Cadfarch (JA-1) Leaf One...sort of

Starting a family tree can be a challenge.   Who's on first...as they say.  After roughly 30 years of tree climbing, it appeared that Cadfarch was the first generation.   He became JA-1, and for years thought to be the top of my family tree. However, some years later, I found 25 more generations to add to the family tree.  Thus, number one, becomes in reality, the 25th generation of my Welsh family tree.  Oh well, I suspect there might be more tree climbing yet to come.

At any rate, the figure to the right shows my page from the family tree documentation notebook.  It is supposed to represent Cadfarch (Kadfarch) (Cadvarch) JA-1, and his partner (unknown) JA-2.  The references to his life are given in the listings underneath the "square and circle" drawn.  Dwnn and Nicholas give his name, and various other sources (later in time) spell it a variety of ways.

In the Welsh, "Cad" means war, and "farch" or "farch" means chair.  A War Chair I guess.   The Viking raids had begun along the northern coast of Wales, and I suspect this grandfather was looked to help fight.  The Anglo-Saxons were also being tied up with their own Danish invasion, and the Kingdom of Powys was able to gain back some of the border lands lost to the Saxons. (Offa's Dyke)   It would seem that from Cadfach ca. 850 AD, the family became established in Valley of the Dee...leaf one...sort of.

Additional references: Dwnn Vol.II, p.307, Nicholas, Vol.II, p. 354, and Burke p.1035 (1884 Ed.).