I've been lurking on the list for the past year, a little too intimidated (and busy with other famhist projects) to enter the discussions. But with the latest mention of the Jenkins name on the Carmarthen list, I decided I should go ahead and post my interests in Carms and Pembrokeshire, even though there's probably no immediate connection. My ggg-grandfather James Jenkins immigrated to America in 1854. Family History says he was born in October 1817 in Llangynin (Llanginning), Carmarthenshire and married to Elizabeth Davis, also of Carmarthenshire, in May 1842 in Ilston, Glamorganshire. (Free BMD says June 1842; I haven't tried to order any certs yet.) The obituary for his oldest child says she was born in 1844 in Cardiff, but the family maintains it was Carmarthen, and the two subsequent children were born in Llanelly, Carmarthenshire, according to famhistory. I've wondered if SKS could help me with an 1851 Census look up for them. James' parents were Thomas Jenkin(s) and Mary Thomas. Not much known about them but I've seen a Web site that says Thomas may be the one mentioned in the 1851 Llangynin census as born 1782 in Llanddewi, Pembrokeshire. I'd be grateful for 1841/1851 census information for them as well. James received a letter from his brother John in 1887-1888 that makes reference to John's home at Cilshew Farm in Pembrokeshire, although it appears that's supposed to be Cil-rhiw Farm (transcription error?), which is in the Lampeter Velfrey area, near Llanddewi Velfrey. The 1881 census online mentions a 70-year-old John Jenkins (born Llanboidy, Carms) who was a servant or laborer at Cilrhew Farm. (In one odd USA reference, James said he was born in Lampeter, Pembrokeshire, so there must be some family connection to the area.) John's letter and a subsequent one indicate the following key facts: John and James had a brother Ben who died underground in the Rhondda and a sister, Harriet, who died February 1888 in "the Mote" and was buried "from the Mote." John's son, Caleb, was working in the Rhonnda valley. John's daughter Ann had married a John P. Davies and was living in Melynarythan, Neath, Glamorganshire. John went to stay with her in 1887 for "a change of air" because of his sickness. Ann's husband John Davies had worked for five years with a railroad in New Mexico, USA, but returned home to Wales from 1886 to 1888 to be with his family before again going back to New Mexico. John had six other children who had emigrated to the United States. If any of this coincides with someone else's research, I'd be pleased to hear from you. Kevin Jenkins. __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Free Pop-Up Blocker - Get it now http://companion.yahoo.com/