Morgan Rees JENKINS - Aberdare - my great grandfather raised by his grandparents but I cant work out why!

Question

My great grandfather Morgan Rees JENKINS was born on 21 January 1873 in Aberdare, Glamorgan.  He had one brother called David Jenkins and a sister Mary Jane who died young (1869 Aberdare).

His parents are Thomas David Jenkins (born in 1846, Llanycrwys (sp) and Mary Jones (1851 in Aberdare). They married 28 Feb 1870 in Aberdare. 

Morgan Rees and his brother David were raised by their grandparents Morgan and Jane Jones and they are found in the 1871 onwards living in Aberdare.

I am not able to trace any death dates for Thomas and Mary and no one in the family knows why they did not raise their children. They have just simply disappeared after Morgan Rees's birth in 1873.

I have a theory that maybe the mother died and perhaps their father emmigrated but that is just a theory. 

If any one can shed light or come up with some suggestions I would be most grateful. 

The names I am researching are very common so makes it extra hard to locate anything relevant!

 

Comments

Julia:

Thanks for asking your question here; hopefully the answers will suggest a new angle or two for your research.

I also have a Morgan Jenkins in my ancestry - not the same as yours though, mine was born and died in Kentucky, US.  But I share and understand the difficulty of researching those with common names.

Makes one happy not to have to dig around for a John Smith!

Thanks again and good luck in your research.

~ Keith

Answer 1

Another theory to look into is that their father died, and their mother remarried. It was fairly common for widows who remarried to leave their children with grandparents instead of raising them with a new stepfather.

Answer 2

Another place to look would be the prison and criminal registers. Not what you want to hear, perhaps, but it is always possible.

And have you checked hospitals and asylums? Did he go into the military after his wife died or disappeared?

Rosemary

Answer 3

Wars & Plagues can also play a part . . .