THOMAS, WILLIAM (1749 - 1809), Independent minister, and publisher

Born in August 1749 in the neighbourhood of Mynydd-bach, Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire, his father being from Glamorgan and his mother from near Llandovery. He was well educated but when he was 12 years of age his father died and his mother returned to the part of the country from which she originally came. He was for some years a shop assistant in London, but at the age of 23 had to return owing to ill health. At that time, although his mother was a zealous Anglican, he himself had no religious ties; however, the spirit of revival reached his neighbourhood and he was converted at a meeting held under the ministry of Isaac Price at Crug-y-bar. Shortly after that he went to Tyn-y-coed in the Swansea Valley, where he kept a school, became a church member; and began to preach. In 1779 he was admitted to Abergavenny Academy and, on 2 October 1782, was ordained minister of Hanover church, Llanover, Monmouth. He was not happy there and in 1787 accepted a call to Bala, where he remained for the rest of his life. He died in May 1809, and was buried in the Congregational burial-ground, Bala. He was greatly interested in book publishing and occasionally suffered financial losses on this account. He published Myfyrdodau diweddaf y Parch. Mr. Baxter ar farwolaeth (trans. 1792); Arfogaeth y Gwir Gristion (a translation of a work by Gurnal and Dr. Guyse, 1794); Cyfaill i'r Cystuddiedig (J. Willison, trans. 1797); Dioddefaint Crist (Dr. Jos. Hall, trans. 1800), and Angau i Angau y 'marwolaeth Crist (Dr. J. Owen, trans.) bound together; and Cyfarwyddiadau mewn Geography (trans., 1805). He had begun to publish a translation of Guyse on the New Testament, but at his death eight parts still remained to be published. The work was finished by the Rev. Eben. Jones of Pontypool.

Author

• Reverend Richard Griffith Owen, (1890 - 1973)

Sources

• Hanes Eglwysi Annibynnol Cymru, i, 34-5, 402-3, 407-8; iv, 317
• Josiah Thomas Jones, Geiriadur Bywgraffyddol o Enwogion Cymru (Aberdâr 1867-70), ii, 596
• Album Aberhonddu … o'r flwyddyn 1755 hyd 1880 (1898), 24, 25
• Cambrian Bibliography (Llanidloes 1869), 664-5
• Hanes llenyddiaeth Gymreig o 1651 O.C. hyd 1850 (1893), 460-1

Additional Links

• Wikidata: Q20821458

Published date: 1959

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