JONES, DAVID (c. 1630 - 1704?), early Cardiganshire Puritan

His parents, and the time and place of his birth, are not known. Samuel Palmer states that he was born in Cardiganshire, that he was well educated, a man of good learning, a plain and successful preacher, ordained by Presbyters. 'When he was ejected, he maintained himself and his family by keeping a grammar-school, preaching as he had opportunity, for which he was several times in trouble. He died of a consumption, with a joyful hope, and steady trust in God.' That is the earliest biography of him. He is chiefly associated with the parishes of Cellan, Cardiganshire, and Pencarreg, Carmarthenshire. He is believed by some to have been the David Jones who matriculated from Christ Church, Oxford, 10 November 1654, but that record may just as easily concern others of the same name (particularly David Jones, vicar of Llangeler, 1661-1680). He was approved to the vicarage of Llanbadarn-fawr in 1658 and ejected in 1662. His domicile at Coedmor, Pencarreg, was sufficiently long for that place to become attached to his name. He secured a general licence to preach, 28 October 1672. Henry Maurice, in his list of 1675, records him as the only minister of the 'Cardiganshire church.' Howel Harris, writing at Llangeitho, 28 March 1743, says that he had ' much sweetness in hearing a farewell sermon of one David Jones, 1691, being turned out for preaching ye Truth.' The date cannot refer to his ejection, but it is possible that he ceased to preach to the northern branches of the Cilgwyn church in 1691. The lost Cilgwyn Church Book resumed its record after a break of thirty-three years in 1692 and his name is entered first, with David Edwards as his co-pastor in that church between 1692 and 1698. It is probable that David Edwards had charge chiefly of Llwynrhys, Cae'r Onnen, and Abermeurig. From 1691 to 1693 David Jones received £4 a year from the ' Happy Union' Fund, and it would appear from the review then made that he was living in the parish of Cellan. The word 'dead' is entered opposite his name, but he was alive in 1700 when David Evan Rhydderch nominated him, as his friend ' David Jones of Coedmor,' overseer of his will. According to Evan Lewis (1788 - 1864), who wrote an account of the Cilgwyn church about 1864, with the old register in front of him, there was a record of his activities there until 1704. Tradition places his death in 1700. He married Deborah, daughter of Ieuan Gwyn Vaughan of Moelifor, Llanrhystyd, and widow of Ernestus Musgrave of Llanina. They had one daughter, Anne, wife of Philip Pugh of Hendre, Blaenpennal (died 1687); Philip Pugh (1679 - 1760), another of the Cilgwyn ministers, was therefore David Jones's grandson.

Author

• Evan David Jones, (1903 - 1987)

Sources

• S. Palmer, The Nonconformist Memorial; being an Account of the Lives … and Printed Books of the two thousand Ministers ejected … (1802–3)
• Griffith Jones (Glan Menai), Enwogion Sir Aberteifi (1868)
• Hanes Eglwysi Annibynnol Cymru, iv, 85
• West Wales Historical Records (1910–29), ii
• William Dillwyn, 'Geneal. Mem.'
• Cylchgrawn Cymdeithas Hanes y Methodistiaid Calfinaidd, xxx, 101
• T. Richards, Wales under the Penal Code, 1662-1687 (1925)
• NLW Archives: NLW MS 2170B, NLW MS 5470C
• Broadmead Records (1847, 1865), 512
• Turner, Original Records of Nonconformity under Persecution and Indulgence (1911) (where D. J. of Llandysilio, D.J. of Llanddewi-brefi, and D.J. of Dudley, are confused with him)
• Y Cofiadur, xiv

Additional Links

• Wikidata: Q20732840

Published date: 1959

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