JONES, JOHN (Mephiboseth, 1850 - 1926), Baptist minister, poet, and author

Name: John Jones
Pseudonym: Mephiboseth
Date of birth: 1850
Date of death: 1926
Spouse: Catherine Jones (née Jones)
Parent: Ellen Jones (née Roberts)
Parent: John Jones
Gender: Male
Occupation: Baptist minister, poet, and author
Area of activity: Literature and Writing; Poetry; Religion
Author: Idwal Lewis

Born at Llangoed, Anglesey, 7 April 1850, the fourth of seven children of John Jones and Ellen Roberts, his wife. He had little education; at an early age he was working in the slate quarries, but in 1870 when he began to preach he attended the local church school and later spent a term at Beaumaris. In 1872, before entering the Baptist College at Llangollen, he had pastoral charge of several small churches in Llŷn. Four years later (1876) he accepted a call to Llanrwst, where he remained for three years. He moved to Aberdare without charge of a church, but the following year (1880) returned to North Wales to settle in business at Port Dinorwic and to preach occasionally on Sundays. In 1884, he was expelled from the Baptist denomination as a result of a quarrel and split at Salim church, and ceased to be accepted as a recognized preacher. He resided at Llangefni for a year, and after his application for reinstatement had been rejected he returned to South Wales, where he was engaged as a travelling salesman by a firm of book publishers. He wrote an interesting account of his life in the ministry, Llyfr fy llwybr, neu hanes merthyr Cymreig, 1886. Though lame from birth, he travelled widely in England and Wales, and was a successful salesman. He wrote several books which had extensive sales, Darlith ar Onestrwydd, 1887, Traethawd or iawn ddefnyddio amser, and several collections of prose and poetry, Cawell Saethau, 1894, Mafon Mynydd, Lloffion Llafur, Gronynau Gwirionedd, 3 vols., 1903-7, Bwa Nimrod, 1911, Baner Bywyd. During his lifetime he suffered much unhappiness and during his last few years he was in straitened circumstances. He was twice married. In 1877, he married Catherine Jones of Llŷn, who died at Port Dinorwic; of this marriage there was one daughter. His second marriage was not too happy. During the last five years of his life he lived at Llangennech, where he died 24 October 1926. He was buried at Llangoed.

Author

Idwal Lewis

Sources

Llyfr fy Llwybr, neu Hanes Merthyr Cymreig (1886), 1886

Additional Links

Wikidata: Q20733527

Published date: 1959

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