Advent Calendar: Gabriel Howells

Gabriel Howells (Gabriel)
(the Welsh naming system is patronymic for the first son in particular, so at birth Gabriel's name was Gabriel Gabriel. I'm uncertain of when his name became Gabriel Howells as of yet.)

Born 1849, Died 1934, aged 84
Lived in: Towyn, Wales; Celynin, Wales; Barmouth, Wales; Penrhiwceiber, Wales; Manatoba, Canada; Vancouver, BC, Canada
Married: Selina Roberts
Children:
Ellen Catherine Howells
Howell Gabriel Howells
Selina Jane Howells
Gwen Mary Howells
Hugh Cadvan Howells
Eliza Anne Howells
Catherine Howells
Edward Gabriel Howells

Gabriel Howells was born in Northern Wales to Hywel Gabriel and his wife Catherine Jones, their first-born son. Hywel was a weaver and farmer, and his quilts were much sought after. As a young man, Gabriel was apprenticed to a stone-mason, and made a fairly good living at the trade throughout his life. In 1874, he married Selina Roberts, and the two started a family together. After their first two children died of whooping cough, the family moved away from the area, and came to settle in Southern Wales where the rest of their children were born. He worked in the mines there, building supporting arches until he decided to move to Manatoba, Canada at the urging of his brother Lewis. The families lived together there for some time, two large families in one small house. After a time, Gabriel decided to move his family to Winnapeg, preferring to live by his trade rather than by farming, and the family settled there, the children moving away as each married. In 1906, he and his wife made one final move, settling near several of their children who had settled in Vancouver, where the climate was much milder. The two lived there until their deaths.