Ellis Pugh, Quaker, in Wales and Pennsylvania

Ellis Pugh, Quaker, in Wales and Pennsylvania GEORGE R. GRIFFITHS "Notwithstanding, he was not one of the wise of this world, nor had human learning, yet he was made a profitable instrument to turn divers from vanity, and to exhort and strengthen many in their spiritual journey, in his native land and also in this country ...." Thus was Ellis Pugh, Quaker of Wales and Pennsylvania, described in the preface to his posthumously published book Annerch it Cymru . .'. An unlettered Welsh lad, he early exhibited a spiritual depth which led him to become a Quaker minister in Wales about 1680. A vivid picture of the Wales in which the Friends' movement flourished and suffered and of Rowland Ellis and Ellis Pugh who later came to Pennsylvania is contained in a new Welsh book which has been translated into English.' It is a book which weaves fact and fancy together effectively to make these characters come alive. Ellis Pugh has been a man of some mystery, being orphaned at the age of a few days in Merionethshire, Wales. Most of what we know of him comes from the biographical preface to Annerch it Cymru . . . . He was born in the sixth month (that is, August under the old calendar) 1656 in the Parish of Dolgelley, Merionethshire, Wales. His father died before he was born and his mother, a few days after his birth. In his eighteenth year, about 1674, the preaching of John ap John so influenced him that he became a Quaker. A few years later, perhaps 1680, he became a minister of the Friends. Late in 1686 he left Wales with the Rowland Ellis company, arriving at Barbados in the first month (March) and continuing to Pennsylvania in the summer of 1687, a difficult voyage that consumed several months. His death came in Pennsylvania the 3rd day, 10th month, 1718 (i. e., 3 Dec 1718). Many interesting questions arise. Who were his parents? Who raised the orphaned baby? Whom did he marry? And so on. He himself is strangely silent on all of these points. On a trip to Wales in 1974 one objective was to find answers to these questions. The first step, of course, in such a quest is to learn as much as possible about the subject in Pennsylvania and from sources available in the United States. 112 Ellis Pugh, Quaker 115 THE STORY IN PENNSYLVANIA Several authors who have written on the Pennsylvania Quakers have made brief mention of Ellis Pugh, but such references have been fragmentary and sometimes apply to another Ellis Pugh. It is quickly apparent that two or even three Ellis Pughs (or Ellis ap Hugh in the Welsh patronymic form) occur in the Pennsylvania references. So it is that in colonial Pennsylvania Ellis Pugh, Quaker, of Dolgelley has remained ill-defined, obscured by the mists of time. Those several references are of varying value. To the extent that valid sources and documents are cited, they narrow or pinpoint the field of further research. When they fail to so cite, they may still have value in providing clues for a specific search for corroborating facts and documentation. Much of what has appeared in print has been based on the preface to his book, which he wrote shortly before his death, and which was published three years later. These facts were used by Charles Browning' and in Glenn's Welsh Founders.' They were expanded somewhat in a History of Delaware County to say that Ellis Pugh "with his wife Sina, same from Brothru near Dolgelley, Merionethshire . . . settled in Radnor in 1686, but it is uncertain whether he ever owned any land" there; in 1706-7 he visited Wales; and for many years before his death he resided "within the verge of Gwynedd Monthly Meeting."' Another source, Maud Pugh, has given Ellis' birthplace as Grath Gowen (which is probably the Garthgynfor mentioned on later pages) and says he settled first in Radnor Township, Chester County, and later was in Plymouth Township, Philadelphia County. It has sometimes been said that Ellis Pugh married a widow with nine small children. Such a claim stretches credulity since, as will appear shortly, Ellis was probably married at age nineteen. A widow with nine children, on the other hand, could easily have been thirty. A lad of nineteen would be either very brave or foolhardy to take on a ready-made family of nine children. That story seems to be based on Glenn, who actually said: "As 'nine poor small children of Sina' are mentioned in their certificate, it is presumed that they were by a former huband.'" Ellis Pugh and his family did not emigrate until 1686. It now seems more likely that the nine small children were in fact those of Ellis than the previous children of a widowed Sina. Either way there is the problem of why the nine children do not all appear in later records, such as Ellis' will. Perhaps it is not unrealistic to suggest that some of them may have been among the victims of the harsh voyage from Wales. Rowland Ellis and about 100 of his neighbors (including Ellis Pugh and family) from Dolgelley sailed in a Bristol ship from Milford Haven, South Wales, on the 16th day of the 8th month 1686. After a passage of 24 weeks, during which "many died through want," they arrived at Barbados, where the ship was detained 114 The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine six weeks.' Thus they arrived in Barbados in late March or early April 1687 and in Philadelphia about the middle of May. Browning makes two references to Ellis Pughs who could not be our subject. The lineage is given of Ellis Pugh of Gwynedd Township, Pennsylvania, son of John ap Hugh (John Pugh) who came from Denbyshire, Wales. That could not be Ellis Pugh, Quaker, as the latter's father died in 1655 or 1656 in Wales. The unlikelihood that a Quaker minister would also be a Baptist rules out the Ellis Pugh who was in the Baptist Congregation of Welsh in Plymouth Township before 1703. Browning also cites a deed by Richard Davies of Welshpool, Montgomeryshire, Wales, of acreage in his Pennsylvania grant to Ellis ap Hugh on 31 Jul 1682.' The initial reaction is to eliminate that Ellis ap Hugh because of the 1682 date. It must be remembered, however, that purchase of Pennsylvania land and immigration were not necessarily coincident. Rowland Ellis also made a large purchase from Richard Davies, but did not sail to Pennsylvania the first time until 1686. So, he may or may not be Ellis Pugh, Quaker. One source' says that Ellis ap Hugh "died aboard ship." It is possible that the next two references by Browning are to Ellis Pugh, Quaker. Ellis Pugh received a legacy in the will of William Thomas of Radnor, dated the 18th day, 7th month, 1687, and proved the 4th day, 9th month, 1689. Around 1690 an Ellis Pugh of Merion Township was among the subscribers to shares of the Susquehanna Land Co. Two further citations of Browning can be accepted with some confidence. In 1701 the Radnor Friends "met at the meeting house and at Rees Thomas's and Ellis Pugh's." Finally, 14th day, 5th month, 1720, Radnor Monthly Meeting records contain a minute with respect to printing the manuscript left by Ellis Pugh at his death. Twelve Friends of Haverford and Gwynedd considered the manuscript and recommended its publication. It is reputedly the first book in Welsh published in America. Records of the late genealogist Gilbert Cope" say that Ellis Pugh was the son of John ap Hugh (John Pugh) of Gwynedd Township; was buried near Radnor Meeting House; married Sinah; and that their children were: Ellin, born in Wales; married David Meredith [or Meredith David] Ellis, born in Wales; married Mary Evans in 1708; died in 1711 Thomas, born in 1686 in Wales John, born in Pennsylvania; married Jane Reese Elizabeth, married Ellis Roberts Job, born in 1693; married Phebe Miles Evan (widow) Abraham, born in 1695; died in 1711 Ellis Pugh, Quaker 115 The sources utilized by Mr. Cope are not identified. A correspondent" says that Ellis and Sinah brought their certificate of membership, date the 25th day, 5th month, 1686, from Redstone Monthly Meeting, Pembrokeshire, Wales, to Radnor Monthly Meeting. What is puzzling about that is the fact that Redstone was a long way from Dolgelley. Directly pertinent is the will of Ellis Pugh, recorded at Philadelphia." Of Philadelphia, a mason, he mentions wife Sinah; sons Thomas, Job, and Ellis; daughter Ellen Davies; son-in-law Ellis Roberts; and granddaughters Katherine and Mary Meredith and Sinah Pugh. Son Job was named Executor. Named as overseers were son-in-law Meredith Davies, and friends David Meredith, John Moore, and Robert Jones. The witnesses were John Moore, William Griffith, Cadwalader Jones, and Robert Jones. The will was signed 29 Nov 1718, and proved 16 Mar 1718/19. With this background, preparations were focused on the search to take place physically in the United Kingdom. Those included (1) familiarization with the three volumes of Smith and Gardner on Genealogical Research in England and Wales." Volume 2 is particularly useful for its summary of the records on each county and the location of those records. Volume 3 has considerable merit for its examples of old alphabets and handwriting and its discussion of Latin names, terms, and numerals; (2) acquisition of The Official List, General Register Office, London, listing all offices which register vital statistics; (3) identification of appropriate parishes of the Church of Wales; (4) determination of probate jurisdictions in Merionethshire; (5) review of the holdings of the Society of Genealogists, London;" (6) study of a Genealogical Atlas." Inclusion of such references in one's luggage can be quite useful. Some Welsh maps will also be needed but they can better be acquired overseas. CENTRAL RECORDS IN LONDON London, as the major air terminal, is the logical first stop for most genealogical research in England and Wales. The resources there include the Public Record Office (PRO), Chancery Lane, W.C.2; the General Register Office, Somerset House (by which it is better known), Strand, W.C., and its nearby annex, St. Catherine's House; the Society of Genealogists, 37 Harrington Gardens, S.W.7 (where a modest fee is charged non-members); the Department of Manuscripts, British Museum, W.C.; and the Library of Friends' House, Euston Road, N.W.1. A visit to the PRO involves (a) signing in at a guard station; (b) registering at the main building for temporary research--where guidance on PRO holdings is also available; and (c) for a longer period than one day or for a return visit within one year, obtaining a letter of recommendation from the U. S. Embassy. 116 The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magaeine The Embassy will issue such a letter on presentation of a valid U. S. passport. A letter of recommendation from a genealogical or historical society in the United States will also be accepted. Such procedures take a little time at the PRO, but are not otherwise difficult. The delays must, of course, be taken into consideration in planning the time required at the PRO. Some non-conformist (i. e., non-Church of England/Wales) records are located at the PRO. It does not, unfortunately, have a Quaker register for Merionethshire, nor any non-conformist registers for Merioneth for the period 1656-1686. Available also at the PRO are those wills which were filed with the Prerogative Court of Canterbury (PCC). That Court claimed sole jurisdiction when the deceased's estate was valued at more than five pounds and in two dioceses; also when those with property died at sea or overseas. The Index of PCC wills, which is located in a separate building but not far from the nonconformist registers, listed a will of a William Pugh, 1657, Radnor. When a requisition slip is filled out, an attendant will bring the will book promptly. A reading of the William Pugh will showed there was no bearing on Ellis Pugh. At Somerset House and St. Catherine's House (the latter a couple of blocks away) are births, deaths, and marriages after 1 Jul 1837; hence they were not applicable to the 1656-1686 period of Ellis Pugh. The records are readily accessible, however. The Society of Genealogists has no church registers for Merionethshire. It should be emphasized that the above highlights major facilities and resources only, and by no means exhausts the scope of records to be found or their location in London. FRIENDS' LIBRARY At this point it became more critical to determine what might be in the Library of the Society of Friends on Euston Road. An advance letter had been written to the library but it was not necessary. There is, by the way, a modest library use fee. Personal there are courteous and helpful. In addition to many works relating to Quakers and standard genealogical publications, the library includes registers of Monthly/Quarterly Friends' Meetings from many locations in England and Wales. Most pertinent to the search at hand was General Meetings of Herefordshire, Worcestershire, and Wales," but inspection showed there was nothing on Ellis Pugh, or Ellis ap Hugh or Ellis ap John for that matter. There are several possible names for the father of Ellis. Patronymics were still in use in Wales (even to some degree in Pennsylvania) in the middle and late 1600s. Ellis Pugh's children used the surname Pugh. The father of Ellis, on the other hand, might have had the Pugh surname, or Hugh as his Christian name, or even John—John ap Hugh—as one source already cited has said. Ellis Pugh, Quaker 117 At the Library the Index to Friends' Meetings had this to say with regard to Merioneth: "Monthly Meeting established 1668. In 1770 united as Montgomery and Merioneth Monthly Meeting. No records extant." [Underlining added]. That fact immediately and severely reduced hopes for a breakthrough on Ellis Pugh's background, especially on his marriage, which reasonably must have been a Quaker ceremony. The same Index with respect to Pembrokeshire Monthly Meeting said: "Records wanting 1668-1700," a crucial period in Ellis Pugh's life. The index to Joseph Besse's Suffering? for Wales and Warwickshire, included Rowland Ellis of "Dolgelly" and Pennsylvania, but not Ellis Pugh. Perhaps that is not surprising, for there is little indication that Ellis Pugh was a man of property. Hence, he was not likely to suffer the loss of such. A microfilm of the North Wales Quarterly Meeting, 1668-1752, was in the Friends' Library, the original being in the County Record Office, Cardiff, Wales. It included the Minute Book at Dolobran (including Shropshire, Montgomery, and Merioneth), but a search of the 1674, 1680, 1686 time periods revealed no reference to Ellis Pugh. Of much interest was a diary of John KelmII." An entry on page 62 reports: 29th of 10th Month 1706, Ellis Pugh lately from Merrion [sic] in Pennsylvania was at meeting. Ellis went the day after to Dolgelley. Rowland Ellis, Jr., who had landed from Philadelphia twelve months ago and Owen Roberts, second son of Hugh Roberts, lately from Pennsylvania, were with Ellis Pugh, all just come from London. Page 88 has an entry for the 27th day, 4th Month 1708: On the morrow Thomas Pot (from Penn.) went to Radnorshire intending in a little time for Bristol and thence take shipping for Pennsylvania along with Ellis Pugh. The published series Journal of Friends' Historical Society contains some information on Redstone, which was a Meeting House near Narberth, South Wales. Friends' burials took place nearby at Trewern, parish of Llanddewy Velfry, Pembrokeshire. Trewern was the property of John Lewis, a few miles from Narberth." Another entry" records that in 1668 "others from the neighborhood of Ruabon were presented at the preceding sessions as 'Quakers'." Among them were John ap John of Trevor and Thomas ap Pugh of Chirk. Also in Supplement 6: The Yearly Meeting in 1683 was held at Dolgyn, Merioneth; in 1685 it was held at Carthgynfor near Dolgelley. In The Friends' Library, Vol. 3, 1839, is the life of Samuel Bownas. It refers to the Welsh Friend Ellis Pugh, saying that they went overseas together, with a Friend, Daniel Maud (apparently the ship's Master.) After a long passage they 118 The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine arrived at Portsmouth in the 10th month 1706 then went on to London." The Quaker history by Rev. Rees' sheds the following light on Ellis Pugh: a. Merionethshire contributed more to Quakerism than any other Welsh county, considering its size, chiefly from Independents. Included were "Many of the ablest and wealthiest sons of Merionethshire ...Dr. Edward Jones, Dr. Griffith Owen, Thomas and Robert Owen, Hugh Roberts, Ellis Pugh and others." b. Quakerism flourished in the district of Dolgelley. Meetings were held at Dolgyn, Tyddyn y Garreg (or Tyddynygarreg, distant about two miles), Dewisbren and Tynyclawdd. Dolgelley supplied Pennsylvania with Griffith Owen, Robert Owen, Rowland Ellis, and Ellis Pugh. c. Ellis Pugh, 1656-1718, minister, rendered distinguished service in Wales and Pennsylvania. He was "convinced" by "Sion ap Sion" as he affectionately called him (John ap John) in 1674. He married a widow, Sina, who had nine small children. (Except for Glenn, quoted earlier, no verification of this statement has been found.) In 1680 he began his public ministry, a stone mason by trade. His work at Dolgelley was hindered by persecutions. Families were scattered and the Church dwindled (from over 100 families) because of emigration. Many left for Pennsylvania and in 1686 Ellis Pugh, of Brithdir, Dolgelley, yeoman, followed with other Friends from Dolgelley. They reached Barbados in January and Pennsylvania early in the summer of 1687. d. Ellis Pugh's book was published in Philadelphia in 1721 by Andrew Bradford. In the original Welsh edition (two copies of which are extant) a history of the author and testimony concerning him occupy pages i-x. Rev. Rees also tells us that on the 27th day, 7th month of 1681 it was decided to hold the Yearly Meeting for Wales at Haverfordwest (Redstone). Redstone, near Narberth, about one mile north of Narberth Castle, Pembrokeshire, was once the center ,of great Quaker activity. The first Yearly Meeting for Wales was held there "5, u, 1682." Tyddyn y Garreg, Merionethshire, he says was the house of Ellis Lewis. In a 1732 English edition of Ellis Pugh's book, translated by Rowland Ellis (in 1727) and revised and corrected by David Lloyd, the testimony of the Monthly Meeting at Gwynedd, Philadelphia County, brings out another sorrow in his life. After Ellis Pugh's return to Pennsylvania from Wales in 1708, "three of his children, in the flower of their age, died within one month" of each other. From what we know of the children, this must have occurred in 1711. The Friends' Library has a typescript biography of Ellis Pugh, for which neither author nor source was identified. An additional fact or statement merits attention. It is that Ellis Pugh settled first in Merion, Pennsylvania, then later purchased land in Plymouth Township. The land purchase has not been verified. Ellis Pugh, Quaker 119 In view of the disappointing results at the Friends' Library it seemed opportune to leave London for Wales. Before leaving London, however, a visit to Her Majesty's Stationery Office to procure Welsh maps is recommended. The maps are available elsewhere but not with the wide selection offered at the Stationery Office. The Ordnance Survey Map Series is quite similar to those of the U. S. Geological Survey. The maps include a wealth of physical and manmade features. The 1:50,000 Series is to a scale of 11/4 inches to 1 mile. Sheet 124 is the Survey Map for Dolgellau (Dolgelley). NATIONAL LIBRARY OF WALES A pleasant drive or train ride to the west coast of central Wales will take you to the picturesque resort town of Aberystwyth, Cardiganshire. On spacious grounds on a hill overlooking the town, with a view of Cardigan Bay and the Irish Sea to the west, sits the National Library of Wales (NLW). It is the major genealogical and historical record facility of Wales. In addition to vast published and manuscript holdings, the NLW has original parish registers for the earlier years for many parishes and Bishop's Transcripts of such registers for later years. Bishop's Transcripts are the copies which were required to be sent annually to the Bishop. The registers record separately marriages, births, and burials. Old calendar dates were used in the early entries. Also, in most of the earlier registers entries were inscribed in Latin. The NLW is accessible without charge. Its staff is both helpful and competent. The fact that it is the central repository for parish registers or Transcripts makes it the primary contact in lieu of individual churches. But first it seems desirable to have some geographic and jurisdictional definitions. Brithdir, Garthgynfor, and Dolgelley," for example, need to be understood in relation to one another. Brithdir and Islaw'rdref is now a civil parish of Merionethshire created in 1894 and comprised of the former townships of Brithdir lsaf (lower) and Brithdir Uchaf (upper) in Dolgelley (church) parish. Garthgynfor and Brithdir-isaf are townships in Brithdir. There is also a village by the name of Brithdir within Brithdir-isaf. Tyddyn y Garreg" is within the area of Garthgynfor. Thus, references to Brithdir and to Garthgynfor as the birthplace of Ellis Pugh are both correct. Dolgelley Parish, as church parish, dates from 1640. The first point of reference for information on Ellis Pugh is the Dolgelley Parish Register, 1640-89. Entries of interest are listed below (in translation) in chronological order, many of them numbered to facilitate reference: 1654: Baptisms: Elizabeth, d/o ap Hugh and (bt. 1 Apr and 9 May). Richard, slo John ap Hugh ap Hugh and Elizabeth, d/o Williams, 28 Feb. 120 The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine 1656: Baptisms: David, s/o Lewis Pugh and Agnes, 20 Sep. Jane, d/o John Pugh and Elizabeth, 4 Oct. 1657: Baptisms: John, s/o Hugh Pugh and ELM, 14 Aug. (The above are included to show the Pugh/ap Hugh baptisms; none for Ellis shown.) 1667: Marriages: John Pugh and Elizabeth William, Jan. 1. 1672: Baptisms: Humphrey, s/o Ellis ap Hugh and Jane, 22 Sep. 2. 1673: Baptisms: Agnes, d/o Ellis ap Hugh of Brithdir and Elizabeth, 25 Jan. 1674: Burials: Ellis Pugh, I1 Nov. 3. 1676: Baptisms: Ellin, d/o Ellis Pugh and Sina , 8 Oct. 4. 1677: Baptisms: Grace, d/o Ellis Pugh and Jane , 26 Sep. 5. 1678: Burials: Ellin Ellis, 24 Mar. Margaret, d/o Ellis, 28 Mar. 6. 7. 1679: Marriages: Ellis ap Hugh and Catharine, d/o Hugh, 16 Jul. 8. 1681: Baptisms: Richard, s/o Ellis ap Hugh and Jane, 30 Oct. 9. 1682: Burials: Elizabeth, d/o Ellis, 25 Jul. John ap Ellis, 28 Jan. 10. 11. 1684: Burials: Anna, d/o Ellis, 5 Jan. Catherine, infant of Ellis, 18 Mar. 12. 13. 1685: Burials: Margaret, d/o Ellis, 31 May. Jane Ellis, infant, 10 Nov. 14. IS. Anthony ap Ellis, 21 Mar. 16. 1686: Baptisms: John, s/o Ellis Pugh and Jane, 25 Apr. Agnes, d/o Ellis, 18 Sep. There were no marriages for 1671, 1672, 1673, or 1680. Burials were checked for 1655 (none) and 1656 (only two). Records of all appropriate years were read but had no other entries of interest. For example, in 1654, 1655, and 1656 there was no marriage which could conceivably be of the parents of Ellis Pugh. The only marriage that comes close is item (7) but it is not Ellis Pugh, Quaker. Item (3) is the only baptism, for that matter the only record, clearly applicable to Ellis Pugh and Sina. Since Ellin was baptized in Aug 1676, Ellis and Sina were married probably in 1675, when Ellis was about nineteen. Glenn maintains that in Wales heirs to even small estates quite often married very early, boys at 14 to 16 and girls at 12 to 14.' Items (1), (4), (8), and (16) are all children of an Ellis Pugh (or ap Hugh) and Jane. Note item (5), burial of Ellina Ellis in 1678. Is this a daughter of Ellis and Sina? Ellis and Sina had a daughter Ellin who grew to maturity. Items (6), (9), (10), (11), (12), (13), perhaps also (14), and (15) all involve burials of sons and daughters of an Ellis, but there is no way of knowing whether they were Ellis Pugh's. Item (2) seems so close to the target, the father being Ellis ap Hugh of Brithdir, but with a wife named Elisabeth it seems there was a fourth Ellis Pugh in the area (in addition to those with wives Sina, Jane, and Catharine). Ellis Pugh, Quaker 121 With no burial in the parish record identifiable as the father of Ellis Pugh, it became necessary to consider probate records. Prior to 1858 the western half of Merioneth, including Dolgelley, fell under the jurisdiction of the Episcopal Consistory Court of Bangor. The balance of Merioneth was within the Episcopal Consistory Court of St. Asaph. The superior court was the Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury, already mentioned. The Bangor records were checked to no avail; specifically, Bangor Probate Registry, Calendar of Wills and Administrations, 1635-1699. The shadow over Ellis Pugh's records appeared once more. There was a "lapse" in the records for 1649-1659, inclusive. For St. Asaph there was also a lapse for 1649-1659. In an Index of PCC Administrations, Vol. II, was listed Pugh, John, in the ship Swiftsure in State Service at sea, 1655, f. 177. That is a possible father for Ellis Pugh which merits further investigation. The NLW has marriage licenses for the Diocese of St. Asaph, 1616-1900, and for the Diocese of Bangor for 1757-1900, which is too late. As a long shot the former licenses were combed for 1672-1682, but with no productive results. Inspection of Publications of the Merioneth Historical and Record Society and the List of Merioneth Manuscripts was likewise fruitless. DOLGELLEY, MERIONETHSHIRE Situated in a valley on the river Mon Wnion is Dolgelley, a market town of Merionethshire, about 30 miles north of Aberystwyth. Few come nearer the image of a medieval town than Dolgelley. Were it not for the surfeit of modern automobiles, one could easily see Dolgelley as it must have been 1656-1686. Narrow streets hugging the sides of ancient buildings, frequent corners, twisting lanes, homes crowding the sidewalks, all contribute to the pervading quaintness. The Merioneth County Record Office is located there, staffed by young archivists who take a genuine interest in the problems of inquiring visitors, Manuscript notes" contained several items worth citing: 1) Tyddyn y Garreg, in the township of Garthgynfor, around 1664 was owned by Owen Lewis Owen; 2) Ellis Pugh was born at Pen Rhos (Penrhos), a house near Tyddyn y Garreg; 3) a Friends' Monthly Meeting was held at Tyddyn y Garreg from 1678 to 1700; and 4) in 1690 (?)[sic] Ellis Pugh was an ordained minister of the church at Tyddyn y Garreg. Even though the date is wrong it suggests that Ellis Pugh was not at Redstone in 1686. The Record Office also has a hand-written diary, author unnamed, which contained the following capsule of history. In 1668 those who became Quakers in Merioneth resided on lands once belonging to two Monasteries, the Strata Marcella and the Cymme,s Abbey, and sequestered by Henry VIII in 1536. The family of Baron Owen (Owen lewis Owen, Tyydyn y Garreg) "swept the terrain" around Dolgelley and Llangwyn. Scores of relatives and dependents migrated with them 122 The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine and farmhouses were built on several estates. During the hundred years ending in 1646 several such small estates had been established, including Tyddyn y Garreg, and it was the owners of it that became Quakers in Merioneth. The Abbey of Marcella was near Bala. During the Civil War a large number of Welsh joined Cromwell's army, many of them ancestors of Welsh Quakers in Pennsylvania. On the restoration of Charles II they were the greatest sufferers. There were, therefore, two distinct groups, in the Penlyn (Bala) area and the Dolgelley area. One publication" contained records of hearth taxes in 1662 for Merioneth, too late for Ellis Pugh's father, but with several Hughs and ap Pughs listed. Other records and publications in the Record Office added to new data. With directions from the archivist a visit was made to Tyddyn y Garreg, east of Dolgelley. The rather large house and adjoining barns are clearly old, typically Welsh, of solid stone, with few windows. A picture of the house is included in Glenn's book on Merion." Inquiry of the present residents" failed to disclose any knowledge of Pen Rhos. In a nearby field is a Quaker cemetery, allegedly old, about 100 feet square in size. The cemetery is badly maintained and overgrown, as are nearly all in Wales—even those of Parish churches. Grass and weeds often reach 30 inches high. There were many stones in the Quaker cemetery, most of them difficult to read. The earliest legible stone bore a death date of 1849. The estate is perhaps a mile from the village of Brithdir, whose St. Marks Church was built in 1895. The Rector of St. Mary's Parish (Church of Wales)," Dolgelley, kindly agreed to make his records available, but those for the time period consisted solely of copies of the originals, which, already inspected, are in the custody of the NLW. A Batty GENEALOGY In retrospect it may be seen that, in addition to some corroboration of previous stories, new information was primarily the 1676 baptism of Ellin, daughter of Ellis Pugh and Sina, and the naming of Pen Rhos on the Tuydyn y Garreg estate as Ellis Pugh's actual birthplace and home. Some new details of the 1706-08 visit to Wales were gained. On the negative side it was established that several series of crucial records are not extant. Although Ellis Pugh's parents are not known, we can summarize our information about him, his wife and their descendants, based on sources already cited, as follows: 1. Ellis Pugh, b. Aug 1656, Tyddyn y Garreg, Dolgelley, Wales, m. Sina d. near Philadelphia, 3 Dec 1718. Ellis Pugh, Quakes 123 1. Ellin Pugh, bapt. 8 Aug 1676, Dolgelley, m. 22 Jan 1700 Meredith David, s/o David and Katharine Meredith. Their children took the surname Meredith. ii. Ellis Pugh, b. Wales, m. 3 May 1708 Mary Evans, d/o Owen and Elizabeth Evans, d. 1711. 2. iii. Thomas Pugh, d. 1685, Merioneth, Wales, m. 23 Dec 1710 Jane Ann Roger, d/o Roger Robert, d. 1723, Merion, Pa. Several children, see below. iv. John Pugh, b. 16 Dec 1688 in Pa., m. Jane Reese (d. 1760), d. 1711. v. Elizabeth Pugh, b. Dec 1690, m. 1712 Ellis Roberts of Radnor, Pa., blacksmith, s/o Robert Ellis, dec'd. vi. Job Pugh, b. 14 Jul 1693, m. 16 Sep 1731 Phebe Miles Evans (widow), d. 1751. vii. Abraham Pugh, b. 17 Jul 1695, d. 1711. 2. Thomas Pugh, a mason like his father, left a will dated 3 May 1723 (Book D, #289), mentioning his brother Job and sons Jesse and Roger. Witnesses were John Roger, Thomas Ellis, Ellis Robert and Meredith David. It was proved by his wife Jane, 1 Oct 173 . Named as Trustees were Robert Jones of Merion, Meredith Davies, Robert Roger, Job Pugh and Ellis Roberts. His widow later married Isaac Malin. Children were: 3. i. Jesse Pugh, b. 16 Nov 1711 in Pa., m. Alice Malin, b. 29 Nov 1711. Roger Pugh, b. 1713, m. Sarah Handem, went to Kent Co., Del. iii. Hannaniah Pugh, b. 1715 in Pa., m. 1740 Mary Davis. iv. Michael Pugh, b. 1717 in Pa., m. Hannah Davis. v. Katherine Pugh, b. 1721, m. 1) Benjamin Rhoads, 2) Jas. Travilla, went to York Co., Pa. 4. vi. Azariah Pugh, b. 1721, m. Hannah Beales (Bailes), b. 31 Mar 1729. 5. vii. Thomas Pugh, b. 1723, m. 1756 in York Co., Pa., Jane Lewis, d. 179_, Frederick Co., Va. 3. Jesse Pugh and his wife Alice Malin went to Frederick Co., Va. One son: i. Thomas Pugh, b. 1731/2, m. Ann Wright. 4. Azariah Pugh and his wife Hannah Beales went first to Frederick Co., Va., and then about 1763 to Bush River, S.C. One son: i. Ellis Pugh, b. 21 Mar 1748. 5. Thomas Pugh went to Frederick Co., Va., in 1770. He and his wife Jane Lewis had five children: i. Jesse Pugh, m. 24 Jul 1786 Elizabeth Grey, d. 1830. ii. Mahlon Pugh, b. 20 Oct 1762, m. ca. 1787 Hannah Arnold, d. 30 Mar 1829. iii. Eli Pugh, m. 27 Apr 1795 Catherine Fisher, Frederick Co. iv. Mishael Pugh, m. 1796 Margaret Lipscomb. v. Ellis Pugh, m. Mary Reese. POSTLUDE There are in the course of history those who live with humility, but displaying such faith and character that their influence lives on. Such a man was Ellis Pugh. "His conduct in his family, in his neighborhood and in the church, was meek, loving, and peaceable, and to edification; and his conversation innocent, chaste, and coupled with the fear of God, honorable among the friend and of good report among all people generally ...."" 124 The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine NOTES 1. Ellis Pugh, Annerch it Cymru... (A Salutation to the Britain, to call them front the many things, to the one thing needful...) (Philadelphia, 1721). 2. Marion Eames, The Secret Room (Swansea, Wales, English edition, 1975). 3. Charles H. Browning, Welsh Settlement of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, 1912). 4. Thomas A. Glenn, Welsh Founders of Pennsylvania, 2 vols. (Oxford, Pa., 1911-13). 5. George Smith, History of Delaware County, Pennsylvania... (Philadelphia, 1862), 494. 6. Maud Pugh, Capon Valley-Its Pioneers and Their Descendants 1698-1940, 2 vols. (n.p., 1948). 7. Glenn, op. cit., 204. 8. Browning, op. cit., 234. 9. Ibid., 234ff for this and subsequent references to Browning in the next two paragraphs. 10. Handwritten diary, author unnamed, in possession of Merioneth County Record Office, Dolgelley. II. In the Collections of GSP. 12. Correspondence in possession of a descendant. 13. Book D, p. 116. 14. David E. Gardner and Frank Smith, Genealogical Research in England and Wales, 3 vols. (Salt Lake City, 1956, 1959, 1964). 15. Parish Register Copies, Part One Society of Genealogists Collection (London, 1972), Parish Register Copies, Part Two, Other Than the Society of Genealogists Collection (London, 1971). 16. David E. Gardner, Derek Harland and Frank Smith, A Genealogical Atlas of England and Wales (Salt Lake City, 1960). 17. The records reviewed included: Marriages; Burials; Births; Supplement-Marriages and Burials, 1657-1776; and Supplement-Births, Burials and Marriages. 18. Vol. II, p. 603 of his A Collection of the Sufferings of the People called Quakers..., 2 vols. (London, 1753) shows entries for Rowland Ellis, pp. 756 and 761. 19. J. K. Kelmll, An Account of Friends Who Visited Dolobran Meeting; Since 2d Month 1701 (typescript, bound). 20. Journal, Vol. II, 45. 21. Ibid., Supplement 6, pp. 12, 30. 22. Pp. 39-40. 23. Rev. T. Hardy Rees, A History of the Quakers in Wales and Their Emigration to North America (Carmerthen, 1925), passim. 24. In Welsh language, brith means mottled or speckled; dir, certain or necessary; garth, hill or enclosure; dol, meadow. 25. In Welsh language, tyddyn means farm or holding. 26. Glenn, op. cit., Mi. 27. Notes on the History of Early Quakers in the Neighborhood of Dolgelley, typescript carbon, no author or source cited, Merioneth County Record Office, Dolgelley. 28. E. D. Jones, ed., Journal of Merioneth Historical and Record Society, II, 19536. 29. Thomas A. Glenn, Merion in the Welsh Tract . . . (Baltimore, 1970), facing 16, where it is described as "Property of Lewis Owen, 1678, and Meeting Place of Friends from 1664 to 1700." 30. Mr. Iowerth Price and family. 31. Glenn Merion..., op. cit., has a picture of the church, facing 214. 32. Pugh, Annerch it Cymru, op. cit., preface.