DAVIES, REUBEN (Reuben Brydydd y Coed; 1808 - 1833), poet and schoolmaster

Born 1808, son of ' Dafydd the Weaver and Betty ' of Tanrallt, Cribin, Cardiganshire. He went to school at Cribin and Ystrad under T. J. Griffiths (Tau Gimel, 1797? - 1871) and Rees Davies of Ystrad. His ambition was to enter the Unitarian ministry, and in 1825 he was admitted to Carmarthen College; unfortunately, his health broke down and he was only there for a short time. He became a schoolmaster at Cribin and, during the later years of his life, at Cilmaenllwyd, Carmarthenshire; he translated into Welsh the works of many Greek and Latin authors, particularly those of Ovid. An original manuscript of his works was in the possession of Rees Jenkin Jones of Aberdare, and the Rev. D. Evans of Cribin had a copy. He wrote over fifty hymns, and Daniel Evans (Daniel Ddu, 1792 - 1846) thought highly of him as a hymn-writer. Apart from the hymns he left behind him an uncompleted poem, 'Dydd Barn,' some songs, several englynion, and a memorial awdl to D. L. Jones, tutor at Carmarthen. He died 8 January 1833 at the age of 25 and lies in Dihewyd churchyard.

Author

• Reverend Thomas Oswald Williams, (1888 - 1965)

Sources

• Josiah Thomas Jones, Geiriadur Bywgraffyddol o Enwogion Cymru (Aberdâr 1867-70), i, 153
• Yr Ymofynnydd, 1853, 234
• Enwogion Ceredigion (1869), 28-9
• E. Pan Jones, Oriel Coleg Presbyteraidd, Caerfyrddin: yn cynwys hanes yr holl fyfyrwyr fu yn y coleg o 1796 hyd 1899 (Merthyr Tydfil 1909), 46

Further Reading

• Wikipedia Article: Reuben Davies

Additional Links

• Wikidata: Q20734218

Published date: 1959

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