Tretower Genealogy Research

After the in-depth research I conducted in September, October was rather laid back, so this month I really have nothing new to report.  I have been thinking that it would probably be a good idea to look at all of our Y-DNA matches and see how far back in time we can get them before the trail goes cold.  Most of the lines are researched back as far as they can go without speculating further, but sometimes new resources come on-line that can take research back a few generations more.  Coming in from the other ends — that is to say, taking early colonial Vaughans and carrying them forward as far as they can go in time is probably more of a challenge then taking a line backwards.

That reminds me of something I did find this month, and while this line cannot be proven to connect to our Vaughans, it is interesting as it is one of those rare Colonial lines that can jump the ocean from old to new world.

The following was an e-mail I sent to the Vaughan Pioneer group in mid-October:

Hi Gang,

While slowly, in my spare time, trying to find more about the William Vaughan who was John and Ellen Vaughan’s son, and trying to determine what happened to him, I found a mention of a Vaughan from the 1680s that lived in Virginia with Welsh ancestry, in records from the time.  I’m not sure if any of this really has anything to do with our Vaughans, but to find a connection with England/Wales is so rare, I thought I should post it.  I’m still trying to see where this due went to.

The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Volume LIX (1905) Page 109 “Notes from English Records”

From chancery proceeding, Vaughan v. Elwes, 15 Feb? 1685-6. Orator and
Oratrix Edward Vaughan of Lloydarth, co. Mountgomery, and Elizabeth
Vaughan, wid., mother of your said orator. Howell Vaughan decd your
orator’s younger brother who was apprenticed to Jeremiah Elwes, Citizen of
London. Subject of suit, money matters. Said Howell Vaughan died in Vir-
ginia. Defts., Jeremiah Elwes and Ric.# Jenklnson. (Chancery Bills and
Answers before 1714, Reynardson 898-5.)

What does it mean?  Well, in the book “Chancery Bills and Answers before 1714″ there appears a proceeding of Vaughan versus Elwes, on February 15, 1686.  Edward Vaughan of “Lloydarth in Montgomery County” and his widowed mother, Elizabeth Vaughan, were trying to settle an issue of money regarding Edward’s younger brother, Howell Vaughan.  Howell was apprenticed to Jeremiah Elwes of London, and Howell died in Virginia while in the service of Jeremiah Elwes.
Now the Vaughans of Llwydiarth, Montgomeryshire, Wales, were said to be well-known, but I’m still trying to learn more about them.  One of their number was an Edward Vaughan who died in 1661 (so this is not him in this record from 1686) who was a famous judge — actually a Chief Justice.  This judge had a son named Edward, but it was his ONLY SON, and his wife was named Jane, not Elizabeth, so this was not the Edward mentioned above, unless this Edward Jr. was the father of the Edward in the record above.  I’m still trying to figure that out.
What is interesting is that the Cai-Gai Vaughans, of which Rowland Vaughan was the most well-known, are related to the Llwydiarth Vaughans.
At any rate, I wasn’t able to locate (yet) a Howell Vaughan who died in Virginia prior to 1686, but if we could find him, we’d have an ancient connection to Wales.  Not saying this is our line, but still it is neat when it can be done.
Jeremiah Elwes was apparently a member of another well-known family, who were merchants, but I’m still looking for this particular man.

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Eddie Davis