Until I started to research the Hamer family I had no idea this family existed.  This page will now concentrate on the family using their connection to Oerle, Trefeglwys and with the help of other family members I will be able to follow this family from c1729 - 1939.  The families of the Trefeglwys area are vey much linked to one another and take in properties such as Bryndderwen, Cedwgan, Faidre Fach, Oerle and Redhouse, Rhuen, plus many more.  With the surname Evans I found many links through marriage and often cousins married one another which kept the farms and the money in the family.  The Evans families of Bryndderwen and Redhouse, Trefeglwys I have now put on a separate web page.

OERLE, TREFEGLWYS

My direct paternal line.

Simon Evans c1729

John Simon Evans c1766 - 29th July 1845

William Evans c1810 - 25th July 1851

Sarah Evans c1850 - 4th May 1927 (married David Hamer)

Simon Evans c1729 (this is very much a guess) married Martha Swancott by banns 20th February 1754 at Trefeglwys.  They had a daughter Martha baptised 4th July 1769 and their son John (details below) is the link that I have followed.  There would have been other children.

The first person I have found directly linked to Oerle is John Simon Evans who was born about 1766 and appears on the 1841 census then a Widower of "Independent means", living with William Evans who was his son.  John married  Elizabeth Jenkin of Rhuen on the 8th March 1791 in Trefeglwys.  Elizabeth born 1763 and baptised 10th January 1763 she was the daughter of Edward and Mary Jenkin.  She died on the 4th June 1829, aged 66 and is buried at St Michael's Parish Church.  John died on the 29th July 1845 and is buried with his wife at St Michael's Parish Church, Trefeglwys aged 79.  Source: MGS MR/MI/60.

William Evans was baptised in Trefeglwys on 7th June 1810.  He married Margaret Evans on the 11th March 1836 in Trefeglwys.  Witnesses to the marriage were Evan Evans and David Davies.  Margaret was born at Oerfrwdd Llanwnog 1814.  By the time of the 1841 census for Wales the family where living at Oerle a farm of 92 acres.  William's father John was also living with the family then and described as a widower. 

The 1851 census for Wales shows that William and Margaret had the following seven children living with them.

Thomas baptised 11th December 1835 (base child of Margaret Evans, Clap and William Evans, Oerle.

John baptised 25th December 1836 

Margaret c1839

Elizabeth c1841

Jane c1842

Mary c1847 - 18th June 1854, aged 7

Sarah c1850 - 4th May 1927

William died aged 41 on 25th July 1851, he was buried at St. Michael's Parish Church, Trefeglwys.  In 1854 his daughter Mary was buried with him and she died on the 18th June 1854 aged 7.  Source:  MR/MI/60 Montgomeryshire Genealogical Society.

Margaret, William's wife continued to live and farm at Oerle. (1861 census details to follow)

One of the questions that took quite some time to answer was why Sarah, William and Margaret’s youngest daughter took over the running of Oerle with her husband David Hamer.  By the time she was six Thomas and John had married and taken over farms of their own.

The 1871 census for Wales shows that Margaret is head of the family, her youngest daughter Sarah was married to David Hamer and David was described as son-in-law, farmer.  At the time of this census there were three grandchildren living with the family, Mary G Evans (Gethin) aged 11, granddaughter, William H Evans (this was William Hamer) aged 1 and Richard Gething aged 6, grandsons.

By the time of the 1881 census Margaret had moved out of Oerle and was living at Pwll Lucy cottages, she was aged 68.  Margaret lived until she was 75 she is buried at Gleiniant Old Cemetery and she died 3rd September 1887 and was buried 7th September 1887.  The slate headstone is in the  bushes.  Source: MR/MI/56 Montgomeryshire Genealogical Society.

The Evans children

It would appear that the Evans family were considerably well off and it would appear that all their children either married well or did quite well for themselves.

Thomas Evans c1836 married Elizabeth Tilsley 1862 at Trefeglwys.  Source: registered at Newtown CLO4/141

By the time of the 1871 census for Wales Thomas was aged 35 he was farming at Bryn Owen which had 30 acres.  His wife Sarah was aged 35 and they had the following children living at home, Elizabeth aged 9, Thomas aged 6, Anne aged 5, Margaret aged 3 and David aged 1.

Thomas and his family had moved to Moelgwiged, Tregynon by the 1881 census.  I understand from Don that they moved to Moelgwiged sometime between 1878 and 1881, this is confirmed by the fact that Evan was born in Trefeglwys.  The farm had 186 acres.  His wife Elizabeth then aged 46.  They had the following children living at home, Elizabeth 18, Thomas 16, Anne 15, Margaret 13, David 11, Mary 9, William 8, John 6, Evan 3 all these children were born in Trefeglwys.  They also had a baby Jane who was born at Tregynon and she was 6 months old at the time of the 1881 census.

The 1891 census shows Thomas and his family still living at Moelgwiged, Tregynon.  Elizabeth his wife, then aged 54, and much to my surprise all ten children were still living at home. David, Thomas and Elizabeth’s son then aged 21 and his occupation a Police Officer was married and he and his wife Martha aged 23 and their daughter Jane were also living with the family.

John Evans c1837 married Sarah Rees in 1857.  On the 1861 census for Wales John aged 24 was farming 50 acres at Cwm Owen which is between Ty Cannol and Mount Pleasant.  His wife Sarah then aged 24 had given birth to three children Sarah 3, Elizabeth 1 and William who was 3 months.  They had one servant Mary Reese who was 15 and all the census shows that the family were born in Trefeglwys.

By the 1871 census John had moved his family to Faidre Fawr which had a 100 acres, John was aged 34.  His wife Sarah then aged 34 by this time had given birth to  seven children, their ages given as Sarah 13, Elizabeth 11, William 10, David 8, John 6, Margaret 2 and Edward 1.  All the births were at Trefeglwys. They had one farm servant aged 32 and born Llandinam.  I understand that John and Sarah's daughters Sarah and Jane married Edwin Hamer and continued to farm Faidre Fawr after John.  Although my understanding is that they were childless.

Margaret c1839 married Richard Gethin 1868 at Trefeglwys.

Elizabeth c1841

Jane c1842 married Thomas Evans and then remarried John Hamer.

Mary died aged 7 18th June 1854 and is buried with her father William at St Michaels Parish Church Trefeglwys.

Sarah Evans married David Hamer 18th March 1871.   She died 4th May 1927 at The Moat, Llandinam at the age of 77 and is buried with her husband at St John the Baptist Carno.

Interesting here is that Oerle was passed to Sarah and her husband David Hamer, especially as they had two sons Thomas and John.  However, as we can see by the time Thomas and John married Sarah would have only been 7 and so her brothers went on to have farms of their own.

Although I have quoted sources I cannot take the credit for the information written here on the Evans children.  That credit goes to Don who was related to John Evans.  Thank you very much Don for all your help your research has been invaluable.

January 2009 further source on the Evans family came from Pauline whose son is directly related to the Evans family.

The obituary of Sarah Hamer printed in the Montgomeryshire Express on Tuesday 24th May 1927 gives and insight to where members of the Evans family lived at that time.

Messrs. D. Evans, New Mills, and T. Evans, Berriew (nephews),  Mr. & Mrs. Edward Evans, Penycoed, Mr. T. Gethin, Llanwnog, Mrs. Evans and J. Evans, Ffridd,  Mr. & Mrs. Hamer, Faidrefawr, Mr. & Mrs. Frances, Mrs. Hamer, Derwllydion, (nephews and nieces) (to be continued).

Trefeglwys Memorial Hall

Thank you to Mal for providing me with the above photograph, sadly the hall was demolished.  I have written a lot about Trefeglwys but do not have any other photographs so if any one can supply me with more photographs I would be grateful you can contact me on the email address shown below.

Page last updated 12th January 2009

If you have any queries re my site you can contact me at novelist2@mypastonline.com or please sign into my Guestbook the link is at the top of this page.