Hello Following the theme of recent messages about the name COLE I found the grave of Jane COLE in Tenby Cemetery . Jane was formerly Jane DAVIES and married Richard COLE on 5 July 1856 in St Mary's, Tenby. Jane was buried in the same grave as her brother Erasmus DAVIES. (no sign of Richard!) Does anyone have any information about Richard COLE and his family. Erasmus was a name used in at least 3 generations in the Tenby DAVIES family . Can anyone suggest its origin as a first name please? We also two other unusual biblical first names in the family, Jedidah and Josiah both in the PROUT family. Best wishes for the New Year. Ted White, Burlington, Ontario, Canada <[email protected]> Researching: Pembrokeshire: DAVIES, ORMOND, together with PROUT, JOHN and WATERS in Amroth and St Issells. PS I have indexed the 1901 census for AMROTH if anyone would like a lookup done.

Dear Ted and Cate and Susan, I always keep in mind that unrelated mariners from elsewhere began families in Pembrokeshire often bearing a name long associated with its history....could be the case with the Coles....and I always remember Coel Hen was Old King Cole of nursery rhyme fame............. However, according to various historical writings, Cole, a "Frenchman" who first came to Cemais with Martin de Tours, received from him a grant to Llwyngwair (near Newport)and was the "first that found oute marle in Kemes for mending the lands and yt he learned the same in France". In 1326 William Cole of Llwyngwair sat on a jury at Newport. The Coles sold the property in 1503 (to one of my "rellies") and apparently moved south....but a few must have been still hanging about in Cemais because one, Richard Cole, was rather nasty to another Devonald relative about 1600. There are Richard Coles who married in Reynalton 1814, Begelly 1820, and one, a carpenter, married at Martletwy in 1821. Benjamin Cole of Yerbeston married Jane Morgan at Reynalton in 1817. There are wills for a Richard "Coale" at Begelly 1694, and Richard Cole at St. Lawrence, Gumphreston 1714, Minwere 1777, and Reynalton, Pemb. 1844 (twice...two different numbers, so probably two different Richards). I know there are other ways of obtaining information, but might I suggest to the Cole searchers that copies of the St. David's Probate index sheets for the Cole name from the 1500's to 1858 be obtained from the Records Office at Haverfordwest, if they wish to proceed further. H/west can also provide Will abstracts using the aforementioned years....but do not have full wills. I'll provide what information I can (I don't hold centuries- old grudges) but nothing beats an actual will. I only have a selection of sheets from the Probate index The National Library has Wills, Bonds, Inventories etc. but requires the special numbers shown on the index sheets I've mentioned, as well as the year, otherwise the search fee for a particular will is costly. Whilst assembling all this, I found a Stephen Dev Cole, Cabinet Maker married Mary Walters at H/west St. Mary in 1821......wondered if anyone claims him and if the Dev stands for Devonald or perhaps Devereux. Bettye Kirkwood, Australia. ----- Original Message ----- From: "ted white" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, January 06, 2004 3:47 AM Subject: [WLS-PEM] Jane COLE > Hello > > Following the theme of recent messages about the name COLE I Does anyone have > any information about Richard COLE and his family. > > Best wishes for the New Year. > > Ted White, Burlington, Ontario, Canada > <[email protected]> > > Researching: > Pembrokeshire: DAVIES, ORMOND, together with PROUT, JOHN and WATERS in > Amroth and St Issells.

Hello Bettye , Thank you so much for taking the time to post this. It is very interesting, one point that I noted about the mention of the Coles being from France. There is a family story (I know, we all have tons of these :-), that says our Phillips lot were from Brittany, but could have been the Cole side, or maybe both. Thanks again Bettye for posting this All the best Sue Martin

Bettye, Thanks so much for all this fascinating information! Nice to know my interest in languages could potentially stem from distant foreign connections! Thanks also for the suggestions - I shall certainly look into the St Davids Probate Index sheets when I get a chance. Before I can do much with the COLES I need to find out my Hannah's parents. I see that there's apparently no Narberth index available from Dyfed FHS for her birthdate (approx 1785-1791) and I just wondered whether you or anyone else knew whether an index exists for this time? Or perhaps I can ask Pembrokeshire Record Office to do a 5-year search if they do that? Thanks again for all the help you've been able to give me, both with COLEs and MORGANs - my father was thrilled with his Christmas present including these details. Cate