THOMAS, HUGH EVAN (Huwco Meirion; 1830 - 1889), Independent minister
Pseudonym: Huwco Meirion
Date of birth: 1830
Date of death: 1889
Gender: Male
Occupation: Independent minister
Area of activity: Religion
Author: Richard Griffith Owen
Born 13 June 1830 at Bala; the Rev. William Thomas of Beaumaris and the Rev. John Thomas (Calvinistic Methodist) of Bala, were his brothers. At the age of 13 he went to work in a shop at Brynmawr, Brecknock, where he became a member of Rehoboth chapel. There he began to preach and in 1850 he went to Bala Independent College, where he became friendly with John Peter (Ioan Pedr). He received a call to become minister of Oliver Street church, Birkenhead, where he was ordained in July 1853. Owing to the industrial depression he went through a very difficult time as the chapel was burdened with a debt of some £4,000. He laboured unceasingly to collect money to pay off this debt and earned the admiration of the Liverpool churches which, together with their ministers, gave him every support. He gained a reputation for himself in every movement connected with the denomination. He played a prominent part in founding Y Tyst Cymreig in 1867, and was one of its managers. He was interested in writing poetry and won the chair at the Liverpool eisteddfod in 1854. At midsummer 1869 he emigrated to the U.S.A. to become minister of the church at Pittsburg, where he died, 9 December 1889, highly respected as a conscientious worker. He published a memoir of his brother, Cofiant, Pregethau, a nodiadau byrion W. Thomas, Beaumaris, 1867, and edited Cofiant, Pregethau, a Barddoniaeth T. Pierce, Liverpool, 1864. He won the chair at Denbigh eisteddfod, 1869. He was a frequent contributor to the Cenhadwr Americanaidd.
Author
- Reverend Richard Griffith Owen, (1890 - 1973)
- Hanes Eglwysi Annibynnol Cymru, iv, 425-7; v. 419-22
- T. R. Roberts, Eminent Welshmen: a short biographical dictionary of Welshmen... from the earliest times to the present (1908)
- David Jones, Memorial volume of Welsh Congregationalists in Pennsylvania, U.S.A., their churches, periodical convocations, clergy and prominent lay members (Utica 1934)
Sources
Published date: 1959
Article Copyright: http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/
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