Rhondda Davieses -
The Other Descendants of William Davies alias Hopkin
We have concentrated on eldest son William Davies, who inherited Cwmsaerbren, and on his brother Richard, our ancestor, who farmed Bodringallt, then Brynchwith, then Candleston in Merthyr Mawr, but what of the other brothers and sisters born at Fanhalog Farm, Llanwonno between 1774 and 1793? There were five other brothers and three sisters (see the family record in the database) and with the exception of Jane, who I believe must have died in infancy or childhood, we know that they all remained either in Llanwonno or just over the parish border in the neighbouring parishes of Ystradyfodwg and Llantrisant, and most remained in farming. When their father, William Davies alias Hopkin, bought Cwmsaerbren from his brother-in-law and the family moved there in the late 1790's, the second- and third- eldest sons, John and Thomas were left to run Fanhalog, probably with the help of at least one of their sisters. But their eldest sister, Anne, was not to stay at Fanhalog for long - in May 1803 she married Robert Evans, son of local farmer Thomas Evans of Blaenllechau. Robert and Anne ran Blaenllechau for a number of years before taking over Mynachdy, a 200-acre farm in the centre of the parish which Robert proceeded to expand, and where he and his sons built their reputation. We know this from Glanffrwd's History of Llanwynno. Glanffrwd also tells us about the Calvinistic Methodist Chapel - known as Old Bethel Chapel - which was founded in a building on Fanhalog land, and of which several of the Davies family were founder members. Of youngest brother George, Glanffrwd says: "George Davies and his wife were pillars of the cause for many years. They had much of this world's goods which they used to foster the cause of the Saviour in the parish. Mr.Davies died ripe in years. Leaving the old chapel was hard for him, he who had spent his life there in the worship of God. But he contributed well towards the new chapel and saw it completed; then he took to his bed and departed from this world in peace"
Another brother, Evan, who left for Penrhys, across the river in Ystradyfodwg, where he farmed Penrhys Ucha for over 40 years, apparently returned regularly on horseback to attend chapel. Of him, Glanffrwd says:
"... Evan Davies, from Pehrhys... was not gifted and his prayers were brief, but he was like a lump of pure gold, and very sincere. Although unable to pour out his heart in a flood of eloquence at the throne of grace to stir those who listened, yet he reminded them all that he was talking to his Father, and that he confessed nothing, nor did he ask for anything but what he truly felt. He journeyed twice a week for many years from Penrhys, Ystradyfodwg, over Mynydd Gwyngul, to the chapel at Llanwynno...."
Youngest of the sisters, Mary Davies, married local farmer Thomas Thomas and they farmed Gilfachglyd. That leaves only David Davies, who left the parish for Gelliwion, Llantrisant, which he farmed for over half a century, dying there in his late nineties.
It is always satisfying to discover someone else researching the same family and thereby discovering distant, and not-so-distant, cousins. I was contacted a couple of years ago by Phil Gardener, who is the great great great grandson of Thomas Davies, one of the brothers mentioned above, and he has provided me with information on his branch of the family, and has promised me more. One of Thomas Davies's grandsons, Evan Davies b.1861, married my grandfather's sister, his second cousin Anna Wiltshire Davies
Descendants of these Llanwonno Davies farming families intermarried with other local farming families so our family tree is linked by marriage to most of them, and to other genealogists who are descended from them, for example, Mavis Gibson of Penarth. descended from the Jenkins Family. Our trees connect via Thomas Evans, grandson of Anne Davies and Robert Evans, who married Sarah Jenkins.
I should be delighted to hear from any other present-day descendants of William Davies alias Hopkin, as my research is far from complete in this area.