James Owen of Penrhos

and his descendants
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Elias Owen (son of Elias)

Elias Owen (jun) Elias and Margaret's third son, Elias Owen, was born in Llanllechid in 1863 [Bangor 1863, 1st qt]. He attended Ruthin Grammar School from 1880 until 1885 where he represented the school at football (mainly as a back) and cricket, often together with his younger brother Thomas. He and Thomas were top scorers in the inaugural, annual cricket match against the old boys of the school (the latter team included their brother William) in 1883. The school magazine [Apr. 1883] summarised his play: "E. OWEN (5.6): plays with a straight bat, and hits hard, but has not sufficient patience to get long scores; very active and hard-working in the field, where he most excels; as a bowler, he over pitches, and becomes expensive." As a footballer he often played on-field as a defender, even after he had started playing in goal in 1882. Like his brother, William, he was an amateur football international; he played in goal for Wales three times in 1884, when still at school - a home game at Wrexham against Ireland (Wales won 6-0 with Elias's brother, William Pierce Owen, scoring 2 of the goals), another home game at Wrexham against England (Wales lost 4-0) and an away game against Scotland in Glasgow (Wales lost 4-1). It was reported after the England game that he acquitted himself admirably and in important contests it will be a difficult matter to entrust the important task of defending goal to a more competent player but he was dropped after the Scotland game. He obtained a "French Exhibition at St. David's College, Lampeter" [ibid. Jan. 1884] to study theology.

Zillah Parry Zillah Parry In 1886 he married Zillah (or Zilla) Parry [Liverpool 1886, 2nd qt], the daughter of Thomas, a farm bailiff, and Elizabeth Parry; as was the case with Elias's parents it is not clear why they married in Liverpool. Their son, William Parry Owen, was born on 18 May 1887 [Ruthin 1887, 3rd qt] at Efenechtyd and their daughter Eva Margaret Owen was born on 24 June 1888 [Ruthin 1888, 4th qt]. At that time Elias was a student and, tragically, he took his own life on 20 September 1888. One source stated this was when he was depressed over the outcome of his final examinations. However, the story within the family was that he returned from college to find that Zillah was having an affair. In a depressed state he went into the churchyard with some leather reins with which he hanged himself; his sisters discovered his body and cut it down. (See reports of his death.)