Rees M. Jenkin Jones

“ Most of his Welsh poems were written during his enforced retirement. His most ambitious poem is one on 'David the Prince of the Lord.' Otherlong poems are 'The Beauties of Nature,' 'The Widow of Nain,' 'The Wreck of the Royal Charter,' all showing great promise. His shorter poems, however, are his best, and there is not a better in the language than 'Myfyrdod,' a meditation or soliloquy. Of his English poems, the be stare perhaps 'Life' and 'When I die;' but being his earliest productions, they are inferior to his Welsh poems. ”

“ GRUFFYDD, THOMAS (1815–1887) , harper, was born at Llangynidr in Breconshire in 1815. His maternal grandfather was the rector of the parish, in which his ancestors were yeomen. When three years old he lost one eye through falling on a hatchet, and when a schoolboy almost lost the other by a blow. He was already musical, and after these accidents devoted all his energies to music and to harp-playing. He was placed under one Jones, harper to Mr. Gwynne of Glanbran, near Llandovery, with whom he remained for some years. His countrymen followed him in large crowds wherever he played in public. ”

“ JONES, JOHN (Talsarn) (1796–1857) , called ‘the people's preacher,’ the eldest of nine children of a small farmer, was born at Tanycastell, Dolyddelen, Carnarvonshire, on 1 March 1796. His father's pedigree is traced to Hedd Molwynog, head of one of the fifteen tribes of Wales, and that of his mother to Einion Efell, lord of Cynllaeth. His father died in John's boyhood. The direction of the small farm thereupon fell upon him, but he afterwards worked as a quarryman. ”

“ His thirst for knowledge was henceforth insatiable. He read everything that came in his way, and his library became ultimately perhaps one of the largest and most valuable private libraries in the Principality. ”

“ EVANS, WILLIAM (d. 1776?) , Welsh lexicographer, was educated at Carmarthen College under Dr. Jenkins, 1767–72. He was probably born in Carmarthenshire. His chief claim to notice is based on his English-Welsh dictionary, compiled while he was a student and published in 1771. A second edition appeared in 1812. The greatest living Welsh bibliographer, the Rev. D. S. Evans, B.D., describes it as a very respectable work. ”

“ JONES, RHYS (1713–1801) , Welsh poet and compiler, born in 1713, son and heir of John Jones of Blaenau, Llanfachraeth, Merionethshire, was educated at Dolgelley and Shrewsbury, and on leaving school settled as a country gentleman on his own freehold for the remainder of his long life. He wrote poetry, and was described as the greatest living poet in 1770. ”

“ In 1852, some hopes being raised of renewing the mission in Madagascar, the London society asked Griffiths and Freeman, the only missionaries then surviving, to revise the scriptures. Freeman soon died, and the whole work devolved upon Griffiths, who spent five years upon it. In 1858 he removed to Machynlleth, where he busied himself in preparing for the press a grammar and other works in the language of Madagascar. He died on 21 March 1863 at Machynlleth, where he was buried. ”

“ JONES, JOSEPH DAVID (1827–1870) , Welsh musical composer, born in 1827 at Brynerugog, parish of Llanfair-Caereinion, Montgomeryshire, was the son of a small farmer who acted as local preacher among the Wesleyans. Jones, in spite of his father's opposition, devoted himself in youth to musical study, and in 1847 published at Llanidloes the 'Perganiedydd,' a volume of congregational tunes, which proved a success. In the same year he left home after the death of his mother, and in 1848 and succeeding years held singing classes at Towyn, Merionethshire, and the neighbouring villages. ”

“ Finally David challenged Gruffydd to a duel with the sword, and Gruffydd accepted the challenge. Whereupon the monks of Gwynlliw Priory, near Monmouth, sent a messenger to Anglesea to tell Gruffydd that David was dead, and another messenger to tell David that Gruffydd was dead. Both funerals were announced to take place at Ystrad Fflur in Cardiganshire on the same day. Each came there with an elegy on his rival. They were equally rejoiced to discover the hoax practised on them, and formed a lasting friendship. ”

“ GRIFFITHS, EVAN (1795–1873) , Welsh independent minister, was born in 1795 at Gellibeblig, near Bridgend, Glamorganshire, being the youngest of seven children. He was only three years old when his father died, leaving his family in poverty. His mother taught him at home. He became a member of the neighbouring independent church when he was thirteen, and at twenty-one was encouraged to preach. ”

“ He lived chiefly in London, and described himself in some of his published works as ‘of the Inner Temple,’ but the roll of the inn does not contain his name. He was a prominent member of the London Gwyneddigion Society, and probably one of its founders (1771) ; in 1781 he was elected councillor for life; in 1782 he was secretary; in 1785 president, and a member of the committee appointed to revise the rules of the society. ”

“ He was ordained at Pencader, near Carmarthen, in 1688, and continued pastor there for fifteen years. In 1703 he removed to Carmarthen to become pastor of the presbyterian congregation, and received in his house students for the christian ministry. He has been regarded as the founder of the Welsh Academy, from the fact that the education of divinity students first assumed under him a collegiate form. He was patronised both by the London funds and by the liberality of wealthy dissenters. ”

“ EDWARDS, THOMAS (Caerfallwch) , (1779–1858) , Welsh author, born in 1779 at Northop in Flintshire, was apprenticed at fourteen to a saddler named Birch, and in this family he cultivated his taste for Welsh literature. He married in 1801 or 1802, and by this means was enabled to improve his condition very materially. He removed to London and became a secretary to one Bell first of all, and afterwards to Nathaniel M. Rothschild. In 1838 he was selected with five others, in connection with the Abergavenny Eisteddfod, to improve the Welsh Orthography. ”

“ JOHNS, DAVID (1794–1843) , missionary to Madagascar, born in 1794, was the son of J. Johns of Llain, Llanarth, Monmouthshire. He became church member at Penrhiwgaled, and, first at Neuaddlwyd, and afterwards at Newtown and Gosport, studied to qualify himself as a missionary to Madagascar. He was ordained at Penrhiwgaled 14 Feb. 1826. He married Mary, daughter of W. Thomas, independent minister at Bala, and set sail for Madagascar 11 May 1826. ”

“ His release cost him time and money, and on his return home he seems to have found one of his children dead from fright. 'Within a few months afterwards,' says he, 'my wife and some of my surviving children, being discouraged in their obedience by the many injuries they saw inflicted on me, became undutiful....' His children were persuaded that it was better for them to be without him, and his wife was so far alienated from him that she importuned him to part from her and live asunder, though for sixteen years they had lived together as lovingly as any couple in the country. ”

“ He enthusiastically adopted the principles of the Peace Society; in 1837 he was elected one of its honorary secretaries, and became editor of the ‘Herald of Peace.’ He generally drew up the annual reports, and wrote several valuable tracts and circulars, published by the committee. When asked to take part in any public meeting, he always stipulated that he should be allowed to say a word on ‘peace.’ In his theology he was probably in advance of the majority of the ministers of his own denomination. ”

“ EVANS, BENJAMIN (1740–1821) , congregational minister, was born at Ffynon-Adda, Meline, Pembrokeshire, 23 Feb. 1740. In his early days, while he was minister at Llanuwchllyn, Merionethshire (where he was ordained 1769) , he met with a good deal of persecution and was compelled to apply to the king's bench for a mandamus before he was allowed to conduct the services in peace. He removed in 1777 to Haverfordwest, and thence to Drewen in Cardiganshire, 24 June 1779, where he was much beloved, and remained till his death, 3 March 1821. ”

“ In Whit week 1729 the spread of Arminian views was the subject of serious discussion at a meeting of the associated ministers at Llangloffan in Pembrokeshire, when it was resolved that certain works should be published ‘to counteract the Arminian doctrines which were then beginning to disturb the churches.’ Towards the close of the year an anonymous pamphlet appeared professing to give from the Arminian point of view a ‘Correct Account of Original Sin.’ It was attributed to Jones, but no copy is now known to be extant. ”

“ HUGHES, JOHN (1787–1860) , archdeacon of Cardigan, son and heir of John Hughes, esq., of Llwyn Glas, Llanfihangel Geneu'r Glyn, near Aberystwyth, was born in 1787. After attending the grammar school of Ystradmeurig, he became classical master at a large school at Putney, London, where he remained about eighteen months. As a lad he aspired to become a preacher. ”

“ They were married, and with their wives reached the Mauritius in April 1818, and in August crossed to Madagascar. There they were warmly welcomed by Fisatra, king of Tamatave, who sent his own son, along with ten or twelve other boys, to be educated by them. Bevan, and both his and Jones's wife, soon died, and were buried at Tamatave. Jones thereupon returned to the Mauritius to recruit his health, but after fourteen months resumed his work at Madagascar. ”

“ His verse is always true to nature, always pure, always simple. Feeling that he owed much to the eisteddfod, he vigorously supported the institution to the last, and helped to improve its position in public estimation. ”

“ The leaders in the 'Chronicle' for 1836 on the 'House of Lords,' 'The Ballot,' and 'Church Rates' were strongly radical, and they brought on young Edwards the charge of socialism and sympathy with Tom Paine. From 1839 to 1874 Le was secretary of the Calvinistic Methodist Association. ”

“ EDWARDS, CHARLES (d. 1691?) , Welsh author, was entered in 1644 as a student of All Souls' College, Oxford, at the age of sixteen, his father being described as a plebeian. It is supposed that his father was Robert Edwards of Cynlleth, that he was born at Rhyd-y-Croesau in Denbighshire, and that he received his early education either at Ruthin or Oswestry. ”

“ He was always reading, and it soon became evident that farming was not his vocation. In 1848 he spent three months in a printer's office at Oswestry, and in 1849 obtained employment with a grocer at Manchester, but shortly afterwards became a clerk in a large place of business in London Road, Manchester, where he remained sixteen years. Leaving Manchester in 1865, Ceiriog was appointed stationmaster, first on the Cambrian railway at Llanidloes, then in 1870 at Towyn, in 1871 at Trefeglwys, and the same year at Caersws. ”

“ Dogmells, Pembrokeshire, in 1773, was the eldest son of William Harris, a small farmer, who could only afford him an education at the common schools of the district. He was an industrious student from the first. ”

“ HUGHES, JAMES (Iago Trichrug) (1779–1844) , Welsh Calvinistic methodist minister, was born at Neuadd-ddu, in the parish of Ciliau Aeron, at the foot of Trichrug Mountain, Cardiganshire, in 1779. At the age of twenty-one he settled in London. ”

“ In 1797 he was at a social meeting, and sang ‘by request’ a Welsh song ‘On Liberty.’ On the information of a spy belonging to his own congregation he was apprehended, tried, and sentenced by Judge Lloyd to be imprisoned for two years and to stand in the pillory. Only one other person suffered in the pillory in this part of the country during the whole of the eighteenth century. ”

“ JONES, ROWLAND (1722–1774) , philologist, was the second son, according to Rowlands, of John Williams, but, according to the ‘Roll’ of the Inner Temple, of William Jones of Bachellyn, Llanbedrog, Carnarvonshire, where he was born in 1722. ”

“ In 1832 he took charge of the English methodist church at Laugharne in Carmarthenshire, where he remained a year and a half, and had useful practice in speaking English. He next studied at Edinburgh, where he worked hard, and was enabled, through the intervention of Professor Wilson (Christopher North) , with whom he was a great favourite, to take his degree at the end of three, instead of four, years. ”

“ After receiving a good education, he spent some time as clerk in the office of his father, who was a solicitor, but he soon obtained a similar situation in London. He married a young Welsh heiress, and was enrolled as a member of the Inner Temple 26 Oct. 1751. He is usually described as of Broom Hall, near Pwllhelie, Carnarvonshire. He died in Hamilton Street, Hanover Square, London, early in 1774, aged 52. ”