Letitia Davies

The following is documentation of the events in the life’s of Letitia Davies and her children, John Ducket,(14 June 1810), Thomas Davies (7 April 1812), Mary Davies (13 July, 1820), and Maria Davies(10 June 1821) ) as documented in the Parish and Civil record of Shropshire, England.

Letitia’s First Child was John Duckett (14 June 1810)

Letitia’s 1st child was by Francis Forester. Letitia was working as a house servant in the Steward nee Forester mansion in Shrewsbury. Francis Forester, Mrs. Stewart younger brother, got Letitia pregnant. They paid 30 guineas to avoid liability for the babies support and to have the baby adopted out to a family by the name of Duckett. In life, he went by the name of John Duckett. We have additional information about this boy not given here. See the article Letitia by Thomas Glen Davies.

Image 1: Researcher’s transcription of court documents from Shrewsbury regarding birth of Letitia’s first child

Letitia’s Second Child was Thomas Davies (7 April 1812)

Thomas (1812) is the base son of Hannah Letitia Davies of Upton Magna.

Bastard Bonds for Thomas Davies (7 April 1812)

We have in our possession the bastardly bonds payments for the birth of Thomas Davies (1812) born to Letitia Davies of Upton Magna. This next image is the researcher’s notes taken from the account for Letitia Davies

Image 2: Researcher’s transcription of court documents regarding birth of Letitia’s second child

The following is a copy of that record. Note that the top record from St Chad’s details Letitia’s first child.

The Shrewsbury Incorporation Contributor Ledger 1795 - 1813 (of which Upton Magna is a part of) Accounts with Father of Bastards From the Parish St Julians Thomas Lloyd of Roddington Farmer’s Serv. for Letitia Davies Male Child Born 7 April 1812 (note: this would be our Thomas Davies) Lying in exps was paid before the order was made 2-11-3 From. 16 Feb to May 1813) 12 Weeks 1/3 16 From 11 May to 10 Aug 1813) 13 “ 1/3 16 3 Reced to August 1813 From 10 Aug to 9 Nov 1813) 13 “ 1/3 16 3 Recd Nov 15 From 9 Nov to 3 May 1814) 25 “ 1/3 1-11-3 From May 3 - Runaway

Thomas’s christening record.

1812 Chr. documentation of Thomas Davies, Son of Letitia Davies of Upton Magna, Shropshire , England. Thomas (1812 not 1811) is the base son of Hannah Letitia Davies of Upton Magna. A digital copy of the parish record for Upton Magna Church of England is as follows.

Summary As shown in this document, the biological father of Letitia Davies’ male child (Thomas Davies) is a man by the name of Thomas Lloyd, of Rodington. His parents lived in Upton Magna just before their passing. Rodington is about 4 miles NE of Upton Magna. See map below.

Some have thought that a Thomas F. or Thomas Frank Davies is the Father of Thomas Davies (1812). As shown above -- this is NOT TRUE.

I hope this helps in the family disputes in New Family Search.

Summary of the facts learned from the above documents

The bastardly bonds payments for the birth of Thomas Davies (7 April 1812) born to Letitia Davies of Upton Magna is show above.

Note -- this is our Letitia Davies and note the birthdate of her son Thomas is given as 7 April, 1812, not 7 April, 1811, as reported in The Quest for Peace by Evan M Croft and Grace H. Croft. Chapter XXIV Page 235

I would tend to accept the primary date from the bastardly bonds over second hand quotes supposedly coming from Thomas himself.

Now let me start from the beginning with Letitia’s oldest child.

Letitia had at least 6 children that I know of. All out of wedlock.

Her 1st son was adopted out. His name in life was John Duckett.

After this she when back to Upton Magna to live with her mother. Here she met or knew Thomas Lloyd. His parent’s lived in Upton Magna at one time. The payment from the bastardly order as shown above were made by Thomas Lloyd of Rodington. He was working as a farm laborer there.

Thomas Lloyd also had another son in Upton Magna by another woman. He was named Thomas as well. I am not giving this here but I have the documentation for this. That’s another story. Also see Letitia by Thomas Glen Davies.

Our Thomas Davies (7 April 1812) is Letitia’s second child, fathered by Thomas Lloyd. See documents above.

Letitia’s 3rd child, Sarah, was born 14 Dec 1816, by an unknown man. The father is not given at christening.

Letitia’s 4th child, Mary, born 13 Jul 1818, was fathered by a man named Robert Edwards. He lived a few door down from Letitia. He has another family of his own as well. I do not have an original copy of her christening (Entry No. 182 in the Parish of St. Mary Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England). The Bastard bond (image on the next page) provides his information.

Researcher’s transcript of court records regarding the birth of Letitia’s 4th child (Mary)

Letitia’s 5th Child - Maria Davies

Born 10 June, 1821, Maria daug. of Letitia Davies chr. 21 July 1821, (Barker St.) We have no direct evidence that Robert Edwards is Maria’s father. We are assuming that Robert Edward is also the father as he was the neighbor at the time, the same as for Mary.

Letitia’s 6th Child - James Davies Birth 5 Jul 1827. Was by an unknown man, no father given.

Birth: Parish St. Chad, Shrewsbury England.

Date: 5 July 1827, James S of Letitia Davies (Barker St.) Chr.

His death date: 21 Aug 1827, James S of Letitia Davies (ten weeks) Bur.

Other Documentation for Letitia

Three weeks before Maria was born, the Parish took Letitia to court, challenging her right to live in the parish. They did not want to be liable for another bastard child by her. The following is the court examination of Letitia just before Maria’s birth. She defended her right to live there based on her employment with Mrs. Stewart at the time her 1st child, John Duckett, was born.

Researchers transcript of court documents regarding Letitia’s testimony to stay in Shrewsbury

Death Certicates

Death certificates of Letitia Davies, her daughters Mary and Maria.

The first one is the Death Certificate of Letitia Davies in 1866.

Remember that Thomas Davies (1812) came to the US in 1848 so he was not there at her death.

Note: the person present at her death is Frank Davies (Maria’s son - see certificates and proof below)

The next document is Maria’s death certificate in 1866. They are buried in same grave, one above the other in the county burial ground in Meole Brace. When my father was in Shrewsbury in 1998 he had grave markers erected.

Note: the person present at Maria’s death is Frank Davies (her own son).

Next is Mary Davies’ Death certificate.

The bastard Bond for Mary above says her biological father is Robert Edwards, so the information given on her death certificate by her niece F. Marshall (clerk error, should be E. Marshall) is not correct. I suspect that Emily did not really know the truth about who Mary’s father was.

Children of Thomas, Maria, and Mary

We have not found any children for Thomas and his first wife Mary Simmonds.

Maria, his sister, however had three children. All were base born.

Emily Helen Davies, Frank Henry (Harry, Francis) Davies (His name was recorded differently on different documents) and George Davies.

Mary, his other sister, had one boy that died. We have not found any other children for her.

Documentation for Children of Maria Davies

Birth Certificate for Henry Davies (other names: Frank Harry, Frank, Frank Henry, Francis) Maria is shown as his mother.

Henry/Frank died 11 years after Letitia and Maria (his mother) died.

Frank Harry Davies death certificate

Note: the person present at his death is Emily H. Marshall, his sister. This proves that Emily is NOT Thomas’s daughter, but his niece.

The next document is the marriage of Emily H. Davies to James Henry Marshall

This sequence of documents is given to show that Emily H. Davies is NOT the Daughter of Thomas Davies as shown in NEW FAMILY SEARCH, but is his sister’s , Maria. On Page 236 of Quest for Peace say that Emily Davies is Thomas Davies daughter. As show by the above this is also not correct.

Did Thomas Davies and his sister really know who his FATHER was?

This next entry is to show that Thomas Davies (1854) the son of Thomas Davies (1812) did not know who his father’s biological father was. I suspect his sisters Letitia Maria and Melissa Ann didn’t either.

Note the following: Thomas Davies (1854) did the temple work for his “Gd Father Davis”. The only information given was that he was from Upton Magna, England. No first name given, no birth date, and the last name is Davis. (this is a result of clerk spelling of the name in St. George Temple not the way it was said by Thomas himself). My conclusion from all this is that Thomas Davies (1812), son of Letitia Davies, did not know who his biological father was. If he did he did not reveal it in his life. Also, the unfounded family tradition claimed as quoted in The Quest For Peace that the father of Thomas Davies (1812), was Thomas F. or Frank Davies or Richard Davies, is a result of inconclusive circumstantial evidence and unfounded family hearsay and family traditions.

Census Records

The next entries are the census record of the Letitia Davies Family starting in 1841 to 1901

1841 Census Shrewsbury, St. Chads

In the 1841 Census, look at 4 and 5 lines from the bottom in column 2

Abode Barker St.

Letitia Davies 45 Milliner yes born in Shropshire

Mary Davies 20 Milliner Yes “ “ “

1851 Census -- St. Chad, Shrewsbury

Abode Belstone

Ann L (S) Davies Head w 65 Milliner Salop Shrewsbury

Mary Davies Daug un 30 Milliner Salop Shrewsbury

Maria Davies Daug un 27 Milliner Salop Shrewsbury

Emily Davies Grand daug 5 Scholar Salop Shrewbury

1861 Census, St. Chads, Shrewbury

Abode 46 Bellstone , Shrewsbury Shropshire.

Hannah Davies Head Widow 70 , Upton Magna, Salop.

Mary Davies daug unmd 36, Milliner Shrewsbury Salop.

Maria Davies daug unmd 33, Milliner Shrewsbury Salop.

Francis Davies Grand Son 12, Scholar Shrewsbury Salop.

Remember both Letitia and her Daug Maria Died in 1866.

1871 Census, St. Chad, Shrewsbury

Abode Barker St. Strewsbury, Shropshire

Mary Davies Head Unm 48, Milliner Shrewsbury, Salop.

Frank H. Davies Nephew Unm 23, Compositor Printer, Shrewsbury, Salop.

Emily H. Davies boarder unm 23, independent, Shrewsbury, Salop.

Note relationships of Mary to Frank H. and Emily, Nephew and boarder.

1881 Census , St. Chad, Shrewsbury

Abode 27 Barker St. Shrewsbury, Shropshire.

Mary Davies Head unm 60, Milliner, Shrewsbury Salop.

May (Mary) Marshall Niece, 2, , Shrewsbury Salop.

1891 Census ,St. Chad, Shrewsbury

Abode 37 Barker St. Shrewsbury, Shropshire England

Mary Davies Head unm 70, living on won means, Shrewsbury Salop

Janette May Marshall, Gt. Niece, 12, Shrewsbury, Salop.

1901 Census, St. Mary, Shrewsbury

Marshall,Janet M, boarder 22 single, assist. Dra… Fancy, Shrewsbury, Salop.

Remember Janet Marshall is Emily Davies’ daughter.

As of 1901, Emily the is only living descendent of Letitia I have found, except Thomas’s descendents here in America.

The variations in the names used in these records are extensive. No wonder there is so much confusion about what their real names and relationships were.

I will let you chew on this for a while. There is a lot to digest. I know I am throwing a big curve at the family with all this information which is contrary to what is published in The Quest For Peace, and all that our families have thought in the past. I think with the above I have conclusively shown that the biological father of Thomas Davies born 7 Apr., 1812 (base) son of Letitia Davies, is a Thomas Lloyd , not Thomas F. (Frank, Francis, Richard or anything else) Davies or Davis.

Chapter 2

The objective of Chapter 2 is to show that Thomas Davies’ (1812) grandfather is most likely Edward Lloyd, born Upton Magna. With his family born and raised in the Rodington parish.

A search of the record of the Parish of Rodington, shows there are two possible Thomas Lloyd’s that could be the father of our Thomas Davies (1812).

#1: Thomas Lloyd

Chr. 25 Mar 1792, Rodington, Shropshire, England,

Father, Joseph Lloyd, Mother, Mary. Other records identify this Thomas as living in Somerwood. See map below (a farm complex NE of, and in, the parish of Rodington)

This Thomas would be age 19 at the time Letitia got pregnant in 1811.

#2: Thomas Lloyd

Chr. 26 Dec, 1784, Parish of Rodington, Shropshire, England,

Father, Edward Lloyd, Mother, Elizabeth.

This Edward Lloyd was born in Upton Magna. Upton Magna Parish records Chr. 1 Jan 1759, Edward Lloyd, son of Edward Lloyd and Mary. Edward Lloyd (Thomas Lloyd’s father) died In Upton Magna 9 Nov 1802, Edward’s wife Elizabeth (Thomas Lloyd’s mother) also died in Upton Magna, on 20 Nov 1804.)

This Thomas would be age 28 at the time Letitia got pregnant in 1811.

At least 2 brothers and a sister of Thomas Lloyd married in Upton Magna. Sources not provided here.

Based on locality, opportunity, and family connection to Upton Magna, this Thomas Lloyd is the most likely father and Edward Lloyd is the most likely grandfather of Thomas Davies(1812).

I know I have been blunt and ruthless in my remarks about Letitia and the family tradition printed in The Quest for Peace. I do not wish to be unkind or harsh toward her or the great work done in The Quest for Peace. However, I believe I have given the truth and facts surrounding this case.

Map of Rodington , Upton Magna, and Shrewsbury scale-- each square is a mile.

Dear Davies Family I now have a request of you.

Would you please remove your dispute of Edward Lloyd as the father of Thomas Lloyd alias (Thomas F Davies/Thomas Frank Davies). And help to correct and stop the perpetuation, that Thomas Davies’(1812) father is Thomas F., (Frank) Davies as given in Quest For Peace.

And help to get Emily assigned to her correct parentage. She is Maria’s daughter not Thomas’s.

Sincerely,

Franklin David Davies.

Spruce Grove, Alberta Canada. New Email Address for me fddavies@shaw.ca

Phone 780-962-6461

Let me introduce myself.

My name is Franklin David Davies. I am a great Grandson of Thomas Davies(1812), Son of Hannah Letitia Davies of Upton Magna, Shropshire, England.

My father is Lorenzo Snow Davies - Born in Hinckley, Utah, 1899.

His father is Thomas Davies - Born in Fillmore, Utah, 1854. – NFS# KWC2-PQL

His Father is Thomas Davies – born on 7 Apr., 1812, Upton Magna, Shropshire England. NFS # KWJR-NKZ

His biological father is Thomas Lloyd of Rodington (1784) and his mother is Letitia Davies of Upton Magna

His Father is Edward Lloyd of Upton Magna(1759)

I live in Spruce Grove, Alberta, Canada, My Phone # is 780- 962- 6461, My Email address is fddavies@shaw.ca

The above dialog is documentation that above lineage is TRUE and provides the digitized reference to support this claim. For a more sensitive, tender and eloquent picture of Letitia’s life and circumstances, I refer you to a publication called “Letitia” by my brother Thomas Glen Davies.

My Brother Tom writes the following about different sources for Thomas Davies.

The only PRIMARY RECORDS (original) for the birth of Thomas Davies are the following:

1: Bastardy bonds from St Julians of Shrewsbury Shropshire gives birth 7 April 1812 which you have. It states Thomas Lloyd of Roddington farmer’s servant for Letitia Davies male child born 7 April 1812. Lying expenses (birth expenses) were 2-11-3 paid to the House of Industry. It is further confirmed by the dates listed for payments to the House of Industry for 16 February 1813; 11 May 1813; 10 August 1813 and May 3 1814. None of these dates list 1811. This record actually shows he was born in Shrewsbury.

2. Christening record of Upton Magna gives baptism as 3 May 1812 at Upton Magna (see above)

3. Calendar of Prisoners in the custody of William Henry Griffiths, keeper of His Majesty’s Gaol in the county of Salop. General Quarter Sessions for Shrewsbury 15 July 1825: Prisoner Thomas Davies age 14 born in Shrewsbury, a shoemaker. Thomas’s Estimated Birth year is about 1825 – 14 = 1811.

SECONDARY RECORDS

1. Gravestone erected and paid for by Lorenzo Snow Davies (my father) has 7 April 1811. 2. Thomas Davies personal record in 1873 has 7 April 1811 and says he was born at Upton Magna 3. Nephi James Bates biography of Thomas Davies has birth on 7 April 1811 at Upton Magna 4. Quest for Peace has 7 April 1811 at Upton Magna 5. Stella H Day’s book Builders of Early Millard p. 167 has 7 April 1811 at Upton Magna 6. Fillmore Ward record F025947 gives birth as 7 April 1812 7. Endowment House book c page 162 has 7 April 1812 (Note: These last two records may have

different film numbers by now) 8. Other records also list 7 April 1813, 1811 and 1812

All of these secondary records are simply copies of one another. They are word of mouth based on memory. Actually I do not care if you want to persist in using 7 April 1811. It is of little consequence except to show some human frailties and memory lapses. It is likely that Thomas had little concern about his birth date when he was young. When he was old he couldn't remember and probably never really knew. People in those days were more concerned about making a living than about the day of their birth. Most of them couldn't read or write. Tom Davies