William Henry Waylett resided at 'Cefn Isaf', Dolwen,
Abergele, Denbighshire, in 1834 until he sailed on the ship 'Jersey' on the 5th February 1853 bound for New Orleans. He came as a child with his
mother and three siblings to reside at Cefn Isaf the home of his
Grandparents. (Mother's parents were of Welsh origins William & Deborah
Owens).
He states on the 1851 Census that his occupation was a
Collier. The possiblility is that he worked as a Miner in either the
Limestone quarry at Tan y Goppa or in the Lead mines also in Tan y Goppa, near
Tan'rallt Bach.
He would have known Sarah Williams his future wife as she
worked and lived in 'Yr Allt', Tan y Goppa, Abergele, and would probably
have met with her as he walked to work and also at Church meetings which were
held at The Meeting House in Chapel Street, Abergele (now The Bull Hotel).
Sarah Williams was the daughter of Rice and Leah Williams
who lived in 6 Peel Street, Abergele, Denbighshire. The House
consisted of a Kitchen, Living Room, One Bedroom and no garden.
Father Rice Williams aged 50 in the 1851 census - Nailer by
occupation.
Mother - Leah Williams aged 48 born at Llandrillo.
Son - Thomas Williams aged 22 years - Nailer and
Journeyman.
Son - Peter Williams aged 16 years - Apprentice Nailer
Daughter - Elizabeth aged 13 - a House Servant
Son - Edward aged 9 - Scholar
Grandson - William Davies aged 2 years born in Abergele
In the 1851 Census Sarah Williams was located in Nant
Ddu, St George, Abergele, as a Houseservant aged 15 years. She was born in
St George, Abergele. She was later traced to
'Yr Allt', Tan y Goppa, Abergele also as a
Houseservant.
Rice & Leah Williams and the Grandson William Davies
Williams also emigrated on the 21st May 1864 on the ship 'General
McLellan' and arrived Utah in the William S Warren Company on the 4th October 1864.
The notes below were taken from articles written by my
Father
Bernard Parry, a stonemason and son of Thomas and Anne Parry
of Parc, St George, married Deborah Anne Waylett of Cefn Isa, Llanddulas on 17 September 1852 setting up house in Chapel Street, Abergele. They buried an infant son,
William Owen Parry aged 5 months on 3 December 1853 and on the 4 February 1854 sailed from Liverpool together with 463 other Saints board the ship Golconda . They arrived at new Orleans on 18 March after a passage of 42 days and
then travelled up the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers to Kansas City where the
group outfitted to cross the plains with the John Smith wagon company arriving in
Salt Lake City on 23 September. However, Bernard died from cholera while
crossing the plains and it is believed that he is buried in the vicinity of
Fort Laramie, Wyoming, leaving a young widow of nineteen to continue the
journey to Salt Lake City where she was received with kindness by her brother
William Henry Waylett and his wife Sarah Williams Waylett who had preceded her
to the Utah territory.
* * * * *
Thomas, Peter, Elizabeth & Edward went to New York on the 'Caravan' on the 14th February 1856. Thomas and Peter
were both Nailers, together with their sister Elizabeth and brother Edward who
was just 14 years old. Thomas Williams and at least one of his brothers
eventually settled in California which was the name given at that time to all
territory beyond the Rocky Mountains. An apocryphal story relates how, once
the sons had established a nial making business in Salt Lake City, the father
in Abergele advertised himself as ' Rice Williams & Sons, Nail Makers, Peel Street, Abergele and Salt Lake City'. A wonderful example of victorian business
enterprise.
