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Lower Cwmhir


Lower Cwmhir (also known as Lower Cwmare) is at the end of Cwmhir Road, opposite Upper Cwmhir.


The house was occupied by the Davies family throughout the Census period.


Jesse Davies was at the farm in 1841, with his mother, Ann Powell, who I assume was the main farmer.


Jesse continued at Lower Cwmhir until his death in 1881. His widow, Eliza, carried on as farmer after Jesse’s death. Their son, Uriah took over the property and was there in 1922, with his eldest son, Jesse. Jesse (junior) was still at Cwmhir in 1929.

Jesse Davies was born at Glascoed c 1808 and lived there until his death in 1881.


I’m not sure of the Christian name of his father, although his mother, Ann was also a Glascoed girl. I believe that after the death of Jesse’s father, Ann married a William Powell, on 29th June 1825 at Usk parish church.


The censuses show William and Ann as living apart, so the marriage does not appear to have been a happy one -an assumption of mine. From the 1851 census, William was shown to be living with a servant, Elizabeth Hitchins whose son, James Hitchins, had become James Powell by the 1861 census, the name he continued to claim. One would assume that James was actually Willam’s son, although I don’t have proof for this. William, Elizabeth and James were at houses named Lower Panta (1851), Turff House (1861) and Twyncreen (1871). I believe that these were probably all different names for what is now Cwm Soar.


Going back to Ann, she continued living at Lower Cwmhir, I assume until her death between the 1861 and 1871 censuses.


Jesse’s career was varied, since he was a Collier in 1841 and 1851 (“Miner”). By 1861 he was a Gardener and a labourer in 1871.


Jesse married Eliza Pritchard on 21st Sep 1833 at the Parish church, Trevethin (the bride’s home parish). They had at least 8 children,

Emmyra (born in 1834 at Abersychan, Trevethin). Emmyra married three times. Her first child, Florence Davies Morgan, was the daughter of Henry Morgan, of Little Wernhir.

William (born c. 1838 at Glascoed)

John (born c. 1839 at Trevethin)

Jabez (born 1841 at Glascoed - presumably at Lower Cwmhir). Jabez sadly died at a stable at “Common, Coed-y-paen in 1897. I wonder what the story was there.

Lydia (born c.1843 at Glascoed - presumably at Lower Cwmhir).

Mary Ann (born c.1847 at Glascoed - presumably at Lower Cwmhir).

Martha (born c.1851 at Glascoed - presumably at Lower Cwmhir).

Uriah (born 1854 at Glascoed - presumably at Lower Cwmhir).



Jesse died on 31st December 1880. As stated earlier, Eliza continued at the farm, probably until her death. Their youngest child, Uriah, was the one who stayed on at Lower Cwmhir, with his wife Mary Elliott, a Swansea born girl he had married in 1887 in the Newport area. Uriah was certainly there through all the censuses from 1861 to 1911 and was also found on the 1922 Register of Electors, with his only son, Jesse (born 1890).



Uriah’s occupations through the censuses were:

1871 - Engine cleaner

1881 - Haulier

1891 - Farmer & haulier

1901 - Hay cutter

1911 - Market gardener.


Uriah died in 1926, in Pontypool Registration District - I assume at Lower Cwmhir.


Jesse junior was still at Lower Cwmhir at the time when the 1929 Register of Electors were published.

Jesse was a Boiler Stoker in 1911.



RECORDS


Censuses (with Heads of Household): 


1841 - Ann Powell


1851 1861, 1871, - Jesse Davies.


1881 - Eliza Davies


1891, 19011911 - Uriah Davies.


1939 National Register - Edward Powell.


Registers of Electors:


1832 through to 1855/56 - William Powell.


Newspaper reports: 


Court cases concerning the paternity of Emmyra’s daughter, Florence Davies Morgan: Free Press and Usk Observer.