I wonder if any of you kind people could offer any suggestions with my brick wall??? I have been searching for my grandfather on my fathers side, John Owen Jones for 4 years now & am no further forward now than I was then. I am not a novice & have managed to go back to 1700 on my mothers side & have done all the usual things, like census, Free BMD & parish registers etc. I have found my grandparents' marriage in 1902 in Festiniog, on which it states that John was resident at Cefncoch Isaf as a farm servant, & that his father was John Jones, Slate Quarryman (deceased). From John's age he was born circa 1880. I have managed ok on his wife's side Jane Ellen Owen who was born Dolbenmaen (incidentally Alwyn (saw your post to MER list) this family also connected to Hedd Wyn) I checked back to the 1901 census BUT he was not at Cefncoch isaf then (hoping to find out where he was born) Searched the 1891 & 1881 census but again there are SO MANY John Jones' with fathers also John Jones it's impossible to tell which is the right one. I have no idea when his father died or where to check for his death. Again I have done the usual things baptism registers & burials for local places, I think he came from the Clynnog/Llanllyfni areas, also I think the family were Methodists (John later became a Deacon at Beulah chapel in Caernarfon) & supposedly had a sister named Alice & brother Evan, which again I have been unable to find so don't know if they are older or younger than John. After their marriage in 1902 the went to Grianog Crossing Pant Glas to live, where my father, 1 of 13 children was born. They moved to Caernarfon to live about 1911. Can anyone offer any suggestions as a way forward, & further research??? I know sometimes a different perspective can help. Thanks Glenys --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.742 / Virus Database: 495 - Release Date: 19/08/2004

I had a similar problem with my Taid, Thomas PARRY. I knew his approximate date of birth but I had no idea where so I could not distinguish from all the other Thomas Parry. I eventually paid a researcher to look up his World War I record and this gave me several crucial items of information including his place (Brynrefail) and date of birth. Martin Briscoe Fort William M&LFHS | Gwynedd FHS > -----Original Message----- > From: glenn [mailto:[email protected]] > Sent: 21 August 2004 16:08 > To: [email protected] > Subject: [CAE] ?How can I find out where he was born/My Brick Wall > > I wonder if any of you kind people could offer any > suggestions with my brick wall??? > I have been searching for my grandfather on my fathers side, > John Owen Jones for 4 years now & am no further forward now > than I was then. I am not a novice & have managed to go back > to 1700 on my mothers side & have done all the usual things, > like census, Free BMD & parish registers etc. I have found > my grandparents' marriage in 1902 in Festiniog, on which it > states that John was resident at Cefncoch Isaf as a farm > servant, & that his father was John Jones, Slate Quarryman (deceased).