Cylchgronau Cymru

THE CHARLES HUMPHREYS OF MONTGOMERY AND BERRIEW BY C. L. J. HUMPHREYS Members of this family have lived in the parishes of Montgomery and Berriew from the early part of the 18th century. Many have been connected with the Law. Some have become eminent and well known in their profession. Several have been substantial landowners in Montgomeryshire, and others have retired to the county of their birth after a successful business career abroad. The family coat of arms is 3 Nags Heads which denotes that they are descended from Brochwel Ysgythrog, one of the early princes of Powys. Earlier volumes of the Montgomeryshire Collections contain useful information about some members of the family, some accurate but some requiring correction. Several documents, deeds and family papers which were handed on from previous generations are now in the National Library of Wales. A bundle of letters relating to the Montgomery branch was given to me by the late Dr. J. D. K. Lloyd in 1976. His family had inherited, through marriage, the Montgomery property in 1917. I was also fortunate enough to obtain in 1980, much helpful information from Judge Christmas Humphreys about the branch of the family which settled in London in the 18th century. The earliest deed is a post-nuptual settlement dated 30th April 1647 between 'William Humffrey and Elizabeth daughter of Edward Morris' all of the township of Ucheldre in the parish of Bettws. Rees Williams of Llanithion Township, Bettws, and Richard Pryce of Bryntalch, gentlemen, were appointed Trustees. The main house is called Tuy yn Glyn; other houses, lands and barns in the townships of Ucheldre and Llivior in the parishes of Bettws and Berriew are also mentioned. In a will dated 1694, a William Humphreys of Ucheldre leaves land in the parishes of Bettws and Newtown to a daughter. There is no mention of a son. It seems unlikely that this deed would have been kept if he had not been a relation but it has not been possible to connect him with the next generation. We are on surer ground with Richard Humphreys, who was born in Newtown in 1638. He and his wife Jane are mentioned in the Newtown Parish registers when their first child, Margaret, was born in 1665. Their eldest son was born in 1667 and