EVERETT, ROBERT (1791 - 1875), and his brother EVERETT, LEWIS (1799 - 1863), Independent ministers

The two brothers were born at Gronant, Flintshire, Robert in 1791 and Lewis 20 February 1799. Their grandfather was a Scot and their grandmother an Englishwoman; their father was the manager of a lead mine, a member of Trelawnyd ('Newmarket') congregation and a lay preacher.

Robert Everett began to preach in 1809; he went to the grammar school at Denbigh and in 1811 to the academy at Wrexham, where, for the greater part of the time, he was under the care of George Lewis who offered to make him joint principal. In 1815 he was ordained minister of Swan Lane, Denbigh. In 1823 he emigrated to the U.S.A. to take charge of the Welsh church at Utica. He achieved an honourable place among the foremost ministers in Wales; Robert Thomas (Ap Vychan, 1809 - 1880) considered him to be as impressive a preacher as William Williams of Wern (1781 - 1840); he took a prominent part in the theological discussions of his time, and wrote an essay on Redemption for John Roberts (1767 - 1834) of Llanbryn-mair's little book, Galwad Ddifrifol (see Cofiant John Jones, Talysarn, 447) He also published a system of Welsh short-hand and Catecism Cyntaf or Yr Addysgydd. In 1833 he moved from Utica to Winfield, leaving the latter place in 1838 to take charge of the churches at Steuben and Penmynydd; he died there 25 February 1875. In 1840 he started Y Cen-hadwr Americanaidd (The American Missionary), which, as he had his own printing press, he continued to edit and publish until his death. It became a very popular and valuable monthly. He also published other monthlies such as Y Dyngarwr and Y Detholydd, but they were short-lived.

He confirmed his brother Lewis Everett at Denbigh. After having for some time been engaged in trade, Lewis also entered the ministry; he was ordained at Llangwyfan in 1831, remaining there until 1835, when he left to take charge of the churches at Llanrwst, Trefriw, and Nant-y-rhiw. Here he stayed for eight years, at the end of which time he resigned because of ill health and went to live in Rhyl. Before long, however, he took charge of Ochr y Foel church, Dyserth, and kept a day school. He died 1 April 1863 and was buried in Trelawnyd cemetery.

Editorial note 2022:

In October 2022 Robert Everett was inducted into the American National Abolition Hall of Fame for his work in support of the anti-slavery campaign.

Author

• Reverend Richard Griffith Owen, (1890 - 1973)

Sources

• D. Davies (Dewi Emlyn), Cofiant Robert Everett (Utica 1879)
• Josiah Thomas Jones, Geiriadur Bywgraffyddol o Enwogion Cymru (Aberdâr 1867-70), i, 364-6
• Hanes Eglwysi Annibynnol Cymru, iv, 215, 257
• Album Aberhonddu … o'r flwyddyn 1755 hyd 1880 (1898), 59
• Ap Vychan, Cadwaladr Jones, Dolgellau ei fuchedd, ei weinidogaeth, ei ddefnyddioldeb cyffredinol, a phrif linellau ei nodweddiad (Liverpool 1870), 26

Further Reading

• BBC Wales News: Anti-slavery: Welsh abolitionist Robert Everett recognised in USA

Additional Links

• Wikidata: Q20202170

Published date: 1959

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