MORGAN, JOHN (1827 - 1903), cleric and author

Name: John Morgan
Date of birth: 1827
Date of death: 1903
Parent: John Morgan
Gender: Male
Occupation: cleric and author
Area of activity: Literature and Writing; Religion
Author: Walter Thomas Morgan

Born at Newport, Pembrokeshire, 22 March 1827, only son of John Morgan, headmaster of Madam Bevan's central school at Newport, which also served as a training school for school teachers. He was educated at Cardigan grammar school and at the Abergavenny Anglican seminary. Ordained by bishop Ollivant in 1850 he became successively curate of Cwmafan, Glamorganshire, 1850-2, vicar of Pontnewynydd, 1852-75, and finally rector of the consolidated parishes of Llanilid and Llanharan from 1875 till his death. As a preacher he was equally at home in both Welsh and English and his printed sermons in both languages contain the best examples of his prose. He translated portions of Anacreon and of ' Chevy Chase ' into Welsh, and rendered the hymns of William Williams, Pantycelyn, into English. He also published volumes of English poetry entitled My Welsh Home, written in the metre of ' In Memoriam,' 1870, and A Trip to Fairyland or Happy Wedlock, with other poetical pieces and translations of Welsh hymns, 1896. In 1892 he published Four Biographical Sketches, being studies of bishops Ollivant and Thirlwall, Griffith Jones, Llanddowror, and Sir Thomas Phillips. He was a frequent contributor to Welsh periodicals and also to the Spectator, Saturday Review, Churchman, and the Western Mail. He was a vigorous protagonist of the claims of the Established Church and, according to archbishop Benson, was the ablest and most erudite of the Church defenders. He died at Llanilid, 23 May 1903, and was buried in the churchyard there.

Author

Published date: 1959

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