1778. David Thomas, the eldest child David Thomas was baptised at Talyllyn Church on 10th November 1778, three months after the marriage of his parents at the same church.
1808. David Thomas's father Edward Thomas died at Rhognant on 8th April 1808 aged sixty.
1841 Sarah Rees was living with her eldest son David Thomas at Tynyberth, a small farmhouse in Upper Corris approximately halfway between Penygroes and the Old Factory. (A John Edward, wife Ann and children were living in the Old Factory at this time. John Edward may be another son of Edward Thomas but, without additional data, this is no more than speculation). Tynyberth is still in existence and, judging by its appearance, has been little changed over the years other than for a rendering of pebbledash on the external walls.
‘Ty’ is Welsh for ‘house’ and ‘perth’ for ‘grove’ or ‘bush’. Tynyberth – the house in the grove - is attractive and stands in pleasant grounds. It has fine views across the valley. The 'front' door opens directly onto the lounge; the remaining downstairs rooms consist of what would now be called the dining room, kitchen and larder although these words belie their rather primitive state. The stairs are in the lounge and lead to what were once three bedrooms, one of which is now a simple bathroom. All the upstairs door openings are very low by today's standards.
The national census held on 7th June 1841 was the first to record the names and other information of individuals. On that day Sarah was aged 89 and her bachelor son David was 63. With them at Tynyberth was thirteen year old David Roberts from Penygroes, Sarah's grandson and the son of Elinor Edward and Richard Roberts. He helped to run the 84 acre farm. Also there at Tynyberth was sixteen year old Sarah Thomas, Sarah's grand-daughter and daughter of Rees Thomas. On the census return she is described as 'domestic servant' and that she was not born in the county of Merionethshire.
1847. On 17th December 1847, at Tyddyn-y-Carth in Talyllyn, Sarah Rees died aged 93 of "old age and debility".
1851 Jane Thomas is a visitor to the house David Thomas is the head of household. Apart from 2 servants there is nobody else in the house
Fron Yw in Dolgellau in 2008
1855. David Thomas died in August 1855 at Fron Yw in Dolgellau (also ‘Fron Yew’ and ‘Bronyw’) and had therefore moved from Tynyberth to Fron Yw sometime between 1851 and 1855. This may have occurred in 1853, enabling his niece Jane and her new husband Evan Pugh to live at Tynyberth.
Fron Yw, David Thomas's last home, is a small terrace house in Meyrick Square (Y Domen Fawr) at the bottom end of South Street (Maes Y Pandy). South Street is a steep rise from Meyrick Square up to Bryn Mawr, the house that at one time was the focus of the Society of Friends (the Quakers) movement in Dolgellau and after which the Bryn Mawr College for women in Pennsylvania U.S. takes its name.
Following David's death in 1855 aged 76, his brother Rees Thomas and his wife Elizabeth moved from Tan'r Ewan in Talyllyn to Fron Yw. It was there, on 20th December 1857, that Elizabeth died aged 60. She was buried at Talyllyn on the Christmas Eve. Rees Thomas continued to live in Fron Yw with two of his unmarried daughters Catherine and Mary. In censuses, Catherine is described as a housekeeper and Mary variously as housekeeper and cook. So it would appear that Rees Thomas was well looked after in the evening of his life.