Merrill's Welsh Heritage

On Saturday morning in Wales, Cat joined us at
the castle. She had recently completed research
on the Welsh history for the family for a BBC
documentary that Donny participated in. She
presented Merrill with the information on his
Davis bloodlines dating back to his
great-great-great-great grandfather!

She had all the information laid out for Merrill to view!
He learned that some of his Welsh ancestors set out to
the USA, for where else? The state of Missouri!

She showed Merrill the genealogy breakdown from his great-great-great-great
grandfather up to his current grandchildren. She presented maps of where
we were and where his family had resided in that time.

Cat presented Merrill with information regarding his
great-great-great-great grandfather's occupation as
a surgeon and shared his documented humanitarian
efforts in the community. Merrill has always said if he
wasn't in the entertainment business he would have
wanted to be a doctor, so it seems bloodlines run deep.

This grandfather was the middle child himself
and perhaps it was no accident that Merrill DAVIS Osmond
came to live his heritage in a unique way & still carries on the
bloodline with many similarities to his great-great-great-great grandfather's humanitarian efforts.

Everyone was invited to hear all the details and learn of sights we would later visit.


A distance cousin was present and presented Merrill with some additional information on his great-great-great-great grandfather including a photo! Merrill commented that he had hair like Travis and a beard like him! :)

The great-great-great-great grandfather's obituary was found
and it was read in it's entirety. It was quite long and spoke of how
loved he was in the community and what a great loss the entire community
would suffer at his passing. It spoke of the great efforts he had made with
sickness, disease and the perils of working in the mines brought to
everyone at the time. He turned no one down no matter whether
they had money or not. It spoke of heroic acts he performed on people
who had lost limbs that no one though could be saved. They spoke of
the medical miracles he performed in his time.

He was a true HERO to the community in which he served.
He had passed away at age 52,
one year younger than Merrill is today.

Puzzles of the family tree had been put together for the grandchildren and give to each of them.
Here Keaton is examining his puzzle box.

Aspen shown here checking out her puzzle pieces.
Everyone then got ready to board the coaches on the journey to see where Merrill's history took all of us! We first visited a set up of a home the way it would have been during the time Merrill's great-great-great-great grandfather lived in the area. This gave Merrill an idea of the furnishings of the homes at that time.	All the people came out of the shops to see what all the excitement was about. They said such a commotion had not happened since the Prince of Wales visited their small town. Well perhaps... the true Prince of Wales had returned to his homeland.

Merrill & Mary are in front of the door of his
great-great-great-great grandfather's home!

The home also served as his clinic.

The house now called the Willow House, is still carrying on special care services
that provides therapeutic one to one counseling, by specially trained counselors,
for men, women and children who have been affected by rape and/or sexual abuse.
They do not turn anyone away. Regardless of how long ago it was, or who it was,
they are there to listen. Their services are Free & Confidential.

www.newpathways.co.uk

Merrill was given a tour of facility and met with all the
staff. The Director said they loved the home there
and the minute they walked in they felt a peace
within the walls. Merrill commented that some
of the walls were painted his mother's favorite colors.

They said that soft therapeutic music is always
playing in the facility. They believe that music starts
healing the minute that a victim walks in the door.
They felt that the music touches a person's soul and
starts the healing process, before a word is said.

Merrill was happy to hear that music played an
important role in their work there to heal. He was
amazed that his great-great-great-great
grandfather's home was still used for healing.

He always believes that through his music he
can also heal the hearts of those in need of comfort.

Merrill visited a church where another historian visited with the family.
The church also contained a stain glass window that paid tribute to
Merrill's ancestry.

There was also a more recent marking outside the church of a
recent death in 1994 of an Olive May Davies that baffled Merrill.

Merrill takes a look at his
great-great-great-great grandfather's
gravesite for the first time.

In Memory of John Martin
Surgeon of Merthyr Tydfil
Who departed this life
July 24, 1861.
Aged 52 Years