Since it is the 4th July, I like to whip out random Welsh-American history. So this year we have George Jones, co-founder of The New York Times who was born in East Poultney, Vermont. A town famed for its Welsh-American population to this day (my mum nearly played the organ for a service a Welsh chapel there a couple of Christmases ago but it was cancelled, due to the weather). Anyhow, Georges father - John Jones - hailed from Llanwyddelan which is between Newtown and Llanfair Caereinion in Powys. Georges mother was Lady Barbara Blaney, of Irish descent. As John did not have a title, her family did not approve. So she faked her name and John and Barbara married in a Baptist chapel, emigrating to the US in 1799. Georges parents died when he was 13 and he became an errand boy at the Northern Spectator. This newspaper went belly up and his boss, Horace Greeley later set up The New York Tribune offering George partnership. George declined but worked there. During his time at the Tribune, he met Henry Raymond and both of them co-founded the NYT. The rest of course is history. Georges grandparents are probably buried here in Montgomeryshire. There you go, your random Welsh-American lesson for this year. And, Ill say this: Wales does not make enough of its international links.
Posted on: Fri, 04 Jul 2014 20:31:42 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015