The family of (Hugh) David Rees 1655-1706

 Researching this family has been like herding cats.  Just when one thing seems to fall in line, everything or everyone else is ready to escape to a new and better life, different parents, a possible second spouse, more or fewer children-anyone who has tried to research an early Pennsylvania family who traces back to Wales knows what I am experiencing.  In briefly researching for this family sketch, I've found a lot of questions, a lot of confusion, and a lot of dead ends.  This post will attempt to sort some of this out, point out possible alternatives, and at least leave some bread crumbs for the next searchers.  All help is most welcome.  

The first question is David's name.  Was his first name Hugh, or was it David?  I'm using David because I've not found anything at all that used the name Hugh, but it's possible that someone knows something I don't.  And as for "Rees", well, it could be Reece, Reese, Rhys, or even ap Rhys, which some have then interpreted as Price.  

David is the son of (unconfirmed) Henry and Elizabeth Lewis Rees.  (I'm reasonably confident that the mother's name is correct but I have also seen the father as John and as Price.)  He was born about 1655, probably in Pembrokeshire, Wales, and married Elinor Lloyd, who may be the daughter of Thomas and Catherine (verch) William Lloyd.  I don't have a firm marriage date for them, but it was sometime in the mid 1670's, still in Wales.  David and Elinor came to Pennsylvania in 1682, probably but not necessarily with their first children.  I'll explain that statement in a moment.

This family was party of the Welsh Quaker community.  In fact, I have seen David referred to as "Reverend", although of course the Society of Friends, as they are also known, did not use such titles as far as I know.  However, the Rees name does show up in Quaker records for generations.  

"Everyone" says that Rebecca, born in 1676 in Wales, is the daughter of this couple, and that she married Moses Bowen, the son of Evan and Mary McMillan Bowen.  It's also stated that they came to Pennsylvania in 1698.  For all of this information to be accurate, Rebecca would have had to stay in Wales from the time her parents emigrated until she married, or she would have had to return to Wales to marry Moses.  (Or perhaps they came earlier and the 1698 trip was a second one, which is plausible because Moses seems to have been relatively well=off.)  Rebecca and Moses are said to have had several children: John, Gwentholyn, William, Robert, Thomas, Margaret, Daniel, Henry, Catherine, and Priscilla.  I don't know when Rebecca died.  The most common date I've seen, without documentation, is 1780, which would have made her a truly ancient woman.  

Margaret is generally given as the next daughter.  She was born about 1678.  Her death date is sometimes shown as 1761 but I believe that applies to a different Margaret.  It is possible that she died as an infant or child and never made it to America.  

Morris is the next child and the first son, according to most lists.  He was born in 1680 and died in 1768 in Frederick County, Virginia.  He married Sarah Butterfield, the daughter of Thomas and Mary (possibly Taylor) Butterfield.  Their children are John, Morris, Jacob, Mary, Margaret, David, Thomas, and Hannah.  I will write more about this family in an upcoming post.  

Another family that I will be following in a future post is that of Thomas.  He was born in 1681 and died in 1713 in Haverford, Chester County, Pennsylvania.  His wife was Rebecca Price, the daughter of Philip Price and an as yet unknown mother.  It is possible that these families, Rees and Price, were related, as Rees and Price are both known variations of "ap Rhys".  Thomas and Rebecca's children are Thomas, Henry, William, David, Robert, Solomon, and Jane.  It is possible that there were two children named Robert.  

Lewis is the next son, and born in 1683, not long after David and family (or some of them) arrived here. He married Grace Row, the daughter of William and Eliza (maiden name unknown) Row.  Their children are Mary, Rebecca, David, Elinor and Hannah.  Lewis died in 1775, in Newtown, Chester, Pennsylvania.    

The final child who is traceable is John, born in 1686.  He married Hannah Welsh, the daughter of Philip and Hannah Haggett Welch.  (Note: I'm not sure whether this was a proper surname or whether it was simply descriptive of their origins.)  This couple is credited with a large family.  Rose, Edward, Ellen, Jane, Hannah and John seem to belong.  I have also seen Lucretia, Eleanor, Elizabeth, Harry, Thomas and Edward listed as part of this family, but I am not convinced.  I hope someone can come to my aid on this family.  I have not found a death date for him; the 1759 date I've seen applies to a different man.,

As in John's family (above) there are three more names I've seen as children of David and Elinor.  There may have been another John and another Thomas, and also a son James.  However, I haven't yet been able to verify anything about any of these babies, boys, or men.  I would leave them as "possible" at this point.

Although David died at a relatively young age, his children lived to see the settling of Pennsylvania, and the various battles and violence of the French and Indian War.  As Quakers, they may not have actively supported military activity, but they would have done what was necessary to protect their families.