One of the most rewarding aspects of family history research is helping clients reconnect with the places, people, and stories that shaped their ancestors’ lives. Recently, we had the privilege of researching two Welsh family lines for Catherine, who wanted help tracing Welsh ancestors that had migrated to Ohio in the United States during the nineteenth century.
Catherine purchased one of our Starter Packs, giving us ten hours to uncover as much information as possible and produce a detailed research report. The project proved fascinating from the outset, revealing a story shaped by rural farming communities, industrial migration, and transatlantic family connections.
We began by constructing a family tree starting with our client’s grandfather, who was born in Ohio, and worked backwards to identify his four sets of great-grandparents, all of whom came from Welsh families. From these, the client selected two lines for further research: the Davies family of Llangyfelach near Swansea, and the Jones family of Cerrigydrudion in North Wales.
Although separated by geography, the two families shared remarkably similar roots. For generations, both lived and worked on family farms within predominantly Welsh-speaking communities, maintaining strong ties to the land and to local traditions.
In South Wales, the Davies family farmed at Llechart Fach, a historic holding once associated with the Briton Ferry estate. The family remained closely connected to the agricultural life of the Swansea Valley, even as industrialisation gradually transformed the surrounding landscape.
Meanwhile, in the uplands of North Wales, the Jones family spent more than a century at Ty-tan-y-graig farm near Cerrigydrudion, a village long associated with the historic A5 road coaching route.
Every family history project reveals individuals whose stories stand out, and this research was no exception.
One particularly memorable figure was William Jones, who left rural North Wales for Liverpool and became a highly successful builder. Despite his prosperity, he maintained a strong connection to his Welsh roots and later donated land for a girls’ school in his home village of Cerrigydrudion.
The Davies family research uncovered a far more tragic story. In 1849, Elizabeth Davies and her husband Evan Jenkins died while emigrating to America aboard Caleb Grimshaw. On the ship’s sixth voyage, carrying more than 400 passengers and a cargo of coal, a fire broke out near the Azores on 11 November 1849. Despite rescue efforts, the vessel eventually sank ten days later, with contemporary reports estimating between 90 and 101 fatalities, including Elizabeth and Evan.
Another striking discovery was how closely both families remained connected to farming across multiple generations. Even after migration to the United States, agriculture continued to shape family life, livelihoods, and identity.
An important part of this project involved reconnecting the family story to real locations.
The report included a detailed Welsh heritage trail covering ancestral farms, churches, chapels, and villages associated with the family. These included: Llechart Fach Farm in Llangyfelach, Gellionnen Chapel near Pontardawe, Ty-tan-y-graig Farm near Cerrigydrudion and St Mary Magdalene’s Church in North Wales.
For many clients, visiting ancestral locations becomes one of the most meaningful outcomes of family history research. Catherine told us the locations identified in the report would help her plan a future trip to Wales.
We were delighted to receive such thoughtful feedback following delivery of the report:
“The report is exceptionally well done and truly brings my family’s story to life. I was amazed at the depth of information uncovered.”
Feedback like this reminds us why we love what we do.
Family history research is about far more than names and dates. It is about understanding how ordinary families lived, worked, migrated, and adapted to changing times.
The Davies and Jones project offered a wonderful example of this – two farming families connected by migration, marriage, and shared Welsh heritage, whose story eventually stretched from the hills of Wales to the farms of America. At Welsh Family History, we are proud to help clients around the world reconnect with their Welsh roots and preserve these stories for future generations.
If you would like help tracing your own Welsh ancestry, visit:
