Jones

Family tree: David Jones descendants

Oh why are there so many Joneses in Wales? Check out Professor Prys Morgan’s explanation here.

It was at the Pont-y-Blew forge that the iron for the gates to Chirk castle was sourced. Most of the men in this area were coal miners, including Mary’s father David Jones. His first wife was Priscilla Parrish who died at the age of 21 giving birth to her daughter Priscilla. Sarah Roberts was David’s second wife. On both his marriage certificates, David records his father as Richard Jones. In 1851, David was away from home on census night and on 6 Sep 1855, he died from the effects of injuries received in a coalpit; “killed” was written in the margin of church register. Descendants from several of Priscilla’s brothers and sisters lead to many (at least 13) DNA matches, so was David’s father Richard related in some way to Thomas Parrish’s wife Ann née Jones? Stokes names appear to be closely linked to the Parrish and Jones family.

Athalia Parrish had four illegitimate children with her father Thomas after his wife died. John Prescott’s family history was uncovered in a BBC programme in Jun 2010 called Coming Home. Genealogist Gillian Smith tells Prescott: “From what I’ve been told, the daughters took over the roles of the mother when they died, and they took over all the roles of the mother. It was quite common as well.”