BEVAN, THOMAS (1796? - 1819), missionary in the service of the London Missionary Society

Born in the neighbourhood of Neuadd-lwyd, Cardiganshire, about 1796. He came from a religious home, and at the age of 8 was already a reader of the Bible. He experienced conversion near Nantgwynfynydd farm, and on 19 November 1810 became a church member at Neuadd-lwyd. There, Thomas Phillips (1772 - 1842), who was the minister, encouraged him to begin preaching. He then went to Phillips's school at Pen-y-banc and later to colleges at Newtown and at Gosport. It was now decided that he and Stephen Laidler should go to Madagascar. He was ordained at Neuadd-lwyd, 20-21 August 1817, and married Mary Jones (née Jacob) of Pen-yr-allt Wen in the same district. They sailed for Madagascar 9 February, arriving in Mauritius 3 July 1818. Five weeks later Bevan embarked again, and landed at Tamatave, Madagascar, 18 August 1818. Here he started a school with ten children. He went back to Mauritius to fetch his family, returning on 6 January 1819. Tragedy followed. His child died 20 January, he himself 31 January, and his wife 3 February 1819. They are buried in Tamatave cemetery.

Author

• Reverend Dr Evan Lewis Evans, (1898 - 1978)

Sources

• London Missionary Society, A Register of Missionaries, Deputations etc., from 1796 to 1885 (1886), 57, 58
• Hanes Eglwysi Annibynnol Cymru, iv, 104
• G. Penar Griffith, Cenhadon Cymreig, 34-6
• E. Lewis Evans, Cymru a'r Gymdeithas Genhadol, sef hanes ei Chychwyn (1945), 64-9, 95

Further Reading

• T. Morgan, Enwogion Cymreig 1700-1900 (1907), pp.21-22
• Wikipedia Article: Thomas Bevan

Additional Links

• Wikidata: Q3524912

Published date: 1959

Article Copyright: http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/