James Gwatkin ²

  General Notes:

For a start, I recently got a death cert. for my great-great-grandfather James Gwatkin (born Bryngwyn abt 1787, died Goytrey woods 1857). He was found dead in the woods (there's an article in the Monmouthshire Merlin) and there was an inquest with the outcome 'found dead'. And, though the Goytrey burial records say he was buried December 22 1857, he actually died February 1, 1857. I'd love to know what happened to his body between Feb. and Dec. -- but perhaps he was buried and then reburied. His family was living in Kemeys Commander at the time of the 1851 census, so perhaps his widow moved his body back to Goytrey when she moved back to Goytrey herself sometime after his death. (She moved in with son William and family, and was with them by the time of the next census.)

  Noted events in his life were:

• Occupation: Farmer. ² According to sons' marriage entries - William and Matthew.

• Residence, 1818, Llanfihangel Crucorney, Monmouthshire. ¹ From Goytre Marriage entry
1818 05 07 Gwatkin James Lanvihangel Crucorney Richards Elizabeth Licence

• Residence: at time of son James' baptism, 24 Mar 1819, Bwlch Trewyn, near Pandy, Herefordshire.

• Census: 1841, 6 Jun 1841, Pentwyn Farm, Goytre, Monmouthshire.

• Residence: at time of 1851 census, 30 Mar 1851, Kemeys Commander, Monmouthshire. According to email contact, Ginny. I will need to look up the actual census in due course.

James married Elizabeth Richards, daughter of Walter Richards and Elizabeth Prosser, on 7 May 1818 in Goytre, Monmouthshire.¹ (Elizabeth Richards was born in 1785 in ?Bettws Newydd?, Monmouthshire ³, christened on 27 Jun 1785 in Bettws Newydd, Monmouthshire,⁶ died on 15 Dec 1864 in Goytre, Monmouthshire and was buried on 20 Dec 1864 in Kemeys Commander, Monmouthshire.)