John Harris, coalminer, and Mary Rodda married in Crowan in 1832, and their eldest four children were all born there.

John sailed from Hayle to South Wales in the 1840s, drifting up the Swansea Valley to find work.  Legend has it that he came up with the Vyvyans, who later became earls of Swansea.

The Harrises lived at Tyrcanol, Caemawr and recorded their childrens' births in a family bible.  We don't have the original, but a copy went to the Hanney family.

John Harris rose to become an overman and died in 1887.  The surviving sons all wrote well , but the daughters, I'm afraid, were almost certainly illiterate.  Lavinia's name got spelt as Levina when she made her will - it didn't bother her.  She just signed her will with her X.  The will was read out loud, to make sure she understood it.

There were seven surviving children, including the twins.  The eldest boy, a coalminer, being buried at Llangyfelach aged 25.