OWEN, EDWARD (1728/9 - 1807), cleric and schoolmaster

Son of David Owen, of Llangurig, Montgomeryshire. He matriculated from Jesus College, Oxford, 22 March 1745/6, at the age of 17. He graduated B.A. 1749, and M.A. 1752. In 1752 he was appointed master of the free grammar school, Warrington. In 1763 he became incumbent of Sankey Chapel, Warrington, and, in 1767, rector of Warrington. He was a very good scholar, and obtained a good name for himself both as clergyman and schoolmaster. Many of his pupils subsequently became prominent men. He was of a particularly benevolent disposition and befriended Goronwy Owen when the latter was curate at Walton. He took prominent part in the social and literary life of Warrington, and was president of the Warrington library. His chief published work is his Satires of Juvenal and Persius, translated into English Verse (two vols., 1785; later editions, 1786 and 1810). He also published school Latin grammars. Gilbert Wakefield speaks of Owen as ' a man of most elegant learning, unimpeachable veracity and peculiar benevolence of heart.' But Thomas Seddons lampooned him in Characteristic Strictures, 1779. His portrait is preserved in Warrington Museum. He died 5 April 1807.

Author

• John James Jones, (1892 - 1957)

Sources

• T. R. Roberts, Eminent Welshmen: a short biographical dictionary of Welshmen... from the earliest times to the present (1908)
• Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, and authorities therein cited
• H. Blackwell, NLW MSS 9268A: A Dictionary of Welsh Biography
• British Museum. Catalogue of Printed Books (1882)
• J. H. Davies, The Rev. Edward Owen of Warrington and Goronwy Owen, The Transactions of the Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion, 1922-3 appendix, pp. 49-79
• J. H. Davies (ed.), The Letters of Goronwy Owen (1723–69) (Cardiff 1924), 67, 142-3

Further Reading

• Wikipedia Article: Edward Owen

Additional Links

• VIAF: 29091926
• Wikidata: Q5344711

Published date: 1959

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