Theophilus Rees (1747 - 1813)

Born 6 May 1747 in LLangarthginnin, Meidrim Parish, Carmarthenshire, Wales

Husband of Elizabeth (Thomas) Rees — married 15 Oct 1772 in Llangynin, Carmarthenshire, Wales

Descendants

Died 16 Feb 1813 at age 65 in Granville, Licking, Ohio, United States

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Biography

BIRTH

Theophilus Rees was born on 6 May 1747, at Llangarthginnin, Parish of Meidrim, Carmarthenshire, Wales. He was son of Rees John and following the Welsh patronymic system of naming, carried his father’s first name as his last name. The record is found in the Diocese of St. David, Parish of Meidrim 1700-1790, Carmarthen County Archive, Carmarthenshire, Wales.

In the same document, there is also a record on 1 Sep 1745 of the birth and death of a child named Theophilus Rees, son of Rees John. A few entries earlier in the same record there is also an infant named Theophilus, born to a different father. This has caused confusion. A further examination of the records from various sources confirms that Rees John had two children named Theophilus Rees. The one born in 1745 died at birth. Two years later the same name was given to another son. At the time is was not uncommon to give the name of a child who had died to a later child. The Theophilus Rees born in 1747 is the Theophilus Rees that later migrated to the United States and was the founder of the Welsh Hills settlement in Licking County, Ohio. See the record for Rees John for more information.

MARRIAGE

Theophilus married Elizabeth Thomas on 15 Oct 1772 in Llanginning, Carmarthenshire, Wales.

Banns of Marriage between Theophilus Rees and Elizabeth Thomas were published on the 24th Day of September and on the 4th & 11th Days of October 1772 By me D. Edmond. The said Theophilus Rees of the Parish of Mydrim, Yeoman and the said Elizabeth Thomas of this Parish, Spinster were married in this Church by Banns with consent of Parents this fifteenth Day of October in the Year One Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy two by me David Edmond. This Marriage was solemnized between Us Theophilus Rees, Elizabeth Thomas. In the presence of Samuel Thomas and David Rees.

(Note: the document was signed by the bride and groom, and both of them had well-formed signatures, illustrating that they were well educated.)

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CHILDREN

Their children, all born in Wales were:

1. David, 1773-1842
2. Mary, 1775-1845, m. David "Big Davey" Thomas
3. Martha, 1777-1833, m. 1) David Lewis and 2) Benjamin Green
4. Elizabeth, 1782-1855, m. David "Little Davey" Thomas
5. John, 1785-1842, m. Barbara Roads
6. Theophilus, 1789-1833. m. Mary Rees
7. Samuel Rees. 1791-abt.1800

PEDIGREE

Pedigree of Theophilus Rees, Elizabeth Thomas Rees and David Rees

Theoph Rees a shir Gairfyrddin a anivid n Lancarthginin ym anhlwif Midrim yn y flwiddin 1747 a fididdiwid n Rhydwilim gan David Thomas n 17 oed

Elizabeth ei wraig anivid n a un shir n y grove yn m mhliuif ganginin n y flwiddin 1743 a fediddiwid n eglwis abartawe gan Gryffith David y Cyfriw oedd n aelode gwreiddiol n Carggoli gelwis Salem n shir Carfyrddin n y flividdin 1753

David Rees a anwid n y Draescell in Shir Caerfyrddin ym mhlinif Llangihangel aboe Cowin [ ] n y flwiddin 1773 a fididdiwid n Salem gan Benj Phillips n y flwiddin 1794

Theophilus Rees of Carmarthenshire was born in Llangarthginnin in the parish of Meidrim in 1747 and baptized at Rhydwillim by David Thomas at the age of 17.

Elizabeth his wife was born in the same county at the Grove in the parish of Llanginnin in the year 1743 and baptized in the church in Swansea by Gryffith David. At a responsible age she became an original member of Carggoli church Salem in Carmarthenshire, and was baptized in 1753.

David Rees was born in Draesgell in Carmarthenshire in the parish of Llanfihangel Abercowin in the year 1773 and baptized at Salem by Benjamin Phillips in the year 1794.

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Rees Pedigree: Original in Welsh, single sheet, no date or heading. Verso addressed to: Mr. Theophilus Rees, Cambria Settlement, near Beula Pennsulvania. Translated by Rev. Ronald Hughes, Aberystwyth, 1985

Notes on the Pedigree:

It is likely that this document was drawn up by a respected member of the Welsh community in which the Rees family lived, and was intended as a reference or letter of introduction for them to carry to America. It may have been returned to Wales with a collection of letters written from Wales to Theophilus Rees in America. The collection was apparently returned to Wales by descendants who no longer read Welsh, probably to relatives who still spoke Welsh. The collection was purchased in an auction of items of interest to postal historians, by Ronald Hughes, who donated them to the National Library.

BAPTIST CHAPELS AND REES FARMS IN WALES

Theophilus Rees, his wife, Elizabeth, and his oldest son, David, were each baptized as infants in the Church of England, but were re-baptized as adults according to the Baptist practice. Rhydwillim, where Theophilus was probably immersed in the Cleedau Ddu River, was about 15 miles west of the town of Meidrim. The church was established in 1668 and was the first Baptist congregation in West Wales. It is presently (2024) the oldest functioning Baptist church in the world. 51°53'26.12760"N, 4°44'30.63480”W

Later, Theophilus and his family became founding members of Salem Baptist Chapel, a short distance west of Meidrim. An active chapel and grave yard still exist there today. (2024) 51.850056N -4.500302W.

Although the Church of England was the official church in Wales, non-conformist religious groups --- Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Quaker --- were allowed after the Act of Toleration in 1689, and were gradually more accepted through the 18th century. The houses of worship of the non-conformists are called chapels rather than churches.

The pedigree also tells us the place where Theophilus Rees, wife Elizabeth Thomas, and son, David were born. The county of Carmarthenshire, Wales, is divided into “parishes” sometimes called “civil parishes”, now called “communities”. The parishes are the most local form of civil administration. Most of the events in the Rees family story took place in the Parish of Meidrim, with the town of Meidrim at its center.

Many of the records refer to “farms” or very small settlements within the parish. Theophilus Rees was born on the farm called Llangarthginnin. It still exists at 51.863677, -4.513675 and is now (2024) a vacation rental called “The Barn @ Meidrim.”

Elizabeth Thomas was born on The Grove, in the parish of “Ganginnin”, now spelled “Llangynin", 51.848204, -4.541255

In the pedigree shown above, Theophilus’ oldest son, David, was born in Draesgell, and was baptized at near-by Salem Chapel in 1794. 51.850038, -4.500253

On the 1900 Ordinance Survey map of Wales, we find three farms named Tre-asgell-fawr (Three Wing Big), Tre-asgell-ganol (Three Wing Middle) and Tre-asgell-fach (Three Wing Little). They and Salem Chapel surround a wooded area called Allt-Esgair (Spur Hill). (Perhaps the three farms were three “wings” of one property: the Welsh is difficult to translate and the spelling changes over time.) Today (2024), the wooded area is Keowood County Park.

LETTER OF INTRODUCTION

William Richard, a minister in the Welsh Baptist church, wrote this letter to his friend, Rev. Samuel Jones, to introduce Theophilus Rees and his family. Rev. Jones served in the Welsh Baptist church of Pennepek, in north-eastern Philadelphia, from 1762-1814, and was ‘a sort of bishop among the Baptists’.

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St. Clears, Carmarthenshire, 22 March 1796

Very Dear Sir,

I wrote to you lately by the hand of Simon James, a young man from Pembrokshire, member, and of late, a preacher in the church of Blaenywain, where your worthy cousin, David Robert, is deacon.

I now sit down to introduce to your acquaintance Theophilus Rees, a member and a deacon of a Baptist Church at Salem in this county. He is a very old acquaintance, one of the most intimate friends of my youthful days. We were originally members of the same church, that of Rhydwilym, and afterwards when Salem was formed, we were among its original members. He has continued a member there ever since till now, but I have had my dismission nearly these 20 years.

He is a very worthy man and a warm zealous christian. He has a competent share of property which he means to lay out in your country and I believe he will be advised by you as to the best way of laying it out. I request you therefore to be his counsellor, and his protector from wrong. He has the disadvantage of knowing but little English and therefore will stand in greater need of your protection, as he will be the more liable to be imposed upon.

He leaves his native country accompanied by the wife and family (eleven in all) and by several of his fellow members and of the members of neighbouring churches, together with a number of Presbyterians and other serious people to the number of 6 or 7 score. They are all, as far as I can learn, sober and industrious people, who ought to be kindly received in your country as they are likely to make good and excellent citizens of that state where they may happen to settle.

I wish they may settle nearly together, as they may then have preaching in their mother tongue and be very comfortable. Morgan Rees knows the bearer well and several of his companions, and so does, I believe, Jenkin David too. Many of them will wish to be directed where to find those two countrymen of theirs.

I need say no more. I know you'll show all readiness to serve these strangers by affording them counsel, protection, etc. and that not so much on my account as on account of that God and that Savior whose servants and disciples they are. Much do I feel for them, but nothing better can I do than commending them to God and the word of his grace. May they find every comfort and support they need there.

I long to hear from you and other friends on your side of the water, but having been so long in this country, I am cut off, as it were, from the usual communication. I hope things will get into the right course again by and by. Whether I settle in Wales or in England, or even emigrate as others of my friends have done to your free and happy land.

I have visited a great many of the Welsh Churches and have a great deal to tell you respecting their present state could I see you face to face; but nothing can be done in the compass of a letter. I can only say that the prospect is far more favourable and pleasing than I expected to find them. Smoke and fire indeed we have in abundance, but we have light too, at least a considerable, and it seems, increasing desire after light and divine knowledge. At no period do I think there were so many in Wales willing to follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. The Lord God prosper these more and more. There are others, however, and those not a few, who seem resolved to throw in the way of reformation every obstacle they can. But I must not enlarge now.

With respectful remembrance to Mrs. and Miss Jones, I remain, dear sir, faithfully, affectionately and inviolably yours.

W. Richards

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EMMIGRATION

Theophilus Rees and his party of close to 100 people made their journey to America in the spring of 1795.

“This party seems to have sailed from Milford Haven in Captain Williams’ Amphion and to have reached New York in May. … They moved out into the Great Valley and around Philadephila. They were delivering letters to Samuel Jones during June and July and many of them made the long trek to launch Beulah in the autumn.”

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Since there were no ships’ passenger lists at this time, we must rely on stories handed down by word of mouth and written later. Here is another account:

On the first day of April, 1795, the good ship Amphion, under the command of Captain William, took on board, among others, the families of Thomas Philipps, Theophilus Rees, Daniel Griffith, John Jones, John Thomas, John Evans, Simon James, William Williams, Thomas Owens and James Evans and set sail from Wild Wallia for New York. After a voyage of 44 days, they landed in New York (on May 14th) and immediately proceeded to Philadelphia, where they stayed until October, when they moved to the Welsh settlement in Chester County, Pennsylvania. In the fall of the same year they went to Cambria County, in Western Pennsylvania. (Beulah Colony).

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A search on Wikipedia for the term “Amphion ship” , revealed that many ships have carried the name “Amphion”, but the most likely to have been the one described above was the HMS Amphion, built in the Royal Dockyard in Chatham, and launched 27 December 1780. It was a “full-rigged” ship, meaning that it had at least three masts, each carrying four rectangular sails. It blew up on 22 Sep 1796, apparently from carelessly handled gunpowder on deck.

Some accounts say the ship was part of the British naval fleet and was chartered by Thoephilus Rees to transport the company of migrants from Wales to America.

BEULAH

Morgan John Rhys spent 1794-1795 exploring the land along the eastern coast of the United States, from New York to Georgia and then north-westward to the Ohio Territory. He was looking for a place to establish a Gwladfa or National Home for Welsh People.

In 1794, Benjamin Rush, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, and a well-known physician, had purchased a large piece of land in western Pennsylvania in what was then Somerset County. In 1795, Morgan John Rees purchased the whole tract, 17, 400 acres. He laid out a rectangular plan for a town of about 400 acres. Here he planed to build his dream, and named the place Beulah, after the biblical passage Isaiah 62:4. The last word, translated “married” is “Beulah” in the original Hebrew.

It’s likely that Theophilus Rees and his family were among the first group of settlers who arrived in Beulah in the fall of 1795. More people arrived in groups the following year. The founders were able to build a church, and a library. They had plans for a seminary. But they had trouble building a mill. The land around Beulah was hilly and heavily timbered and was not located on a through road. It took hard physical labor to clear the land, build a road, and achieve even moderate agricultural success. The winters were more severe than the settlers were prepared for. In about 1800, Samuel, Thophilus Rees’ youngest son, age about 8, froze to death after being lost in a snow storm.

There were other forces working against the settlement. Plans were underway to create a new county out of part of Somerset County. There was hope and effort among the Beulah folks to make their town the county seat of the new county called Cambria. But they lost out to Ebensburg, just three miles to the east. Further west, in 1801, the federal government realized more land in the Ohio Territory for sale.

In 1801 he purchased with Thomas Phillips approximately two thousand acres of land near modern-day Granville, Ohio.

He donated land for Granville, Ohio's Welsh Hills Cemetery in 1808. In the same year, he founded the Welsh Hills Baptist Church and was elected its first deacon.

Work in progress, May 2024

Sources

1. ↑ Diocese of St. David, Parish of Llanginning, 1681-1837, Baptisms, marriages and burials, Bishop's Transcript National Library Of Wales, Aberystwyth
2. ↑ Diocese of St. David, Carmarthenshire, Llanginin Parish Register, Marriage 15 Oct 1772. Carmarthenshire Record Office, Carmarthen, Wales, 1986.
3. ↑ Wales, Carmarthenshire, Parish Registers, 1538-1912
4. ↑ Manuscript Pedigree, MS LL. G. C. 14873 E, National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth. 1986.
5. ↑ The Search for Beulah Land, by Gwyn A. Williams, Holmes & Meier Publishers, Inc, New York, 1980, p.21
6. ↑ Letter from William Richard to Rev. Samuel Jones, Pennepek Church, near Philadelphia. In the Jones section of the Mrs. Erving H. McKesson Collection, Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
7. ↑ The Search for Beulah Land, by Gwyn A. Williams, Holmes & Meier Publishers, Inc, New York, 1980, p.128
8. ↑ History of the Welsh Hills, by William Harvey Jones, 1905. Compiled for the Granville, Ohio, Centennial. Chapter 1. In the collection of Dennison University Library, Granville, Ohio.