The Commote

        My Celtic ancestors, becoming my Welsh ancestors, who during their social development phases, seemed to have special attraction to the number (4) four. Count all the times the number 4 appears in the social grouping of land in the previous 4 posts. (Just kidding, it is actually the last 5 posts) Four of this, leads to four of that, leads to 4 of...you name it. Well, we now come to land grouping called "commote". Drum roll please... 12 Maenols (48 townlands) plus two additional townland was to become the commote. That would be 12,288 legal acres. Can you believe it? The English had their "hundred" which was considered a 100 hides. A hide was counted as 120 acres which would equal 12,000 English acres. Close enough I guess. Anyway, the English called their land a "shire" and the Welsh called theirs a commote. In both, Royal administration and legal rights were administered.  To the Welsh ancestors this land area (commote) was to be judged as an independent district, self-contained and, self-sufficient. A large kindred group it would become with its 48 townlands. That would be 256 toft, roughly over 5,000 folks related in some degree to a common ancestor.

       Let's see now, to try and summarize:

  4 legal acres in each toft (post of 12 March)                                                                                                  4 tofts  in each shareland (post of 14 March)                                                                                                4 sharelands in each holding (post of 21 March)                                                                                          4 holdings in each townland (post of 27 March)                                                                                          4 townlands in each Maenol (post of 21 April)

                       and here we go... 12 Maenols and 2 townlands in each commote.

                 

    

The Maenol

       By now you might begin to understand the potential for all kinds of difficulty arising from the grouping of all these lands. Let's see now, from a single enclosed (fenced) house, which was called the toft,  you placed together 4 of these single-family homes to become a shareland. (Good size barn yard). Next, you counted 4 of these  sharelands (all in the family) which became a holding.  Then, the next grouping became the townlands (4 holdings), which might be considered the family farm. Whew, what a deal! If it is hard to keep everything straight...hold your breath...for now, we then come to the Maenol. 

       You guessed it, 4 townlands established a Maenol. Hum, one thousand and twenty-four legal acres might give cause to a few disagreements about the placement of all those fences. Assuming there were an average of five folks living in each toft, a Maenol would average over 1200 individuals. Lots of head butting here would be possible. [You can breathe now.] Like the four previous posts, what follows is my own notes which demonstrates my attempt to keep a mental image afloat.

       Shape and position would depend on the geography of the area. All those mountains, streams, rivers, and valleys would have something to do with its anatomy. What is distinct about this group of townlands is the attention it received from those who gave the military protection to all the kin groups. You know, the strongest among them who could swing the sword, the overlord. It was his job to keep things in order and train all those age 14 and over to swing their own sword. One thousand and twenty-four legal acres [4 townlands, 16 holdings, 64 sharelands and 256 tofts] would certainly keep one busy. 

       "Royal Officials" they came to be called. The Maer and Cynghellor were the two new players selected by the overlord to be the administrators of the lands he protected. These officials could hire two of their own assistants to help circulate throughout the of Maenol. All these folks were to be sure that the dues (services) to the overlord had been collected (taxes) and, to take control of any problems occurring among all those fences out there. The Maer (Mayor) was to be the judge and, the Cynghellor (Chancelor) was to arrange the courts and dates for the courts in the townlands. Two times each year this was to occur and, the four assistants would move around the townlands to hear the complaints brewing.

Townland

       Four holdings (1holding = 64 legal acres) was to make an area called a townland. This recognized cluster of land would contain 256 legal acres. Now a "legal" acre of this day was not the same area as thought of in today's terms. Jenkins in his translation (pp.120-121) gives the legal acre to be measured:  

        "...a rod as long as the long yoke in the caller's hand, and as far as he reaches with it, with his arm stretched out, is the two limits, that is, the width of the legal acre; and thirty times the rod is its length".

       Now you know the long yoke as it was compared to the short yoke and, to the mid-yoke and to the armpit yoke. Of course you do...not! Say what! What kind of measurement was this all about? My analytical mindset wanted to know. Precision was paramount in the measurement of the acre starting with that middle peg and all.

        After digging around in a number of texts, it finally came to me that the legal acre of the day was not a physical measurement but, a recognized word for ownership.  The house that was fenced permanently, would become the personal property of the one who built the enclosed land (toft). The exact size and shape of the 4 acers belonging to each toft did not really matter as long as the general guidelines were followed. As the new proprietor, this land became your plant (origin of your family tree) and was given as the inheritance to your sons at your death. 

        Getting back to the 256 legal acres called the townland. It was the next step in land ownership from the holding discussed in the last post. My notes are shown to give that mental picture.

       A book by Palmer and Owen titled A History of Ancient Tenures In North Wales and The Marches [my ancestor's part of the world] gives the customary acre of Bromfield as "a hundred and three score perches to the acre and fowere and twenty foote to the to the pearch or pole." They conclude on p.8 "That is, it contained 10,240 square yards and was thus more than twice as large as the statute acre." [The English system of measurement.] On p. 9 the authors diagram examples of their research for the 10,240 sq. yds. but the shape of such acre could vary. (The book was published 1910.)

       Jenkins describes a long yoke as 12 English feet. (99.3-9n p. 259). He translates an acre is 1440 sq. yrds. (p. 303). He describes the concept that an acre equaled a day's ploughing (p303) and, that the "day" ended at noon (199.8-9n, p. 303). The patrimony in land it became.

P.S. The length of the acre was 30 times the width. (Jenkins p. 259).

Holding

       To continue on down the land tenure concepts active for generations among my Jones surname family tree, is moving from 16 legal acres (the shareland : last post) to 64 legal acres now called a "Holding". This was the grouping of 4 tofts into 1 shareland and, then the grouping of 4 sharelands into 1 holding. All this grouping was considered family land (blood relations) and would by several generations down the family tree involve brothers, uncles, cousins, grandfathers and maybe even the great-grandfather. Here again is a copy of my drawings trying to organize all this family collections of land.

      Now, as before, here is an enlarged copy of such a holding as photographed from the air estimated to be occupied before 300 AD. [see last post].

       You might imagine how this holding could include a stable for the horses, a barn for the milk cows, a cowhouse for cattle and, a sheepcote and pigsty for the remaining critters. Of course, there would be a larder and kiln house for diet and drying of harvest. All the families' survival activities would be clustered among the holding.

Shareland

       Dwelling in the house that was built on the plot of land and, which was surrounded by a permanent enclosure, was a foundational requirement for ownership. A year and a day was the usual given time to plant your sleeping bag, build your cook stove, roast your first meat, and to seed your garden. This also gave time for anyone else to question or to challenge your selection of opened land. Now, the fireplace was located in the center of the house so that rising smoke would flow centrally to the ceiling opening which was so designed. This "hearth" became the symbol of your family's life and, the "cauldron" became the inheritance of the youngest son. [Jenkins, p. 261, under Welsh word dadannudd meaning uncovering of a fire banked up overnight] Hum...banked up overnight would mean you had to reside there and not run off to some other location.

       Four acres of adjoining land was accepted as standard to each toft. As time past, and generations began to show up around the place, the need for more space would become evident. A generation was considered 30 years and additional family members would be busting at the seams. For 14 years a son was to be at his father's plate (covering and uncovering the family hearth) but, after this duration the son became his own boss and, destinated to be trained by the closest warlord. By 18-20 years of age, the well-trained free man was ready to plant his own toft. A new house with a distinctive fence and four more acres could be added to the family farm. After three generations (90 years), a clustering of tofts would be joined. When four tofts were reached, this became known as "shareland" and would contain 4x4=16 acres of adjoining land. At the fourth generation down from the first toft planted (by great-grandfather), each male heir could become a new proprietor! How about that, roughly a century of joint ownership together. No wonder it was called shareland!

       Now here again is a drawing of my notes:

       Drum roll please...your not going to believe this...here is an enlargement of a photo taken from the air which shows such a shareland as it actually existed around 300 A.D. Please take a good look.

       Four tofts are shown. The house is the uniformed, smaller circular areas surrounded by a larger enclosure for each toft. The four acres of land joining each toft can be roughly identified with a group of other adjoining walled areas. Pathways to each house can be followed with a separate entrance for each.  Could you share this land with your kin?

      The photo is found p. 59 in the text titled Celtic Britain by Lloyd Laing but, does not give a complete description. The picture is taken near Penzance, Cornwall and, Laing reports the site is thought to be occupied from "...first century BC until c. AD 300". This would certainly allow enough time for Gadforch (JA-1) to Ynyr (JB-1), then to Tudor Trevor (JC-1) and Ynyr his brother (JC-3), then to the three son of Tudor (JC-1), i.e. Goronwy (JD-1), Llydocla (JD-2), and my own direct line through the baby of the brothers, Dingad (JD-3) to get their tofts together and become the next proprietors.

P.S. The book by Laing is shown post April 19, 2022.

       

The House

       Hunting and fishing for something to eat was a common activity of the day. Open spaces allowed for such adventures and, one could cover around 20 miles going a comfortable pace. [My "Boy Scout" days during the 1960s gave evidence of such "hikes", [see post  August 12, 2013 titled "In Those Days"]. At any rate, one would find a plot of land not occupied by others, which by your judgement, might provide the needed resources such as water, grazing, and game.  It was time to plant some roots anyway and, to get that Jones family tree a growing. Interestingly, Welsh genealogists such as Lewys Dwnn (1846) record the Welsh family as a "plant"! [see post April 9, 2023 titled "References"]

       Planting that family tree first required a house. In the Welsh a house was ty (accent circumfex [^] over y). Not sure why the accent [^] was always placed over the vowel "y" with this word but, any Welsh writers out there to help understand this usage? Anyway, the house was placed upon the selected land and, encircling the house with a fence, was the crown of ownership. The fence enclosing a house became called a toft and, you were then the owner that was socially recognized a "proprietor". Thus, the toft was a plot of land carrying a house with the key being the plot was enclosed. As the proprietor, your name became the proper way to link this plot of land to your ownership and, this became the object of legal rights of property to your kindred and descent. Wow...keeping all these principles straight? Let's see, here is a copy of my notes on the concepts:

       Starting with "land" (tir) at the top, the "house" (ty with accent shown) to toft is shown. The page numbers listed are from the text by Jenkins. The toft was to contain 4 "legal" acres of land as accepted during the period of time. It was the object of legal rights to each particular person building the house and fencing the plot. In the law books the concept was tir a daear (land and earth). 

P.S. For a discussion of the Celtic land usage see text by Miranda Green, The Celtic World, reviewed post April 17, 2022, pp. 192-199. Much more to come from the toft!

Before And After

        The valley of death that separated my Jones surname family during 1348-1350 A.D., certainly had a before and after. To understand the "before" helps recognize the cultural dimensions that had assisted the families' survival for many generations. This was certainly ahead of that cataclysmic event called the "Black Death". You might call these thoughts foundational concepts.

       "Land and Earth" would be my first foundation. Professor of Ancient History [Dr. Eduard Meyer, University of Berlin, 1904] stated: 

        "The character of every people is more or less closely connected with that of its land". 

        My Jones-Welsh ancestors shared this dynamic. Land had the concept of open space that was the portion of the earth's solid surface, as separated from sea (water) and air (atmosphere). This land was not to be permanently enclosed ["Don't Fence Me In"] and, "FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED" was the accepted theory. 

       In the earliest written law book (customary principles described), a copy translated and edited by Dafydd Jenkins [see post April 4, 2022], in his introduction p. xvii, states the oldest surviving written Welsh, is the account of a dispute relating to some land. Can you believe it?  He goes on to state that there were additional records relating to land on other pages of the same manuscript. 

      Let's see now, the laws (customary principles) of Wales were first grouped together during the days of Hywel Dda [ca. 880 - 950 A.D.]. Remember, my ancestor Tudor Trevor (JC-1) was married to a daughter of old Hywel [Anghard (JC-2)]. Jenkins translates further, p. 120, even before "...the crown of London and the sceptre were taken by the English...", a fellow named Dyfnwal Moelmud was the first to make "good laws in this island". These laws lasted until Hywel made his updated edition [called a Redaction] but, "...Hywel did not change the measures of lands in this island from what Dyfnwal had left, for he was the best of measurers". 

       Hum...the best of measurers...and, "The reason that he measured it was in order to know its tribute and its mileage and its journeys by day". (p. 120) Nothing like those taxes as far back as 650 A.D. which is discussed in Davies' book, (p.63). [see post November 16, 2022] The last "King of Wales" was slain around this date and, the Welsh of the day wrote, "And from that time onwards the Britons lost the crown of the kingdom and the Saxons won it".

       Land and Earth, tir a daear in the Welsh, (p.359,Jenkins) is the first customary principle and, much more from here. Seems we were called Britons at this time in my family history.

P.S. Of interest to my Jones surname family tree is that the first Jones son to be born on this side of the great pond was Cadwallader Jones (JT-143) around 1650 in Virginia. He was given the name of this last king of the Britons slain ca. 680 A.D. He (JT-143) has become my most favorite great...grandfather. There is a blog which discusses in great detail his life and times. 

                  https://cadwalladerjones.blogspot.com 

 

The Valley of Death

        Just when you thought things could not get any worse for the ancestors, wrong! After all the changes like, that castle building stuff, new rules and regulations, all kinds of different overlords, claiming all kinds of rights and privileges. Trying to adjust to a new home, then having to ride along different paths, leading to new trading pathways that might still offer some hope for the future, were many of the families' activities. Then the little critter shown below, brought death to most all around.

      Can you believe it? The flea it is. This fella rode the back of a much larger critter called the rat. That dirty rat! The most responsible was named Rattus rattus. This rat was recognized by the fact that its tail was longer than its body and, the color was mostly black. This fella road the ships that came from various ports of trade to the shores of our little island. Here is its picture. 

       The "black death" this event was called. Not because the rat was black but, it was named after the change of appearance that the folks took after they were infected.

 

       Taking 2 to 15 days after the bite of the flea, loss of appetite (anorexia) and bone pain were the first signs. Next came very high fever (pyrexia), headache, severe fatigue (lassitude), dizziness (vertigo) and rarely shaking chills (rigor). The face would have an expression of horror.  The fever could get as high as 103-107 degree Fahrenheit. All over the body large bleeding (hemorrhages) and just under the skin bruising (ecchymoses) would occur. Pustules, abscesses and lymph node swellings called "Buboes" all appeared, thus giving the name Bubonic plague. These swellings were usually in the groin or under the arm pit (axilla). Skin would become dry and feel burning. The tongue would turn black, dry, and form ridges called furrows and, sores on the lips, gums, and nostrils would form. Low, muttering delirium would occur. Vomiting was frequent. Death rate (mortality) was around 65 % and if the infection settled in the lungs (Pneumonic plage) it was always fatal. 

       The bacteria that brought this rapid course was initially called Pasteurella pestis but, came to be named after the fellow who discovered it in 1894, Yersin, Yersinia pestis. A "pestis" it certainly was and, a real valley of death.

       The best text that discusses this plague from its historical perspective is by Philip Ziegler in 1991.

       Having just experienced our own pandemic with COVID 19, my heart has a new understanding and admiration for all my ancestors who kept that DNA flowing down the branches.

The flea picture is taken from my article "Fleas", American Family Physician, vol. 29, No. 4, April, 1984.

The rat picture from London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, appearing in Manson's Tropical Diseases, p. 337. [One of my favorite tropical medicine texts published 1982, by Bailliere Tindall, London].

The text by Ziegler was first titled "Western Europe Man, Black Death. Epidemics, history I", 1969, in the United Kingdom. It was first published in the U.S. by Alan Sutton, NH, 1991. 

Circumstances

      Old ways to new ways can be difficult for those who are steeped in the old.  Seeing how my Jones surname family resided successfully at Llwyn-Ynn for the next century to come, they somehow managed to keep the home fires burning.   

      Wool and wine seemed to be an important trade issue and, Seward states that "...English wool, leather, resin, and salt." (p. 24) were all the rave across that Channel. My family would have been involved with all these trade items.

       Here is a list of my great...great grandfathers living at this time. Note that the maternal sides are named and, their townlands are noted. At times down the road, these townlands often became a helpful clue while climbing among all the branches.  

       Wow again, and again, what circumstances they must have faced.

Seward D., The Hundred Years War - The English In France 1337-1453, Penguin Books, London, 1978.

Questions Along The Way

        Many branches of my Jones surname family tree have been discussed beginning with Inigo Jones 1650's [December 15, 2021].  You might think of this blog as a book and, each post is a page in the book of my tree climbing. Only in this book, instead of page numbers, things are stored by dates written month, day, and then year of posting. From cows to Celts, then Romans, then Monks, to deciding to flop down in all those hills and valleys. Who would have thought. 

        All this tree climbing has raised a lot of questions along my families' journeys. Are there any questions or comments you might have out there regarding the clusters of branches and twists knotted about? Use the comment section at the bottom of any post (page) dealing with a topic/subject. You know, anyone can climb out their own family tree.  Besides, that Jones surname is buried just about under every rock along the way. 

         See post of November 12, 2010 [We Are The Chosen]. If this post brings a tear to your eye, you are ready to get going!

Enough Already

        By this time in my Jones surname family tree (1300 A.D.), many in the branches had to be thinking better days have to be ahead, cause things could not get any worse. Many sleepless nights around the kitchen table hearing many family stories about past days swimming around that sea of troubles. [post 1 Dec. 2023] Being reminded many times how my name Llewelyn (JL-1) was past down to me. All these new overlords demanding conduct against our very way of life. Enough is enough! Not!

       The next century brought a whole bunch of troubles yet to shake the family tree. At first, it was hoped the new supreme overlord Edward II (1307- 1327 A.D.), titled "Prince of Wales", would help us out. Then all the other overlords started steeping on one another's toes and kicking one another in the shins. Across the Channel things started getting out of hand [The Hundred Years War, starting around 1337] after our Prince of Wales lost his life at Berkley Castle whose family would connect to my Jones surname family in that yet to come Virginia colony. But first, the darkest days are yet to come.

       The above is the cover of my copy discussing this hallway of time. It was published 1978. In his Forward, Desmond Seward (born in Pairs) quotes Sir John Hawkwood who lived during this time, "Do you not know that I live by war and that peace would be my undoing". What a way to live. Enough already!

Seward D., The Hundred Years War, The English In France 1337 - 1453, Penguin Group, N.Y., 1978.

Daily Living

        Mowing grass, ranking leaves, shoveling snow, and pulling weeds are some of the seasonal activities expected living in my part of the world. The garbage goes out Wednesday night for Thursday pick-up, the water bill is due by the tenth of each month and, taxes from the city and county are paid at the beginning of the year. On and on it goes with school tax, property tax, sales tax, car tax, and any other taxes that folks in charge can contemplate. What in the world one would think. Well, just imagine what day to day living would have been in 1300 A.D.

       Those in charge were considered "overlords". The supreme overlord sat upon what was conceptualized as "The Throne" and under accepted theory owned all the land that folks of the day lived [or survived upon]. You had to mow his grass, plant and harvest his fields, milk his cows, and every other task he so desired. The system that was brought over to the neighborhood by the French speaking Normans and, their Marcher Lords, came to be called "feudalism". Of course, you had to go along to get along. 

       The best text describing the origin and introduction of this concept to the hallways of history is by two French folks, Jean-Pierre Poly and Eric Bournazel. First published in French (1980), an English translation was published in 1991. The cover of my copy is shown.

      "Seigneuries" was the new word on my vocabulary list. It meant the territory under the government of a feudal lord. Let's see now, the Norman folks who dug-in all sorts of places among my ancestors family's land, claimed all the territory they had come to occupy by force of arms. This land become their new governmental territory. They were the feudal lord, with no buts and or otherwise! 

       Daily life would certainly change from the common law of the kindred, to this new law of the feudal lord. 

The above text was translated by Caroline Higgitt and published by Holmes & Meier Publishers, Inc. N.Y., 1991.

New Rules and New Rulers

       Subordination to a higher authority can bring about all kinds of changes to the home front. For my ancestors, following the Statute of Rhuddlan 1284, changes were introduced in what became the new areas called Flint [Tegeingl and Maelor Saesneg], Denbigh [Ros and Rhufoniog], Rhuthun [Cantref of Dyffryn Clawyd], and Bromfield & Yale [Maelor Gymraeg]. A new governmental framework was established involving the institution of "English" criminal law to what was the families' common law. The focus here are the Maelors since Tudor Trevor (JC-1) was recognized as the founder of "The tribe of the Marches" where the Maelors played a central role. 

      Let's see now. New fellows named "Sheriffs" were appointed to administer each of these new named areas. They were to collect rents and new taxes owed to the new "Lord Paramount" which was conceived as the "The Crown". Sheriffs were to supervise local officials and, hold a court once a month [Juries introduced]. The IRS [Exchequer at Westminster] held the purse strings but, local jurisdiction was considered legitimate authority. A solemn treaty it was announced. From "Common Law" to "State Law" was the main change of concept thus, providing an order and tranquility to that wild and free way of living among all the family. (Hywel Dda would certainly have something to say about all these changes.)

       "Movables" (inheritances) was to remain under common law and, land disputes could be solved by the local folks. Since the family moved to Llwyn-Onn, Iorwerth Fychan (JI-1) [see post of 28 August  2023], until Llewelyn (JL-1), who was named after Llywelyn (II) [who died 11 December 1282], the family had already made a number of adjustments to the mindset. For example, there were new ways of survival (post 11 Oct 2023 "Food & Fleece") and self-sufficiency (post 20 Nov 2023).  A new network of connectors were established as discussed in post of 23 Sept 2023 ("Highroads"). The family then faced a series of ground shaking events and a series of tidal waves [see post 1 Dec 2023 ("Sea of Troubles") and, 6 Jan 2024 ("Shifting Sands")]! Then Howel (JM-1) had to submit to a new authority with a whole bunch of new horizons to face.

       Hum...the "Hundred Years War" 1337-1453, the battle of Calais 1346, the "Black Death" 1350, and the battle of Poitiers 1356, were all about to hit the fan under this new prerogative of "The Crown"... new rules and new Rulers, what can one say.

For review: family tree from Iorwerth Fychan (JI-1) to Howel (JM-1). All marked with blue color.

Panorama

       Just look at it. A mental picture of the earliest branches of my Jones surname family tree. Color coded it is.                   

           From Gadforch (JA-1) at the top, to the ninth generations down the branches (JI) and, all those folks in-between are presented. How do you say "Wow"! Tudor Trevor (JC-1) starts things out with a bang, realizing his wife Angharad (JC-2) was the daughter of that law giver Hywel. Three sons and a daughter come next branching out in all directions. While exploring all the branches, a few key items should be noted.

       First, Tudor Trevor (JC-1) had a brother. Ynyr Frych (JC-3) was his name and, his identity has not been recognized prior to all this tree climbing. He was described as Abbot of Dore Abby (Adad Dor) in the "Golden Valley" Hereford. 

 

      The second item to note is that Gronwy (JD-1), eldest son of Tudor Trevor (JC-1), had as heir a daughter Rhingor (JE-3). She married a fellow named Cynelyn (JE-6), which of all things produced a son Ethelystan Glodrydd (JF-6) who is discussed at some lengths among the many pages yet to come down the hallways of history. Royal Tribe IV of Wales is his beginning [Between the Wye and Severn].   

       Close by, the second son of Tudor Trevor (JC-1), Llydocya (JD-2), also had a daughter Gweyrl (JE-7) who married a fellow named Ednowain ap Bradwen (JE-8), who founded Noble Tribe XV in Merioneth. In addition, a son of Llydocya (JD-2), Llywarch Gam (JE-4) [meaning crooked footstep], leads a significant branch down to the noted individual Rhys Sais (JG-4), who married Eva (JG-3) a daughter of Cynrig (JF-1), making Rhys Sais (JG-4), a son-in-law to the fellow who is remembered as being killed 1073 A.D. Whew, can you follow all that?  He was in direct line to my branch through Dingad (JD-3)! 

       Also note, the line of Dingad (JD-3) married into the oldest brother's line Efa (JH18) to Jeuaf (JH-1). The second son's line also joined in with Eva (JG-3) to Rhys Sais ( JG-4).

  

      It was Dingad (JD-3) who was the baby of the family. Little did he know that a future branch of his family tree would be identified by the saying of all others, "Keep Up With The Joneses". 

A Page...or Two

       Saving and storing all that family tree stuff can present all kinds of decisions. How does one begin and how does one finish? You can imagine that after a few generations things can get a bit crowed and all clumped together. A coding systems has been discussed [post of 9 March 2023] and offers a way to keep each family member identifiable from all others who might clog up the branches. Putting things together in a paper format may also be another way to help keep things organized. The following copy of my coding system placed on paper is shown.

      Now remember, the capital letter of the English alphabet represents the surname of the individual putting the family tree together. For my surname Jones it would be "J". Any future note or document having an individual starting their code with a "J" would always be of my Jones surname family. The second capital letter would represent the generation that this individual would belong. The first of course would be "A" if starting at the top of the family tree. Thus JA would mean an individual belonging to the first generation from the top. Thus, B=second, C=third and so on down the branches for at least 26 generations! Next, the JA followed by "-", then a number would indicate the place that this individual holds within that generation. Thus, JA-1 would mean the named individual was the first to be located among this generation by the one doing all the searching. By way of remembering from previous posts, the next figure shows the coding system as presented by my drawings.

     Starting at the top fellow colored blue, JA-1 = Gadforch. He is the first of my great...great...grandfathers starting from the top of my family tree. His wife JA-2= name unknown for now, but if discovered at a later date, she already has a place among the branches. The son JB-1 = Ynyr, a good Celtic name (see post 31 March 2023). His wife Rhiengar of Hereford =JB-2 is listed and, on down the connected line can be followed. JC-1= Tudor Trevor (see post 27 April 2023), then coming to Dingad JD-3 the baby of this generation. My page shown first above at this generation [the D generation or 4th in line down from the top] list all family members identified as to this date 6/15/2011. You can see this expands the number of individuals as the increasing of branches are applied. The JE generation grows larger in number and you can imagine how each following generation would multiply. Several hundred of folks are listed in some of the generations sharing the same number of branches along the way. 

       Also note you can add additional comments important to recall for future tree climbers. My specific grandfather line is underlined.  It certainly might take a page or two.

     

   

Consider History

 

       From London, 1861. 

Shifting Sands

       Waves tossed sporadically upon the shorelines of the ocean of troubles. My Jones family would have certainly been bounced about many times during this corridor of time. No dry land around this place and, it would be hard to find a dry spot anywhere. Walking in any direction would be a challenge. 

       Let's see now, Llywelyn "The Great" died 11 April 1240 A.D. He lost his head after a few title waves hit his sands of time. Then his son Dafydd, lost even more of his body parts 25 February 1246. Treaty of Woodstock arrived 1247 giving some respite to the height of waves. Then, Henry III granted Llywelyn "The Last" some respect with the Treaty of Montgomery 1267 AD. Then after that fellow named "Longshanks" (Edward I) Tsunami'd his way on shore, the first war wave 1276-1277 A.D. began. Then, the Treaty of Aberconway (Conway) 1277 A.D. was followed by the second tsunami of war 1282-1283 A.D., giving rise to The Statute of Rhuddlan 1284. [Llywelyn "The Last" died 11 December 1282] "Divine Providence" old Longshanks would write. Little did he realize, he was just part of the shifting sands.

       Reference for the above events can be found in the first text used in many of my tree climbing adventures and, a copy still lives in one of the most useful research notebooks numbered #1. [For a discussion of my research notebooks see [ https://tjgresearchnotebooks.blogspot.com ]. 

Llywelyn The Great 1234 (plate 39), Treaty of Woodstock (plate 40), Treaty of Montgomery 1267 (plate 36), First War Welsh Independence 1276-1277 (plate 42), Treaty of Aberconway 1277 (plate 43), Second War Independence (plate 44), and The Statute Rhuddlan 1284 (plate 45).

From The Fates of the Princes of Dyfed, by Cenydd Morus, Illustrations by R. Machell published 1914.