On 16^th February 1839 at the age of 25 he married Miriam Williams daughter of William and Magdalen Williams in St Tecla’s Church, Llandegla.

It seems that for some 10 years they lived at the Old Smithy on the High street and had at least 5 children that are recorded.

Eleanor Owens           b.1840

Jane Owens                b.1844

Robert Owens            b..October 1845 & died 8^th Jan 1846 aged 4 Months and is buried at St Tecla’s Church, Llandegla

Robert Owens            b March 184 and died 8^th June 1849 aged 3 Months and is buried at St Tecla’s Church, Llandegla

Owen Owens              b. 9^th November 1848 at the White Lion, Llan, Llandegla

Sometime in 1851 after the census was taken, Thomas decided to move on from Llandegla and travelled with his family another 6 miles to settle in the village of Minera,

He rented a Beer house, Namely the Five Crosses Inn and numbers 18, 19 & 20 of the Twenty Houses, 3 cottages that were attached to the Inn including a smithy to the side of the property. After moving to Minera (Mwnglawdd - Welsh Spelling)  Thomas and Miriam had the following additional children:

Elizabeth Owens         b. 1851 Minera

William Owens           b. 1854 Minera

Winefred Owens        b. 1858 Minera

Hannah Owens           b. July 1865 Minera and died 30^th June 1866 aged 11 months old and is buried at St Tecla’s Church, Llandegla

In 1863 an extract from J.C. Davies book Pubs and inquests states that Thomas and Miriam Owens were the tenants of the Five Crosses and it had been reported in the press that there was bad feeling between 2 families in the Twenty Houses. A fight broke out between Thomas Owens and David Jones, Thomas apparently hit Mrs Jones with a stick which resulted in her having medical attention costing £1.10s. Thomas was ordered to pay £2 costs. By the time of the 1871 census it seems that David Jones and his wife had moved away from the Twenty Houses.

On the Available census returns for Minera in 1871 it is recorded that Thomas is a Blacksmith aged 57, he was also a Collier and a publican although his wife Miriam mainly ran the pub. This was quite typical in the area that the Publicans also worked in the mines to subsidise an extra income. By 1871 his son’s Owen and William had been taught the family trade and were now Blacksmiths.

Thomas died on 13^th January 1874, aged 59 it was noted that by 1874 the pub had been transferred to his son Owen upon his death. He was buried alongside his Infant children at St Tecla’s Church, Llandegla and Miriam was later buried with him following her death on 29^th November 1902 aged 83

 Owen Owens 1848 to 1924

Owen Owens was born on 9^th November 1848 at the White Lion, Llan, Llandegla

He was the eldest surviving male child of Thomas & Miriam Owens.

He inherited the pub after the death of his father, Thomas in January 1874, 2 months later on 30^th March 1874 at St Mary’s Church, Minera, he married, Elizabeth Williams. She was the daughter of David Williams, who was a Rockman according to the marriage certificate. Census returns give her place of birth as Ruthin.  It seems that Elizabeth was some 6 months pregnant at the time of her marriage and aged 20.

From 1874 to the census of 1881 they had the following children;

Thomas Owens            born. 29^th June 1874,               baptised 30^th August 1874

David Owens               born 14^th August 1875  baptised 19^th September 1875

Miriam Owens  born 6^th April 1877                   baptised 18^th July 1877

                                    Died 15^th December 1879        Buried 17^th December 1879

John Owen Owens       born. 26^th November 1879       baptised 31^st December 1879

The First Census that was taken since the couple married; was in 1881, Shows Owen now aged 32 of The Five Crosses Inn. His occupation is given as Blacksmith and Wife Elizabeth aged 27, Blacksmith’s wife.

They are listed with their 3 children; Thomas aged 7, David Aged 5, and John Owen aged 1, there is also a Winefred Evans entered at the address aged 22 and listed as a domestic servant, this is Owen’s sister Winefred who was married in 1877 to Edward Evans.

Owen and Elizabeth went on to have more children including

Edward William Owens            born 13^th May 1881                 baptised 6^th July 1881

Jane Elizabeth Owens               born 17^th October 1882           baptised 10^th January 1883

Robert Owens                          born 24^th May 1884                 baptised 16^th July 1884

Agnes Owens                           born 16^th February 1886          baptised 14^th April 1886

Daniel Owens                           born 24^th June 1888                 baptised 19^th September 1888

Margaret Owens                      born 31^st December 1889         baptised 30^th April 1890

The 1891 census at The Five Crosses reported Owen Owens, now aged 42 Occupation, Blacksmith is living at the property together with his wife Elizabeth aged 37. His son Thomas is now aged 16 and is a Labourer/Blender at a smelting works, David is aged 15 and is a labourer at a stone Quarry, John Owen is aged 11, Edward aged 9, Jane E age 8, Robert age 6, Agnes age 5, Daniel age 2 and Maggie age 1 .

Owen & Elizabeth go on to have another 3 children:

Myfanwy Owens                      born 22^nd March 1892              baptised 22^nd June 1892

Ernest Owens                           born 14^th August 1893  baptised 7^th December 1893

Stanley Owens             born 18^th February 1895          baptised not yet known

A Story regarding Owen Owens has been recorded in a book by Robert Edwards and written by Alexander Cordell namely Coedpoeth As It Was, describes how Joseph Jones’ Nickname “Joe’s Best” came about. It was stated that Owen Owens (who’s nickname was “Owen-y-go”) ran a service, (along with a few others) with horse and carriage from Wrexham to Ruthin. The pair had been drinking at the Wynnstay and had, had a bet at who would be the first to arrive at Ruthin. Arriving at Coedpoeth Joseph Jones was in the lead and he changed horses outside the Cross Foxes pub and went on to win the race. From this he gained the nickname. What Joe did not realise is that the horse he had changed outside the Cross Foxes, dropped dead from its exertions, When Joe heard of this he vowed never to touch alcohol again, which he kept to.

Another mention of Owen Owens was again in the book by J. C Davies Pubs and Inquests which told of the accident in 1889 involving a Woman named Ellen Jones age 23 of Penigelli. Owen was driving a cart containing 13 young footballers. Ellen was seen to stagger across the road from the Welsh Harp in Smelt straight into the moving cart. She was carried into the pub but died almost straight away..

Elizabeth Owens died 3^rd July 1915 aged 61 Years

Owen Himself lived another 9 Years before passing away in the autumn of 1924 aged 75

Stanley Owens 1895 to 1948

Stanley Owens, Youngest son of Owen and Elizabeth Owens was born 18^th February 1895. 

On 28^th August 1916 at the age of 21 he married Ann Parry Hughes at Minera Parish Church

In 1920 Stanley has been noted as the Proprietor of the Five Crosses Public House in  Minera following the death of his father Owen in 1919

Stanley and Ann had the following Children:

·      Harold Owens born 5^th September 1917

·      Percy Owens born 7^th June 1923

Stanley went on to be an outstanding member of the community being elected as a member of Minera Rural District Council and later a Labour Councillor for Coedpoeth, He owned a bus company in Coedpoeth and a haulage company. He was a keen follower and patron of Coedpoeth Football club also a trustee for Coedpoeth Prize Band, He owned a Billiard/Snooker hall in Coedpoeth, which incorporated a boxing Gym, He was also an active member of the Road Hauliers Association of which he was vice-president of the Wrexham sub-area branch.

In addition to these activities he was also associated with the following:

·        Chairman of the Five Crosses Savings club

·        Member of Minera Old Age Pensioners committee

·        Vice President of Minera Cycling Club

·        Member of the Livestock Functional Group

·        Member of the Coedpoeth Bowling Club

·        Member of the Wrexham and District coal traders Association

On October 5^th 1948 Stanley suddenly passed away from a heart attack at his home at the Five Crosses Inn aged 53. Stanley’s Obituary showed what a prominent and well respected man of the Community he had become. Stanley’s wife Ann lived to be over 100 years old eventually being reunited with her husband on 10^th April 1995

Stanley’s son Harold married Olwen May Lloyd on 24^th July 1940 at Bethel Chapel Coedpoeth, They had 2 children,

·      Jean Owens born 1943

·      Russell Owens born 1946,

Percy Owens was married on 5^th December 1945 in Berse Church, New Broughton to Lilian Guy, they also had 2 children

·      Pamela Owens born 1947

·      Ray Owens born 1948