Hugh Richard William's Place of Birth

The only factual information regarding the birth place of Hugh R. Williams is that he was born in Wales. His immigration papers and all census records subsequent to his immigration to the US give his place of birth as "Wales."  The search for his birth place has involved many hours of research by many people without success.  The only clues to his birthplace in Wales are found in the stories written by his descendants.  

According to several accounts, Hugh R. Williams, was born in a place that could be translated as "black rock."  Some spelled it Kraganois, but there is no "Kraganois" in Wales. There is a Craig-y-Nos, however, which translates as "rock of the night." It is part of the Black Mountains, a group of hills spread across parts of Powys and Monmouthshire in southeast Wales.

Craig-y-nos is most famous today for the massive Victorian-Gothic country home of the opera singer Adelina Patti, built on parkland beside the River Tawe in the upper Swansea Valley, in Powys. It was built many years before Hugh left the area and he has no connection to it.   Below is a view of the castle and the beautiful Brecon Beacon  Park  that surrounds it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Craig-Y-Nos_Castle.jpg 

There is no parish or town in Wales by the name of Craig-Y-Nos.  Not too far from the black rock, however, was a small hamlet called Penwyllt. It is a small hamlet located in the Swansea Valley east of the Black Mountain.  It was formerly a quarrying village, quicklime, and silica brick production center.  It was adversely affected by the industrial revolution with the rest of South Wales.  There are no records for it in the FHL catalog.  Other parishes in the area have been searched for Hugh without any success.

I don't believe Craig Y Nos is the place where Hugh was born.  There are other more persuasive clues to suggest that he was born in central or northern Wales. I would like to explore some of the other places where he might have been born. 

In an article written about Hugh's daughter, Sarah Maple "Kitty" Williams Johnson, found in the "Market Lake Citizen"  Roberts, Jefferson County, Idaho 1959, it reads, "Mrs. Johnson was born in Blue Earth County, Minnesota, the daughter of Hugh Williams and Ruth Reese.  Her parents were of Welsh descent who had settled in Minnesota coming from Wisconsin.  He [Hugh R. Williams] was a native of North Wales, being born in what is translated from Welsh to be "Rock of the Winds."  

There are several words that can be translated from the English "rock" to Welsh.  They are "craig", "graig", and the more common "cefn." The word "wind "can be translated as "gwyntog."  Cefn Gwyntog is at the top of Cyrniau Nod (a smaller mountain) in northeast  Wales.  It is part of the Berwyn Range and its summit lies outside Snowdonia National Park.

These are the parishes closest to Cefn Gwyntog  and should be searched:

Altfrogan

NewBridge

Llanuwchllyn
   List of marriages in Llanuwchllyn, Merionethshire, Wales 1701-1930          942-925 K29
   Pandy Chapel in Llanuwchillyn, Merionethshire, Wales     1807-1837          1482435  Item 7
   Birth/baptisms of Llandderfel, Llanfor and Llandrillo        1816-1837           813546  It 24
   Old Chapel Church Records                                                 1831-1837          1482426 It 5
   Ebenezar Chapel                                                                   1814-1837          1482412  It 8
   BT, 1662-1852                                                                     1662-1852           104811 It 2
   PR  1697-1972                                                                      Vol 5    m            2421937 It 3
                                                                                                 1813-1926           2422717 It 13      

Llannddyn

Pennant-Melangell      Montgomery                                       1662-1853           104819  It 2
  BT
  List of marriages                                                                    1672-1959           942/94/ L29    

LLangynog                                                              
  BT                                                                                          1717-1846            104482  Item 3  
  Marriage Bonds & allegations                                               1678-1864            105308  Item 11

  Includes records of Llanfihangel Tal-y-llyn, Llanganten, Llangasty Tal-y-llyn and Llangynog.

Another possible birthplace is around the town of Llanfihangel Esceifiog, Anglesey, Tynrard.

According to one account, the Williams family left Wisconsin for Minnesota sometime in November of 1855.  " Hugh and Margaret settled in Wisconsin where they lived for 5 years and then sold their land and moved to Minnesota in 1855.  "Thos. Jones, Evan Evans "Y Pant", and Hugh R Williams families moved to South Bend, MN in 1855; from Llanfihangel-Genau'r-Glyn,Wales."  [I am sorry that I did not write the source for this quote.] There are many church records for Llanfihangel in the FHL.

 
 In the 1841 Census of  Llanfihangel Esceifiog, Anglesey, Tynrard - District 12 we find this family.
Owen Hughes age 26 Collier, born in Angelsey
Margaret Hughes age 24, born in Angelsey
Dorothy Hughes age 6 months,born in Angelsey
Margaret Hughes age 3, born in Angelsey
(next page)
Owen Lewis age 17  Collier, born in Angelsey
Hugh Williams age 20  Collier, born in Angelsey
Margaret Jones age 16 Female Servant, born in Angelsey

Is this Hugh Williams, age 20, a collier, born in Angelsey our Hugh?  The age for Hugh is approximately right, he was listed as a collier on his immigration records. An interesting addition is Margaret Jones, age 16, born in Angelsey, listed as a female servant.  On the immigration record this was the approximate difference in their ages. Remember in the 1841 Welsh/English Census, they may have rounded down the ages for adults 5 years and only the county of birth was given.

This census record is a possibility for Hugh Williams and Margaret Jones.  

The parish record is listed as Llanfihangel Ysgeifiog in the FHL catalog,  942-K29 h   FHL 243088 Items 7, 10, 13

If  Hugh's parents were married in Almwch we might check Llanfihangel Tre'r beirdd which was the home of Richard Williams.