DAVIES, JOHN (c. 1750 - 1821), Methodist cleric

Born about 1750, son of Henry Davies, curate of Penarth (died 1723), and grandson of John Davies, curate of Llanddarog and Llanarthney, Carmarthenshire., from 1719 to 1762 (who was a friend of Howel Harris; letters written by him may be found in Welch Piety). John Davies was ordained deacon by the bishop of S. Davids in 1773 and priest in 1774; he was curate of Abernant and Conwil from 1775 to 1787. [According to Evang. Mag., 1826 (biography of Griffith Williams, pp. 457-61) he was curate at Cynwyl in 1774.] After that he joined the Methodists and preached to their congregations throughout the length and breadth of Wales. The chapel at Banc-y-felin was built for him in 1788 and he administered Holy Communion there until 1811. He is said to have repudiated Methodism at that time, but the inscription on his tombstone at Llanddowror testifies that he was a 'Minister of the Gospel at Bank-y-felin for upwards of 36 years.' In 1811 he wrote an elegy upon David Jones of Llan-gan. He died 24 December 1821. JOHN THOMAS (1807 - 1870), a missionary in Tinnevelly, India, was the son of his only daughter Frances.

Author

• Reverend Gomer Morgan Roberts, (1904 - 1993)

Sources

• Methodistiaeth Cymru (1851–6), ii, 476
• D. E. Jenkins, Life of Thomas Charles (Denbigh 1908), ii, 135, iii, 26, 327-8
• A. H. Grey-Edwards, The Life of a Great Missionary. Memoir of the Rev. John Thomas, C.M.S. missionary at Mengnanapuram … 1836-1870 … With a preface by … Bishop Royston, etc (London 1904), 5-8
• Transactions of the Carmarthenshire Antiquarian Society and Field Club, xvi, 19
• James Morris, Hanes Methodistiaeth Sir Gaerfyrddin (1911), 191

Additional Links

• Wikidata: Q20733367

Published date: 1959

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