Halls of Time

      My copy of Noah Webster's First Edition of American Dictionary Of The English Language, first published 1928, gives one definition of genealogy "2. Pedigree: lineage; regular descent of a person or family from a progeniture" p. 90. The text named The Law of  Hywel Dda thought to be written around 900 A.D. states:

      "Whosoever wants to claim land by kindred and descent, let him show his pedigree as the stock from which he derives; and if he is there as fourth man he is a proprietor, for it is as fourth man that a person becomes a proprietor." (p. 104) 

      This quote is taken from the book written by Dafydd Jenkins from his translation of the law of Hywel Dda published 1990. (see post dated 4th April 2022) Now, before the laws were collected and written, the genealogies were transmitted from one generation to the next by singers (bards), by rhyme (poets), and by stories (reciters). These folks were responsible for preserving the genealogies of the proprietor that was putting food on their plates. To recall the noble ancestors was a standard of behavior their society expected. An excellent discussion of Welsh genealogies is found in the book edited by Meic Stephens titled The New Companion to the Literature of Wales, p. 260-261. (see post of April 4th 2022) While climbing out my own family tree, the following drawing (one of my favorite) was found.

       I had to chuckle, by an Edward Jones from his musical in 1784. [My middle name is Edward] Harp in hand, here stands the muscular appearing bard ready to cast down his song upon those below. What a deal! My own Jones genealogy echoes down these halls of time. 

      

By Kindred and Descent

      To live another day is generally considered a good idea. My Welsh ancestors took a number of suggestions from their Celtic ancestors, who had a number of years to learn along the corridors of life. Fables to traditions were collected and passed down to the next generation. Claimed land became part of this survival technique, and the first of the family to occupy successfully the geographic area often became the founding father of the family. As the family grew in numbers, future rights to occupy the homeland became more significant. The father-kin and mother-kin defined the right of inheritance and placed one into a kindred group responsible for the care and advancement to the next generation.  Your rights and place to sit around the table, and sleep beside the fireplace, all came into play. How one related to their kin group became more and more important for the successful living to another day. Your name became the method to accomplish this task. This name was given to you by the elders of the family; you know, the grandfathers and granduncles, and all those folks who had authority surrounding your existence. Named after your father, who was named after his father (your grandfather), who was named after his father (your great-great grandfather), who was named after their father, on and on to the ninth generation. All in the family knew this descent, and who belonged to your kindred. As discussed in the last post of January 3rd, by 800 A.D. the land had pretty much been claimed and named by a number of different kin groups. This arrangement produced a host of problems since the land boundaries were poorly defined. An individual named Rhodai ap Merfyn Frych found his way into this arena by claim of kindred and descent. He also married into this dynamic situation. The following figure shows his descent. More to be said about this fellow.

                           Taken from The Jones Genealogist, Vol III, no.6, 1991-1992, p.5

Yet To Be Called

      Around the same time period my Celtic ancestors were trying out their new language, they began to name the places they identified and claimed as their family's land. Who made these decisions and why is often a mystery.  Anyway, the Romans were the first to name the tribes who's land they invaded, because they wanted to record by name their conquest of victory for the glory of Rome. To help recall the names given to these tribes, and to place the approximant geographic locations of these folks, the following map is shown.

 

      The Deceangli and Cornovii Celtic tribes are the origin of my family tree. Old Oswestry hillfort is shown to be the geographical connection [land bridge] between these family groups. Many prior posts discuss this arrangement. The next map shows the early names given to these same areas.

     Gwynedd and Powys seem to be the best connected to the same Celtic tribes. Thus, my family tree begins in the northern most part of this land yet to be called Wales. [Please see posts beginning 17 February 2022.]