 1830, and who lived circa 1784 – 1830?

 

Has anybody researched the Pontesbury “Parish Chest” (records now presumably in the care of the Shropshire Archives, in Shrewsbury?) who might have seen any minutes of Church meetings circa 1815 / 1816 when the appointment of William DAVIES may have been discussed, and which might throw some light onto whether William DAVIES (Skinner) and William DAVIES (Pontesbury Parish Clerk) were one, or two people?

 

 

Peter D.