William married Mary Morris in Llangattock, Breconshire in late 1860 (the Oct-Dec registration quarter). Mary had been born in Llanelly, Monmouthshire, a neighbouring parish. They lived initially at Llwynon farm in Llangattock (pictured) – they were there at the time of the census -but moved away from there later on in 1861. By this time (aged 29), William had taken up farming.
The farmstead is located on the south slope of Llangynidr mountain at the end of a narrow one-lane road and has a sweeping view of the beautiful Usk Valley. It must have been quite a change from working in the coal industry. Their first child, Mary, was born at Llangattock in late 1861. Thanks to Connie Street, Alan Dobert and Beth Rippenkroeger for the image.
Their next move was back to Aberystruth (probably Nantyglo?). I’m not sure what brought the family back here, or what William’s occupation was at this point. I assume he either became a mine agent or carried on farming.
In 1871, we find the family at Penypark farm in Llantarnam parish, only a few miles from Glascoed, where William was farming. The information at the bottom of the page re them being witnesses at a wedding in Llantarnam would make it likely that they had been at Penypark from 1865 or earlier. I believe that the Rees family left Lower Wernhir around 1877/8 so assume that the Chiltons moved to farm at Wernhir at this point.
They were of course, at Lower Wernhir on the 1881 census.
Nicola Bodgett (an ancestor of the Chilton family) gave me a fair bit of the information on this page about the Chiltons for which I am extremely grateful. Nicola also provided the following information:
“They (William and Mary) moved after to Tyn y Coed farm but I am not sure where this is – possibly Gilwern. Their son Solomon became quite a character near Gilwern – he was known as a horse docter and charmer and several articles about him have survived. Canon D Parry Jones wrote a book called Charmers and Solomon is described in that. He could cure sick animals especially horses through charms and spells.
I know William and Mary Chilton’s sister Martha Chilton who was born in 1837 married a William Rees born 1820. They had 5 children – Jane 1856, Meredith 1861, Alfred 1863 and Mary 1864 and Annie 1867.”
I decided to do a bit more research before republishing the page (Oct 2024) and have found out a bit more about what happened next.
The 1883 Electoral Registers show the family to be still at Lower Wernhir, although the 1885 Electoral Registers have them living at Middle Wernhir, Glascoed (a neighbouring farm).
The 1887 Electoral register informs us that William Chilton was in a “Dwelling house (successive)” at Trostrey Common, in the parish of Trostrey. Where the word “successive” appears in the registers it means that the elector had occupied, during the 12 months qualifying period, more than one property within the particular constituency, each of which was of a sufficient rateable value to qualify its occupier to vote.
William and Mary Chilton had moved back to the Llanelly area by the time of the 1891 census, Mary’s home village.
Mary died at Llanelly in 1897.
William lived for another 17 years, and we see him on the 1901 and 1911 censuses at Tyn-y-coed, Llanelly. The 1911 census calls the house Woodhouse Farm, Penlanfach, Llanelly. Since Tyn-y-coed means “House in the Woods” when translated from Welsh, i am almost certain that these were the same properties.
Whilst in 1901, William was living alone at Tyn-y-coed, in 1911 his son Solomon and along with his wife Rebecca (nee Carpenter) and 16 year old son William Solomon Evans, were living at and running Tyn-y-coed Farm between them. William senior had retired from farming by this point.
It seemed as though farming at Tyn-y-coed was the future for the next generation through Solomon, and possibly his son after him. Any plans along those lines were wrecked by the sad death of Solomon, William’s son in October 1911. Solomon’s burial register entry confirms his abode as “Tynycoed, Clydach.”
William Chilton’s story ended with his death on the 4th June 1914 at Tyn-y-coed farm. Apart from some letters and links to records involving William, so does my account – for now.
