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| I have been asked by several members of the family to write down what I know of our family’s history. So I will attempt to put in writing what I have learned thus far. The name Griffith, in Welsh, means gruff, fierce and terrible, and was the name of the first Welsh king, or head chieftain, that is mentioned in Welsh history. In Christian names of men and women it means “having great faith.” In early Welsh it was spelled "Grippiud". which became Griffudd and then Gruffudd on its way to its modern Welsh form of Gruffydd. Medieval scribes of English or French origin spelled the name "Griffith" and this form ultimately gained acceptance. The form Griffin was also commonly used, especially in Latin documents where it was better suited to take Latin case endings. The Welsh people descended from the Celtic race of mankind, and at one time inhabited the entire island of Britain. They were, in ancient times, driven into the mountains of Wales and Scotland, by the invading Anglos, Saxons and Jutes. Until the 15th century, the Welsh used only one name, as was common to many people, last names were unkown. Also, like other peoples, they added “the son of”, and added the father’s name, to differentiate between like names. So, while the Irish used Mc or O’, and the Scots used Mac, the Welsh used either Ap or Ab. So if your name was John, and your father’s name was William, you would be referred to as John Ap William. Before the Welsh people learned to read and write, the recited their Aps as a way to prove ownership of land. It was said every good Welshman could recite his Aps back to Noah. This is known as the Patronymic System. I was told, by my parents, that we had a tradition in our family of naming the first son after his grandfather. In our family this would have been either John or William, but my research has proven this to be untrue. I now believe that the Scottish Naming Pattern was introduced into our family by my grand-mother Margaret Bain Griffiths. Beginning in the 15th century the people of the British Isles were required to use a last name. The Welsh, for the most part, simply adopted their father’s name as their last name. So most people whose last name is commonly used as a first name probably have Welsh ancestry. The Welsh were slow to give up their old traditions however, and we find the Patronymic System being used by some families well into the 19th century. My great-grandfather, William Griffiths, was born May 24, 1845, at Waunhelygen, Aberystruth Parish, in the County of Monmouth, the son of Lewis and Elizabeth Powell Griffiths. His wife, Margaret Melissa Evans Griffiths was born about 1846, in Brynmawr, Brecon, Wales. At the time of the 1881 Census, he and his family were living at 90 Worcester Street, in Parish of Llanelly (town of Brynmawr), Breconshire, Wales. His occupation is listed as a Collier. According to Lewis and Elizabeth Powell Griffiths marriage certificate, dated August 26, 1839, at Llanelly Parish Church, Lewis' father was James Griffiths, a farmer. Elizabeth's father was William Powell, a collier. 1851 and 1861 census records show Ann Powell, mother of Elizabeth, living with their family as a widow in Aberystruth, Monmouthshire. My Grandfather, John Lewis Griffiths, was born in Brynmawr, Brecknock, Wales, on September 9, 1870. He had a younger sister, Desdemona, who was also born in Brynmawr, in 1877, and died six years later, in 1883, probably in Llanelly, Brecon, Wales. The immigration of our family to America, and Indiana, began with my grandfather’s (John L. Griffiths) uncle, David James, whose wife, Jane James, was grandfather’s mother’s sister. They were the daughters of Jonathan and Mariah Kelly Evans, and according to the British Census, of 1881, were born in Brynmawr, Wales. My great-great-grandfather, Jonathan Evans, was born about 1822, in Tywyn, Cardigan, Wales, the son of Ishmal (or Ishmael) and Margaret Davies Evans. He was a coal miner. Ishmal was born about 1787 and Margaret Davies was born about 1788, both in Cardiganshire. Mariah Kelley, wife of Jonathan Evans, was the daughter of David Kelley, a miner, according to their marriage certificate. The couple were married March 8, 1845 in Siloh Chapel, district of Abergavenny, county of Monmouth, Hereford. According to David James’ Declaration of Intention (click here to view) to become a Citizen of the United States, he sailed from Liverpool England on February 21, 1880, and arrived in the United States on March 3, 1880. David James was 34 years of age when he came to America. His wife, and two children, Hannah Mariah, age 2, and John Joseph, age 1, were left in the care of her parents, who at this time were living at 24 Clydach Street, in the Parish of Llanelly (town of Brynmawr), Breconshire, Wales. The discovery of vast deposits of coal, in this part of Indiana, had brought about a critical need for experienced miners. Those people wishing to open mines would many times offer to pay passage to the United States, for miners from foreign countries, who were agreeable to relocate here. Based on what my father has told me, I believe this was the case with David James, as well as many of the Welsh people who located in this area. I do not know how my great-grandmother, Margaret Melissa Griffiths, came to the United States, but since she is next found, in Dugger, Indiana, managing the Dugger Hotel for William Dugger, the town's founder, I suspect she was brought over for that purpose, and had agreed to work for Mr. Dugger until her passage was paid. The record shows she arrived, in the United States, on August 14, 1884. Since Dugger, Indiana was also the place where Uncle David James was located, I have to suspect he had something to do with her finding this opportunity, but, of course it may be that she merely learned of this position through him, and applied for it herself. |
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| Jane Evans James sister to Margaret Melissa |
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| Margaret Melissa Evans Griffiths |
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| Margaret Melissa Evans Griffiths |
| I have never learned whether my great-grandparents were still living together when she was offered the opportunity to come to America, but she placed her son John in the care of her brothers, William and David Evans, and sailed to this country, arriving August 14, 1884. After the departure of his mother, John, who was fourteen years old, was put to work in a Welsh coal mine, by his uncles. It was his job to push a coal car, a task which mules were used for in this country. My father said grandfather’s teeth were worn completely to the gums, on both sides, from carrying a lantern in his mouth. According to my father, after nearly three years, John decided to find a way to come to America. He ran away from his uncles and journeyed to Liverpool, England. There he hung around the docks until he made friends with some sailors who worked on this ship Gallia. At first the sailors would throw him in the water, but he just came back for more, and they finally grew to respect him for his determination. With the help of his newfound friends, John managed to board the Gallia, as a stowaway, and sailed for America on January 23, 1887. According to records, the ship landed in New York on February 3, 1887. It took John some time to locate his mother, he worked his way across the country, doing whatever he could find to do. He even had a brief career as a fighter. It seems he didn’t know exactly where his mother was, so he went anywhere he heard that the Welsh had settled. He even passed her once, going to a place called Great Neck, Illinois. He finally located his mother, as well as his uncle, David James, in Dugger, Indiana. His mother was, at the time he found her, managing the Dugger Hotel. She was also living with a man, whom she claimed to be married to, without benefit of a divorce from William Griffiths, named John Windmill. John Windmill, an Englishman, had come to this country in 1881. |
| See "The Origins of the Evans Family" View Census & Birth Records Here American Griffiths Visit Wales 2006 |
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| The song you hear is the tradional Welsh song "Fair Lisa" |
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