Good afternoon from Kentucky USA, I am new to the list, recently we found ancesters we thought were Welsh actually came from Shropshire, could you please help find. Thomas Parry born abt; 1786 no idea what town, . the marriage date from 1814-1815 Mary ------- born about 1796 in Scotland, We are not sure if they married in Shropshire or Blaenavon Monmouthshire Wales. Their eldest son Thomas was born in Wales in 1816. Any help and advise will be greatly appreciated. Happy Easter. Sylvia Gardner

Dear Sylvia Happy Easter. I'm afraid you're going to need a little more information for us to be of help with such a common name. The International Genealogical Index reveals 48 (give or take a couple of duplicates) Thomas Parry's/Perry's being christened in Shropshire within a five year period of 1786. For myself, I do have a Thomas Parry, born Ellesmere, Shropshire 28th Jul 1788, christened at St. Mary's Ellesmere 14 Sep. Alas, I do not have a marriage for this Thomas (not found). Just to show you how common the name was I have nine Thomas Parry's within this little family group at Ellesmere. Do you have any other info about the marriage? I suppose it is pushing things to hope that the family was still alive and still in Shropshire or Monmouthshire by the time of the 1841 census, which may be of help, or indeed the 1851 which gives place of birth? Do you know where any of these people were buried? Memorial inscriptions sometimes give a place of birth. When they married most likely it was by Banns, but sometimes a License was required. For Banns you would need to know what parish one or both were living in and check some church registers. Marriage licences are indexed and available on microfilm through the Latter Day Saints folk at their family history libraries. It can be a tedious process unless you have a close year. You might be better concentrating on the eldest son, Thomas, or any of the other children if you know of them. A marriage certificate for one of them (would have to be from 1837) could give you Mary's maiden name, or if you knew where one of them was married it is possible the parish registers just may give the mother's name. It may also be worthwhile joining the Monmouthshire list. Good hunting. Graham Melbourne Oz