GRIFFITH, OWEN (Giraldus, 1832 - 1896), Baptist minister, editor and author

Born at Tyn-y-braich, Garn Dolbenmaen, Caernarfonshire. He was educated in the old school at Dolbenmaen by Owen Griffith, was a member of the Baptist church at Horeb, and was baptized when he was 13 years old. Soon afterwards he was apprenticed as a ship-carpenter at Portmadoc; he was employed in the shipbuilding yard until 1862, and joined the Ynys Galch Baptist church. He entered the ministry and proceeded to Haverfordwest Baptist College. He ministered in the Baptist church of Risca, Monmouth, whence he removed to Abergele Baptist church. From Abergele he emigrated to the U.S.A. Before he left Wales he contributed several poems to Y Greal, and during his life in America he also became prominent amongst the Welshmen there, and contributed articles to the American-Welsh periodicals and newspapers.

In 1875 he began to publish a monthly periodical, called Y Wawr Americanaidd which he edited until he died in 1896; this journal catered for the Welsh Baptist cause in the U.S.A. An English edition was subsequently published, under the name of The Daylight, for the use of English -speaking Welsh-Americans.

Giraldus published: Above and Around, containing Religious Discourses and Germs, Together with Observations on Men and things in Wales and America (Utica, 1872), with a 2nd ed. (1877); Naw Mis yn Nghymru (Utica, 1884); Y Ddwy Ordinhad Gristionogolyn eu Gwraidd a'u Dadblygiad (Utica, 1891). He died 14 May 1896 in his sixty-third year.

Author

• Robert (Bob) Owen, (1885 - 1962)

Sources

• Y Wawr sef cylchgrawn misol y Bedyddwyr Cymreig yn America
• The Daylight
• Eryri Jones, Hanes y Garn a'i thrigolion yn y gorphenol sylwedd dau draethawd cyd-fuddugol yn Nghylchwyl Lenyddol Horeb, 1902 (c.1904)
• 'Cymry America' in Frimston Manuscripts
• Y Greal sef Cylchgrawn Misol at wasanaeth y Bedyddwyr
• Y Drych, 1931

Additional Links

• Wikidata: Q20734066

Published date: 1959

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