MATHIAS, JAMES GORONWY (Goronwy Ddu; 1842 - 1895), Baptist minister and littérateur

Born at Manchester, 1842, but moved at an early age to Penrhyn-coch, Cardiganshire, where he was baptized and encouraged to preach. He moved in 1873 to Aberdare, becoming a member at Ynys-lwyd, and thence in 1874 to the Rhymney Valley, taking pastoral charge of the small church of Bethania, Troedrhiw'r-fuwch. He subsequently held the pastorates of Ramah and Erwood, Brecknock (1875-1881), Llansantffraid and Glyndyfrdwy (1881-7), and, after a period of retirement at Corwen until 1893, the English church at Pontlottyn, where he died 18 February 1895, at the age of 53. He was buried at Erwood.

He is best remembered for his literary activities. He was for some time in partnership with T. Edmunds, printer, at Corwen; he was the founder and editor of the eight numbers of Y Llenor Cymreig which were published at Corwen between January 1882 and October 1883; he also published Yr Ystorgell, Y Gorsen, 1872; Yr Eginyn, 1874; Y Dywysen, 1874; and Y Dywysen Aeddfed, 1875, probably for the use of Sunday schools and temperance meetings; and was editor and part-author of Hanes Bywyd C. H. Spurgeon, 1892. He wrote under the pseudonym Goronwy Ddu.

Author

• Benjamin George Owens

Sources

• Seren Cymru, 29 March 1895
• The Baptist Union of Wales Handbook and Diary, 1896
• Notable Welshmen (1700–1900) (1908)
• T. R. Roberts, Eminent Welshmen: a short biographical dictionary of Welshmen... from the earliest times to the present (1908)
• Ionawryn Williams, Geiriadur Bywgraffiadol, yn cynnwys Byr-hanes y Cymry mwyaf adnabyddus fuont yn preswylio yn Manceinion (1896)
• Catalogue of Printed Literature in the Welsh Department, Cardiff Free Libraries (1898)
• David Jenkins, O Blas Gogerddan i Horeb (Taith Dwy Ganrif) (Aberystwyth 1933)

Further Reading

• Wikipedia Article: James Goronwy Mathias

Additional Links

• Wikidata: Q28360867

Published date: 1959

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