Llan A'r Bryn

I live in Florida and am working on my genealogy, including my Welsh relatives. My 6-G Grandfather was named Simon Butler and he and his sister Jane Butler (married Simon Matthew, also from your area) were supposedly from Llagennech. Simon and Jane Butler were both born about 1682. I have a rather complete listing of descendants of both Simon and Jane, but am searching for their ancestors. I found your website and was wondering if you would have any suggestions for looking back further. I belong to ancestry.com and have looked on both the USA and UK versions without success. I understand that there was no parish established in Llangennech until 1723. Do you know if this would indicate that the family might be invoved with the parish in Llenelli, which was established in 1684? Genealogy has become a great hobby of mine and any assistance you could give me would be gratefully accepted. I have other Welsh ancestors, and may make a trip there if I can find exactly where my family is from.  I look forward to hearing from you, though I realise you must be rather busy.  Thanks for any assistance you may be able to offer.

This message was posted elsewhere on the site and has been moved here. If anybody can help then please reply to this thread, thanks.

Hi , you may get help from The carmarthenshire Family History Society or from the Carmarthenshire Archives at Carmarthen , Carmarthenshire . I will put a mention in the local newspaper to see if anyone responds.

Simon is well documented on the internet and one family tree has him married to Ann Matthew though I note that particular tree doesn't have much credence as it shows Simon and siblings born many years after parents death. I was interested to see that there are many documents online charting his success after landing in Philadelphia in 1712 with his cousin Simon Matthew ( which suggests if Simon Butler's wife was Ann Matthew , she was also a cousin and that Simon Butler's sister jane would also have married a cousin). Simon is mentioned in The History of Bucks County Pennsylvania and in the will of Simon Matthew, Simon Butler Jnr is left £5. There is also a story on a Thomas Butler which mentions "Simon Butler a man of proninence in Bucks Co and his brother Benjamin". Finally there is a mention of the Pennsylvania magazine of History and Biographies Vol 1X p50 which mentions Simon Butler as coming from Llangenych Wales.