DAVIES, BEN (1878 - 1958), Independent minister

Born in Llanboidy, Carmarthenshire, 12 April 1878, son of Thomas Davies, a worker on the Maes-gwyn estate, and his wife Sarah. After being apprenticed as a joiner, he went to Old College School, Carmarthen, in 1901 and he was admitted to the Presbyterian College there in 1902. He was ordained on 28 July 1904. He married Sarah, the daughter of Benjamin and Mary Bowen of the parish of Eglwys Newydd, near Carmarthen who were in the lineage of Samuel Bowen, Macclesfield (1799 - 1877. They had one daughter, Arianwen, and three sons, Elwyn, Alun and Hywel.

He began his ministry in the churches of Siloh, Pontardulais, and Hen Gapel, Llanelli. In 1907 he went to Hermon, Plas-marl, Swansea and remained there until 1914. He served in Seion, Llandysul from 1914 to 1924. He moved to Capel Newydd, Llandeilo and remained there until his retirement in 1954 when he went to live in Sketty, Swansea. He died 17 September 1958 and was interred at Bwlchnewydd, Carmarthenshire.

He was chairman of the Union of Welsh Independents in 1947 and that year he went to America to attend the World Congregational Congress in Boston. He published three books: Siôn Gymro (1938), Cofiant Tomos Llanboidy (1953), and Coleg Presbyteraidd Caerfyrddin a'r genhadaeth (1957). He made regular contributions to the periodicals of his denomination: Y Tyst, Y Dysgedydd, Cennad Hedd and Tywysydd y Plant and also to Y Genhinen. Above all else his preaching was based on scripture, and his pleasant personality, his tall appearance and his melodious eloquence made him popular for many years in the churches of his denomination.

Author

• Reverend Iorwerth Jones, (1913 - 1992)

Sources

• Y Tyst, 24 September, 2 and 9 October 1958
• personal acquaintance

Additional Links

• Wikidata: Q20732645

Published date: 2001

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