JONES, DAVID (1736 - 1810), Methodist cleric

Born 10 July 1736, at Aberceiliog, Llanllwni, Carmarthenshire, son of Richard and Gwenllian Jones. He was educated at the Carmarthen grammar school. He is probably the 'David Jones of Llanvernach' who was ordained deacon by the bishop of S. Davids in 1758; he is known to have been curate of Tydweiliog, Llyn, in 1758-9, and he officiated at Llanafanfawr, Brecknock, in 1759-60. He was ordained priest in 1760, and was curate of Trefddyn and Caldicot, Monmouth, the same year. He then went to a parish near Bristol, moving to Crudwell, Wiltshire, in 1764. There he came into contact with the countess of Huntingdon, and in 1767 was given the living of Llan-gan, Glamorganshire, by lady Charlotte Edwin.

He married (1) Sinah Bowen of Gwaunifor (died 1792), and (2) Mrs. Bowen Parry of Maenorowen, Pembrokeshire. After his second marriage he divided his time between Glamorgan and Pembrokeshire. He died at Maenorowen, 12 August 1810.

He began to consort with the Methodists when he was in Monmouthshire, and, after settling at Llan-gan, became one of their leading lights. Llan-gan was one of the popular resorts of the Glamorgan Methodists; they swarmed there in their hundreds to take communion. In 1771 he built a chapel (Salem, Pen-coed) in the parish of Coychurch for the use of his followers. He was a honey-tongued preacher; according to Williams of Pantycelyn he could melt the rocks with his warmth and 'make the stoutest oaktree bend as humbly as the reed.' He is said to have opposed the movement for ordaining Methodist ministers, but he died before the final decision to ordain.

He published two short booklets; (a) Llythyr oddi wrth Dafydd ab Ioan y Pererin at Ioan ab Gwilim (Trevecka, 1784) which contains a short memoir of Christopher Bassett, and (b) A Funeral Sermon … of the late Countess Dowager of Huntingdon (London, 1791).

Author

• Reverend Gomer Morgan Roberts, (1904 - 1993)

Sources

• W. Williams, Marwnad er Coffadwriaeth am Farwolaeth y Parchedig Mr. Daniel Rowlands yr hwn a ymadawodd a'r byd Hydref 16, 1790, yn 77 mlwydd o'i oed ac a gladdwyd yn Llangeitho (Merthyr 1828)
• Y Traethodydd, 1850, 141-63
• Edward Morgan, Ministerial records: or Brief accounts of the great progress of religion, under the ministry of those eminent, learned, and pious ministers of God, the Rev. D. Rowlands, of Llangeitho, the Rev. W. Williams, of Pant-y-Celin, the Rev. D. Jones, of Llangan (London 1840)
• D. E. Jenkins, Life of Thomas Charles (Denbigh 1908), i, 188-9
• J. Morgan Jones and W. Morgan, Y Tadau Methodistaidd (1895-1897), i, 459-77
• Cylchgrawn Cymdeithas Hanes y Methodistiaid Calfinaidd, xx, 86, 96-100
• The Records of the Church in Wales at the National Library of Wales
• G. M. Roberts, 'Nodiadau ar David Jones, Llan-gan', Cylchgrawn Cymdeithas Hanes y Methodistiaid Calfinaidd, xlii, 12-21

Further Reading

• Wikipedia Article: David Jones

Additional Links

• VIAF: 7262771
• Wikidata: Q16850823

Published date: 1959

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