JONES, RICHARD (1780 - 1853), itinerant Independent preacher

Born at Tŷ Du, Llwyngwril, Meironnydd, 1780. He was brought up as a Calvinistic Methodist but the family seceded from that connexion, in disapproval of church discipline imposed on one of the sons. Richard Jones then invited the Rev. Hugh Pugh of Brithdir to come over to Llwyngwril to preach, and this was the beginning of the Independent church in that village. Richard Jones was totally uneducated, but succeeded in learning to read Welsh - after a fashion. He was so lacking in aptitude and so clumsy with his hands that his parents despaired of finding suitable employment for him; his brother's attempt to teach him to be a cobbler ended in disaster. He immersed himself in scriptural and doctrinal questions, and in his own way became acquainted with the leading authors of the day.

About 1817 he began to preach, and devoted himself entirely to preaching for the rest of his life. He never had charge of a church, and as he had no family ties he was able to itinerate over the whole of Wales. He had an impediment in his speech, and his eccentricities made him a well-known character throughout the country. He was an amusing preacher with an original manner of expounding the Scriptures, but above all he was entirely free from guile and could count on a whole-hearted welcome wherever he went. He died 18 February 1853 at Llwyngwril, and there he was buried.

Author

• Reverend Richard Griffith Owen, (1890 - 1973)

Sources

• Josiah Thomas Jones, Geiriadur Bywgraffyddol o Enwogion Cymru (Aberdâr 1867-70), ii, 51-5
• Hanes Eglwysi Annibynnol Cymru, i, 496-8
• Yr Hen Bererinion sef, Hanes bywyd Richard Jones, Lwyngwril (gyda darlun), Rhys Dafis (y Glun Bren), ac Edmwnd Jones, o Bontypool (Liverpool 1880), i, 56

Additional Links

• Wikidata: Q20734283

Published date: 1959

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