Gwilym Griffiths appears to have been a discontented young man, living and working on the estate in Llanofer, who wished to better himself in America. In 1883 he was in Lady Llanofer's service, being paid at the rate of thirteen shillings a week. By August 1884 he seems to have persuaded her Ladyship that he was worth more, and from then on was paid at the rate of fourteen shillings a week, with the extra shilling being backdated for seventeen weeks!

This seems to have satisfied him for a while; the next notable entry for him in Dafydd Williams’s account book is nearly three years later, on 5th March 1887 when he is paid for one week only, at fourteen shillings. On July 21st 1887, his sister Ann Howell, who was married to a worker at the Ely Paper Mills, and lived in Cardiff, wrote a heartfelt plea for help to Lady Llanofer.

Gwilym, known in America as William, was ill, and had been admitted to the State Hospital for the Insane, in Danville, Pennsylvania. He was obviously not coping with his new life and was particularly upset at the recent news of his brother Harry’s death. A friend of the family, who signed himself T. Foulkes, wrote from Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania, to the poor boy’s mother explaining the situation and enclosing letters from the doctors at the hospital. It was suggested that someone should go to America to bring Gwilym home. All this correspondence, together with a pencilled note by Lady Llanofer’s own hand, was sent to Dafydd Williams on Friday 22nd [July] :-

‘Mr. Dafydd Williams
Since writing my last letter I have rec’d enclosed most extraordinary application to ask me to help bring Gwilym back.. What fools they must be to apply to me of all people. It makes it clear what harm he has done himself - going to America & the idea of sending somebody to bring him back seems more foolish - who is to ....... the others. It is well to tell everybody that he has failed altogether in America & now they want somebody to go to fetch him back ill.
Return these letters to Ann Howell & write in Welsh ......
Keep copies of these letters.
A. Llanover.

‘As directed by the Rt. Hon. Lady Llanofer I wish to enclose back to you the letters which were sent to her Ladyship. Her Ladyship is from home at present but she had your letters. Her Ladyship wishes me to tell you that she is sorry but she can only say that Gwilym had every advice not to go to America but he would not listen to reason and left Her Ladyship’s service at a fortnight’s notice. Her Ladyship thinks it will not be wise to bring him home from there unless he has recovered his senses, therefore Her Ladyship cannot judge who will be the best to bring him back.
Her Ladyship is sorry for his mother and hopes she will advise his brother John (who is at present in her service) to be a good boy and to appreciate the kindness shown to him by her Ladyship.
Yours truly,
Ddd. Williams
Under-agent to the Rt. Hon Lady Llanofer’.