Thomas Griffiths (abt. 1849 - 1931)

Born about 1849 in Llandrillo, Merionethshire, Wales, United Kingdom

Husband of Elizabeth (Jones) Griffiths — married 17 Jun 1873 in Pontfadog, Denbighshire, Wales, UK

Descendants

Died 1931 at about age 82 in Corwen, Merionethshire, Wales, United Kingdom

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Ian Jones [send private message]

Biography

Thomas Griffiths was born about 1849 in Llandrillo, Merionethshire, Wales where he lived with parents, Griffith Griffith and Catherine Roberts.^[1] Thomas married Elizabeth Jones in Pontfadog, Denbighshire, 17 June 1873.^[2]

Thomas and Elizabeth settled in Corwen, Merioethshire where Thomas worked as a tailor. By 1881, their family had grown to 4 children - Catherine (1876), Mary (1875), Griffith Thomas (1877) and Annie (1879).^[3] 2 more children - Llewellyn (1882) and Taliesin (1884) were born before the 1891 Census,^[4] and by 1901, all but Annie and Taliesin had left home.^[5][6]

Thomas died in Corwen in 1931. He was 82. ^[7]

Research Notes

Surname Griffith or Griffiths

The following is an exceprt from an email I received from Taliesin's grandson, Robert (Bob) Griffith:

Taliesin Griffith -- My grandfather Taliesin Griffith was born on 5 April 1884, and died in December 1944. His father was Thomas Griffiths. When we were in the Corwen Museum six years ago, we saw the railway census from early-1900s(?) which showed the surname with an 's' on the end. I believe I heard from Enid Frisk that Aunty Kate (Tal's big sister) had legally or otherwise dropped the 's' from the surname for the family-- probably just for herself and her siblings. I've always understood that Taliesin migrated from Wales to Alberta in 1912 and stayed here until his fiancee arrived the following year-- but maybe it wasn't that simple. It seems that he immigrated into Canada as 'Griffith'; ditto for his big brother Tom into the USA.

My conclusion from this would be that all of Thomas' and Elizabeth's children were born with the surname Griffiths. Since their surnames were changed, either by their sister Kate, or when they emigrated, all of the descendants of Taliesin (Tom and Llewellyn had no children) would have the surname Griffith.

Sources

1. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1861," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M7K9-QMJ : 13 December 2017), Thomas Griffiths in household of Griffith Griffiths, Cilan, Merionethshire, Wales; from "1861 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO RG 9, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey.
2. ↑ "Wales, Denbighshire, Parish Registers, 1538-1912," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/KCP1-9D1 : 11 February 2018), Thomas Griffiths and Elizabeth Jones, 17 Jun 1873, Marriage; from "Parish Records Collection 1538-2005," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing Pontfadog, Denbighshire, Wales, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey.
3. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1881," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/Q2WS-DVNN : 12 December 2017), Thomas Griffiths, Corwen, Merionethshire, Wales; from "1881 England, Scotland and Wales Census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing p. 29, Piece/Folio 5539/69, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey; FHL microfilm 101,775,510.
4. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1891," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/4TK1-C3Z : 10 December 2017), Thomas Griffiths, Corwen, Merionethshire, Wales; from "1891 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO RG 12, Merionethshire county, subdistrict, The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey.
5. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1901," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X919-GL2 : 8 April 2016), Thomas Griffiths, Corwen, Merionethshire, Wales; from "1901 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing Corwen subdistrict, PRO RG 13, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey
6. ↑ "1901 Wales Census" Thomas Griffiths Ancestry Link
7. ↑ "England and Wales Death Registration Index 1837-2007," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/QVHN-98Y1 : 4 September 2014), Thomas Griffiths, 1931; from "England & Wales Deaths, 1837-2006," database, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing Death, Corwen, Merionethshire, Wales, General Register Office, Southport, England.

Acknowledgements

• "Family Tree," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : modified 21 June 2018, 02:28), entry for Thomas Griffith(PID https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:9KBR-3HB); contributed by various users.
• Information obtained from the book 'Keeping Up With The Joneses' researched and compiled by W. Griff Jones in 1983.