The following is taken from a book
"Blethens in America"
published around 1900

C.P. BLETHEN'S RESEARCH IN ENGLAND AND WALES

C. P. Blethen, Eaq., of San Francisco, California, and also residing in Shanghai, China, wrote to London, England, on April 21, 1876, for information as to Blethen pedigree anterior to 1580.

John Pook & Company, 4 Lime Street Square, London, undertakes to inform C. P. Blethen. Warns him that it will be expensive. First charge , 10, 15s, 6d. He says: "Not many, if any, Blethens now living in Wales. Pook warned "Searcher" Oliver to keep within , 50 limit unless expressly requested to go further.

Via Brindisi

John Pook & Co., 4 Lime Street Square, London, 21st July, 1876

C.P. Blethen, Esq.

Dear Sir:

We have to own receipt of your letter dated 21st April in reference to pedigree anterior to A. D. 1580. Mr. Oliver certainly mentioned the matter to us shortly before his death, but we feared after we had paid a man to search through old deeds and books we might find nothing reliable, and the expense would be considerable, but seeing by your letter you desire it done, we sent you the result of our researches and also a general letter and we shall be happy to continue them now we have got into the right groove; but of course we shall require your consent before proceeding further, and a part remittance on a/c. Our endeavor would be to do our best for you. We enclose memo of charge Ten pounds, 15s, 6d, which is more a time charge of a skilled man than otherwise.

Yours faithfully,

JOHN POOK & CO.

Via Brindisi

John Pook & Co., 4 Lime Street Square, London, 21st July, 1876

C.P. Blethen, Esq.

Dear Sir:

We have to acknowledge receipt of your favor of 28th September, from which we withdraw S/draft of Agra Bank for 10 lbs 15s 6d for which we are obliged. Regarding the "pedigree," we send you copy of letter from our Searcher and we told him we did not feel justified in guaranteeing him more that Fifty Pounds certain, without first consulting with you. The writer knows from private sources that the "Blethen" family is but a small one, even if any are now living in Wales, but we do not like going to any great expense without first consulting you, perhaps you will fix on an amount we may go to in this search.

Awaiting your early reply, We remain, Dear Sir, Yours Faithfully

JOHN POOK & CO.

SEARCHER'S REPORT July 8, 1876

I send you herewith the Genealogy of Bledhin or Blethyn ap Cynfyn or Rynfyn as entered in a manuscript in the British Museum. Also four generations anterior to the Jestin, who begins the pedigree formerly sent and several additions to it, such as children of said Jestin, his wives and some of the wives of his descendants which are not given in the pedigree extracted from Sir Thomas Phillips Glamorganshire Pedigrees and which are entered in a manuscript work in four large folio volumes belonging to a private family who has lent it to the custody of the Records Office for the benefit of Antiquarians, Genealogists and the Public in general.

I must inform you that there are 51 pages folio covered with the descendants of Bledhin or Blethyn (or otherwise as I find his name differently spelt almost at every page) ap Cynfyn ap Gwerstan Li, together with a great deal of other information scattered all over the four books, but as it would take not less than three months to collect the whole as it stands (not put in one single Genealogical Tabular form) I could not undertake the work for less than 120 pounds and if the whole or as much of it as can be should have to be put in Genealogical Tabular form, the price would be 190 pounds or thereabout, according to the time it would take. But as the descendants of the said Blethyn ap Cynfyn are not immediately connected with the Blethyns whose Pedigree I sent you; being only cousins in First, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th degree I feel not justified in involving your client to such an expense without his consent and without his being informed at the same time that I would not even vouch for the tenth of all such information as might be gathered therefrom. The only way to ascertain the truth in these matters is by the collection of wills, Ancient Deeds, Parish Registers, etc., but the dates are so remote that even then such searching would no doubt prove very unsatisfactory as to completeness, specially as the expenses would be then very extensive.

If, therefore, your client will nevertheless go on with the matter I shall be happy to render you all the assistance in my power and beg to remain.

Most respectfully,

Mr. Oliver, the "Searcher"

He furnished genealogies at various detached times as follows:

Will of Lewys Blethin.

LEWYS BLETHEN of Carlion, Co. Monmouth, Gent, dated September 29, 1542, proved at London, November 16, 1542, directs his body robe buried in Parish Church of St. Cadoks in said town of Carlyon; wills to the Cathedral Church of Llandaff 3/4; he gave nearly all his property in Monmouthshire and Glamorganshire to his wife and the heirs lawfully begotten betwixt him and her the said Jane &c. (but makes no mention of any of his children's names, if any). Mentions his Unkell (uncle) John William Blethen. The will names testator's wife, Jane, executrix, in conjunction with her brother, William Morgan.

Will of William Blethin.

WILLIAM BLETHIN, Bishop of Llandaff, dated October 1, 1590, proved at London, May 21, 1591 - Anne "my wief" - wills his body robe burned in the Parish Church (in the Chauncell) of Matharn. Willaim Blethin my sonne full & sole executor. (Elizabath, his now wief, daur of Thos. Morgan). Timothy Blethein to whom reversion of property failing male issue to his brother William. Philemon Blethin to whom reversion of property failing male issue to his brother Timothy, after which reversion to female issue of William and son on &c. Failing male and female issue to the above he bequeaths his property to Anne Blethin now wife of Richard Thomas of Berthley, Gent. (Pertholly, as I know the Thomas family had and have property in that place) "To Rebecca Blethin now wife of John Thomas of Uske, Gent, and to Sarah Blethin one other of my daughters &c &c. "Joanne Young my mother in lawe". Overseers to this will Thomas Morgan of Yredegre Esq., Rogerseis of Bertai Esq., Morgan Nicholas, Archdeacon of Llandaff, John Blethin, my brother, Thomas Edmunds Clerke, John David, Henry Merricke, Clerke.

Pook consulted Sir Thomas Phillips Glamorganshire Pedigrees, which included the Herald's Visitations of Wales by Sir Isaac Heard. Edited by Sir Thomas Phillips in 1845.

Reference is also made to York's Royal Tribes of Wales; Dictionary of National Biography, under Morgan, ect.; History of the Princes of South Wales, by Rev G. T. O. Bridgeman; History of Glamorganshire, by Nicholas; History of Wales; ect.

Annexed is the genealogy of the descendants of Morgan Mwyn Vaw (Morgan, the Great, the Glorious), from York's Royal Tribes of Wales and History of Glamorganshire, by Nicholas, as copied by the Bliven, Esq.; also the genealogies, as copied by the British Searchers, from the manuscripts in the British Museum and from the " Herald's Visitations of Wales" by Sir Isaac Heard, compiled and edited by Sir Phillips Bart.

Mr. Bliven refers us to the History of Wales, from earliest times to final incorporation with England, by B. B. Woodward, B. A.-Virtue & Co., London, Publishers; wherein we are told that "Bleiddan" (or Lupus),, Bishop of Troyes, was sent on apostolic errand. Bleiddan accompanied St. Gemmanus on his apostolic visit to Britain.

He, Blevin, also says the Blethen coat-of-arms was a "shield, sable color (black), chevron argent white, star gold, three spear heads," with motto: "Tiens Le Droit" - "MAINTAIN THE RIGHT".