EVANS, JOHN (died 1779), Evangelical cleric, translator, and commentator

Born at Meini Gwynion, Llanbadarn Odwyn (now Llangeitho), Cardiganshire. He is said to have been educated at Oxford, and to have graduated [but he cannot be identified in Foster's Alumni, and there has been considerable confusion between him and John Evans, 1702 - 1782 ]. His first curacy was at Llanarth, Cardiganshire; then he became curate at Plymouth, to be known henceforth as 'the parson of Portsmouth' (not 'the parson of Plymouth' as he was often styled in Cardiganshire in his own day). His service to Wales was mainly as a translator of devotional works into Welsh. He is credited with the translation of Meditations on the Sacraments, 1735, by Jabez Earle, minister of Long Acre, London; the 3rd edition of I. Watts, Catechism y Gymanfa neu y Catechism Byrraf, 1741; and Y Deddfau Cristionogol sef Didwyll Air Duw, 1773 (a translation of Gastrel's Christian Institutes). As a commentator he was earlier in the field than Peter Williams, his chief work being Cyssondeb y Pedair Efengyl; Gyd ag Agoriad Byrr a Nodau Athrawus (Bristol, 1765) - the first regular commentary to appear in Welsh. He died in 1779 at Portsmouth.

Author

• Reverend Daniel Williams, (1878 - 1968)

Sources

• Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
• D. J. Saer, The story of Cardiganshire adopted by the Cardiganshire Education Committee (1912)
• Benjamin Williams (Gwynionydd), Enwogion Ceredigion (1869)

Further Reading

• Wikipedia Article: John Evans

Additional Links

• VIAF: 78671066
• Wikidata: Q6232003

Published date: 1959

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