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Children of Ann & Dafydd Thomas

Mary Jane Thomas

Mary Jane Thomas

Mary Jane Thomas    Born Kenfig Hill (Glamorgan) 1866 Died 19th April, 1944 (Age 78)   Buried St David's Church Bettws (Bridgend)   St. David's Church Bettws, Bridgend Burial place Micah & Jane Miles

       Hetty                                                                       Mary Jane                                                 Margaret Ann

Born 09.04.1855                                                          Born 16.06.1862 Kenfig Hill                                   Born 1863

  Ystradgynlais                                                             Died  1941                     

Died 12.03.1931                                                                     married   

                                                                               7th June, 1891 Neath Registry Office                                                 

Buried Penyfai Chapel                                                        Micah Miles                                                        

more information                                                         Born 1860 Pontycymmer                                                                

                                                                                 Died 1921 Toryfron Farm, Llangynwyd         

                                                                         Children of Mary Jane and Micah Miles      

                                                                                                                                                               

Mary Jane Thomas was the second child born to Dafydd and Ann Thomas on the 16th June, 1862 when they lived in Kenfig Hill (Glamorgan) her great-great grandson my son Anthony John Morgan shares his birthday with her being born 16th June, 1973.

Mary Jane was a lover of music in every form and in her younger days had won prizes at Eisteddfodau for singing.  She had been encouraged to go on the stage having such a fine voice, but her Mother would have nothing of it !

When living in Pontycymmer (Garw Valley) Mary Jane fell in love with a young man called Micah Miles, her love for Micah didn't meet the approval of her Mother who was now a widow, Ann herself had defied her parents to marry for love but had well forgotten this. 

Micah had emigrated with his parents in 1881 to Plymouth, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, USA.  Many left the Garw Valley in this period to Pennsylvania and Ann Mary Jane's Mother had wickedly sent a message to him that her daughter Mary Jane had died but Mary Jane not knowing this at the time would ask anyone she knew of leaving the Garw Valley for America - Pennsylvania to send her love to Micah Miles if they met him and eventually in true Mills & Boon style (Romantic Novels) the message was delivered Micah now married with two children - divorced - worked his passage back to Wales.  On arrival back in Pontycymmer Micah was confronted by Ann who pulled a small revolver on him and told him to go ago or she would shot him - shot me said Micah - without Mary Jane I have no life.

If you look at the United States Federal Census records for Plymouth, Pennsylvania of the period you will see that the population is mainly made up of Welsh emigrants.

Micah Miles was the son of Henry and Celia (Jones) Miles - Henry was born Beaufort, Gwent the son of John and Jane Miles who had moved to Gwent from their native Llangattock a small village near Crickhowell, Breconshire - for more information on the Miles family please click here

Micah now joined in marriage to Mary Jane lived with her mother Ann Thomas at 41 High Street, Pontycymmer were they ran a shop, while Micah worked in the local Ffladu Colliery.  They moved from High Street to the Oddfellows Public House, Bettws (Bridgend) when Micah became the Landlord.  Mary Jane’s mother stayed in Pontycymmer moving to Waun Bant, her family where wealthy Carmarthenshire landowners and she had received a large dowry from her Father. 

Ffladu Colliery Pontycymmer   Micah Miles 10th man from left to right

After Micah Miles days in the Oddfellows the family took the tenancy of Toryfron Farm which was owned by the Llanharan Estates – Colonel John Blandy Jenkins – the rent for the farm was paid at the High Corner Public House in Llanharan and was quite a family occasion the Landlord and his family being relatives.  Sometime in Micah and Mary Jane’s life they had been a tenant to the Dunraven Estate who they gave no recommendation to at all, Micah had been told to fence in land that was not theirs and refused.  He highly respected and praised the Llanharan Estates they would send a man out every year out to see what repairs were need.   Some years after his death his daughter Hetty Ann and her husband David Garfield took over Toryfron Farm, and purchased the freehold from Llanharan Estates, the farm is still in Garfield family ownership.

Micah died at the age of 61 years old – the morning he died his daughter Beatrice had gone out to check cattle and came back into the house to tell him that a Bull in the field below the farmhouse appeared unwell, Mary Jane said go and look with the girl, – it was breakfast time – Beatrice and Micah went to attend to the Bull and Micah dropped down dead on the field.

Micah was the first Sunday School Superintendent appointed at Noddfa Church, Pontycymmer.  He was the conductor of Caerau, Maesteg and the Garw Valley Brass Bands and upon resigning his position as leader of the Garw Valley Brass Brand they presented him with a medallion and chain.

On the day of Micah’s funeral, the Pontycymmer Town Brass Band and the Llangynwyd Brass Band walked in front of the coffin playing the death March they walked from Toryfyron to St David’s Church. Bettws, the weather was that cold that the men had icicles hanging from their moustaches.   The coffin bearers were the committee of the Llangynywd Brass Band.  The funeral service was conducted by the Rector of Bettws – Morgan Thomas.   Micah is buried in the churchyard, Mary Jane Miles is buried with Micah and son Ricy Gwyn Miles, Mary Jane died on the 19th April 1944 and was living with Beatrice and son in law Hiram Davies at Gelli Ebleg, Llangynwyd, Ricy Gwyn died aged 25 years on the 5th September 1930. 

Mary Jane Miles

June 1930 Letty Brongu

with daughter Celia Gwyneth

                                     1901 Census Micah Miles and the family are living 41 High Street, Pontycymmer

                                     1911 Census Micah Miles and the family are living Oddfellows Public House, Bettws (Bridgend)