The date and place of birth come from his entry in the 1871 Census (see
below) and cannot be relied upon.
He was a Surveyor, and in his later life a Coal Agent in the
Monmouthshire coalfield (where his son John operated with distinction).
The Llangyfelach Parish Register of Marriage shows him living at
Llansamlet when he married in 1824.
Noted as being Steward at the Buttery Hatch Colliery, Rhymney Valley,
Monmouthshire prior to 1840 and in the 1850's he became the overseer of
all Thomas Powell's agents throughout the Monmouthshire coalfield.
The 1861 Census shows only Rachel Ellen, living with George and Martha,
in Pontnewynydd. John must have been at a colliery elsewhere.
The 1868 Monmouthshire Poll Book shows under Bedwellty, Ishlawcoed that
John Jeremiah of Argoed, Blackwood voted for Octavius Morgan and Colonel
Somerset.
The 1871 Census (bad handwriting) shows him living at Brookside,
Charlestown, Islawcoed, Bedwellty, aged 68, Coal Agent. The only other
member of the household is his wife Ellen, aged 56, born in Caerphilly,
Glamorgan.
The PRO contains a memorandum written by John Sr. but undated [RAIL
500/460] which reads as follows:
" I have lived in the Cwmfrwydore Valley since 1851 and I then went
into the employ of the late Wm. Llewellin (brother of Mr David Llewellin)
& afterwards of Mr David Llewellin - I was an underground Surveyor: I
have laid out levels and pits. I am well acquainted with mining
operations.
I know very well the dip and rise of the strata in the locality of
the Brickworks.
In my opinuion the Soap Vein is to be found in the "Upper Level".
I can point out how I should win the minerals out of the farm - and I
should sink a pit at the deep of the property.
If a pit was sunk as proposed it would be not so advantageous as it
would if it were sunk at the deep where in my opinion the neasures could
be worked cheaper and better, and there would be more room for tipping."
His death in 1877 was registered by his son George of Market Street,
Pontypool.
In his Will (proved at Llandaff on 24 June 1878 by his son John as
Executor) he is described as "Mineral Surveyor and Contractor". The Will
provided that all his real and personal estate should be sold and
converted into Government bonds in the joint names of his wife Rachel and
son John, the income to go to Rachel for the rest of her natural life, to
be not less than 10/- per week - if necessary bonds to be sold to make up
this sum. After Rachel's death, residual estate to be divided equally
between his "several sons and daughters", except that George's equal
share to be divided in two, the second half to go to his "daughter
Catherine, now the wife of William Williams" in addition to her equal
share.
Subscribe to the JEREMIAH Mailing List on Rootsweb
