#50117 Jonah Jehosophat Dando◊ ( John Dando◊ • John Dando◊ • John Dando◊ • George Dando◊ )
Jonah was born 1826 in High Littleton, Somerset, England. He was christened 19 Feb 1826 in Holy Trinity Church, High Littleton, Somerset, England. He died 1885 in Pennsylvania.
He appears on the 1841 Wales Census in St. Woollos, Monmouthshire with his parents.
Some researchers have identified him on the 1851 Census in Aberystruth, Monmouthshire. On the surface this seems reasonable: he was in Monmouthshire on the last census; we have Jonah of the correct age and born in Somerset; we have a wife named Jane of the correct age; we have a daughter of the correct age named Ann and we know his first born was Sarah Ann. However, there are three problems. First, this Jonah is a coal miner, not a mason. Second, Jane is shown as born in Somerset instead of Worcestershire. Third, and the one that makes this unlikely: Jane is indicated as the daughter of Edward & Ruth Lewis and Jonah as a son-in-law, while we know her with a maiden name of Swatkins.
Further searching shows that, while Jonah and Jane were married, they weren't living together at the time of the census. We find Jonah on the 1851 England Census living as a lodger in St. Paul parish in Bristol. He is a freestone mason and married. It says he was born in Caerleon, Monmouthshire. He was in Monmouthshire previously but it is not accurate as a birth place per other records.
Since the criterion for this census was where you spent the previous night rather than permanent address, we don't know how long Jonah's sojourn in Bristol was. It was probably short since his children are all born in Wales. Based upon the children's birth registrations the family lived in various parishes in Monmouthshire. This map of the Archdeaconry of Llandaff has those identified on census records marked in green and those identified on baptismal/christening records in yellow:
By the next census he is shown with his family on the 1861 Wales Census of Llandaff, Glamorgan. The move would have been between the births of Catherine and Jonah Jr.
Some time between 1861 and 1870 the family emigrates from Wales as they show on the 1870 Federal Census of Derry, Westmoreland Co., Pennsylvania. Jonah is a farmer and the value of his real estate was $800 and the value of his personal possessions was $100. We know they spent some time in New York prior to arriving in Derry as Sarah was married there and Earnest was born there.
On the 1880 Federal Census they are still in Derry and Jonah has returned to being a stone cutter.
The copy of his will in the Westmoreland Co. will books, probated on 5 May 1885, reads:
Bradenville May 5 1885 The last will and Testament of Jonah Dando Sr. To all interested in these presents 1st This is my last Will and Testament I will all my property to my wife Jane Dando to have and to hold for her own use during her lifetime for her maintenance 2nd That the remaining property be equally divided among the six children at her death in this my hand. Jonah Dando
The registrar then notes that everything was legally proved and granted to Jane Dando on 12 Jun 1885.
∞ Jonah married #50118 Jane Swatkins◊.
Marriage notes |
They married 15 Jan 1849 in Aston, Warwickshire, England. |
Other names for Jane: Jane Dando◊, Mary Jane Watkins◊, Mary Jane Swatkins◊.
Jane was born 1824 in Beoley, Worcestershire, England. She died 1893 in Derry, Westmoreland Co., Pennsylvania. She was buried in Coles Cemetery, Derry Twp., Westmoreland Co., Pennsylvania.
Some researchers have given her maiden name as Jane Lewis, daughter of Edward & Ruth Lewis. As described in Jonah's entry, this is due to an identification of the wrong Jonah & Jane Dando on the 1851 Census. Ours is Jane Dando née Swatkins who appears on the 1851 Wales Census in Llanwenarth Ultra, Monmouthshire. Jonah is in Bristol at this point but Sarah is with her and she gives her occupation as "mason's wife".
We know from the 1851 Census that her birth place was Beoley, Worcestershire. There is a record of a Jane Swatkins christened in Beoley on 23 Feb 1823. A parallel record for the same person shows the christening in Stafford, Worcestershire. I'm not certain what to make of this but it might have something to do with St. Thomas parish changing hands from Worcestershire to Staffordshire. In any event, this birth seems a year too early as Jane's grave marker says she was born in 1824 and all of the early census records agree or shade it even later toward 1825.
On the census record there is a Jane Swatkins appearing on the 1841 Census for St. Thomas, Warwickshire. She is born Abt 1831, so is probably not a match. However, I note it since U.S. census records disagreed with the earlier ones and put both hers and Jonah's births Abt 1830. A better match is probably Jane Swadkins, age 15, on the 1841 England Census of Beoley living in the Woollaston household as a servant. This would put her birth Abt 1826.
Her marriage to Jonah is recorded in Aston Juxta Birmingham, Warwickshire.
On the 1861 Wales Census the entire family is in Llandaff, Glamorgan.
On the 1870 Federal Census of Derry, Westmoreland Co., Pennsylvania the box for "dumb, blind, insane or idiotic" checked for her. However, I think this is a mark made later as it appears for at least one individual in most households.
She appears on the 1880 Federal Census of Derry with Jonah and the five younger children.
Children of this relationship:
| #51409 | F | i | Sarah Ann Dando | (21 Sep 1850–8 Nov 1939) |
| #51415 | F | ii | Ellen Dando | (1852–) |
| #163 | F | iii | Mary Jane Dando◊ | (4 Dec 1854–7 Dec 1924) |
| #50119 | F | iv | Catherine Dando | (4 May 1857–13 Jul 1921) |
| #50120 | M | v | Jonah Dando | (20 Nov 1859–10 May 1944) |
| #50121 | M | vi | Henry Charles Dando | (18 Feb 1863–29 Feb 1920) |
| #50122 | M | vii | Earnest John "John" Dando | (2 Sep 1866–30 Mar 1945) |
1841 England Census, Beoley, Worcestershire, Ancestry.com. 1841 England Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc, 2010. Class: HO107; Piece: 1204; Book: 8; Civil Parish: Beoley; County: Worcestershire; Enumeration District: 1; Folio: 9; Page: 9; Line: 13; GSU roll: 464212
1841 England Census, St. Thomas, Warwickshire, Ancestry.com. 1841 England Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc, 2010. Class: HO107; Piece: 1147; Book: 3; Civil Parish: St Thomas; County: Warwickshire; Enumeration District: 6; Folio: 5; Page: 2; Line: 4; GSU roll: 464182
1841 Wales Census, St. Woollos, Monmouthshire, Ancestry.com. 1841 Wales Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.. Class: HO107; Piece: 751; Book: 21; Civil Parish: St Woollos; County: Monmouthshire; Enumeration District: 10; Folio: 14; Page: 21; Line: 16; GSU roll: 438847
1851 England Census, St. Paul, Bristol, Ancestry.com. 1851 England Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005.. Class: HO107; Piece: 1949; Folio: 314; Page: 10
1851 Wales Census, Llanwenarth Ultra, Monmouthshire, Ancestry.com. 1851 Wales Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005. Class: HO107; Piece: 2447; Folio: 39; Page: 1; GSU roll: 104184
1861 Wales Census, Llandaff, Glamorgan, Ancestry.com. 1861 Wales Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005.. Class: RG9; Piece: 4039; Folio: 21; Page: 3; GSU roll: 543225
1870 U.S. Census, Derry Twp., Westmoreland Co., Pennsylvania, Ancestry.com. 1870 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, Utah, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009.. Roll: M593_1465; Page: 112B; Image: 226; Family History Library Film: 552964
1880 U.S. Census, Derry Twp. (Dist. 115), Westmoreland Co., Pennsylvania, Ancestry.com. 1880 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, Utah, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Roll: 1204; Family History Film: 1255204; Page: 144C; Enumeration District: 115
Dando-Swatkins marriage record, 15 Jan 1849, in "England Marriages, 1538–1973 ," database, FamilySearch, Jonah Dando and Jane Swatkin, 15 Jan 1849; citing Aston Juxta Birmingham,Warwick,England, reference ; FHL microfilm 0919797-799, 0919800, 0918845-46. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NLWJ-9PY : accessed 11 January 2016)
Family of Johann David and Christina Held, Ancestry World Tree, www.ancestry.com. Citing "Somerfield Coal Connections", an Ancestry World Tree.
Jane Swatkins christening record, "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," database, FamilySearch, Jane Swatkins, 23 Feb 1823; citing BEOLEY,WORCESTER,ENGLAND, reference ; FHL microfilm 846,203, 846,204. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JMG1-BGH : accessed 11 January 2016)
Jane Swatkins christening record, "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," database, FamilySearch, Jane Swatkins, 23 Feb 1823; citing England, reference 25; FHL microfilm 350,480.. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NVMS-5JP : accessed 11 January 2016)
Jonah Dando death certificate, file no. 48797, registered no. 234 (12 May 1929), Bureau of Vital Statistics, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Note: this is Jonah Dando #50120.
Jonah Dando will, Pennsylvania, Wills and Probate Records, 1683-1993 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015.. Case #104, Will Books, Vol 005-007, 1870-1886
Jonah Jehoshaphat baptismal record, Holy Trinity Church, High Littleton, Somerset Co., Wales, File #14053. Transcribed by Robert Purnell (http://mv.ancestry.com/viewer/2400c8e2-efea-48ad-b7d5-930b071a91f4/3381440/6995649487)
Mary Jane Stouffer, death certificate, no. 114750, registered no. 157 (9 Dec 1924), Vital Statistics, Dept. of Health, Pennsylvania.
Line Generation: 5
Relationship: Great-Great-Great-Grandfather