OWEN, JOHN (1733 - 1776), the first Methodist exhorter in Flintshire

Born in 1733 at Bwrcwd, in the parish of Ysgeifiog, Flintshire. His parents, who were natives of Aberdaron, Llŷn, had four children - John, Humphrey, Sarah, and Ann. John was a carpenter by trade but was also a gifted poet and, in his younger days, had written interludes and been a popular actor. About 1672, after hearing Daniel Rowland preach at Tŷ Modlen, Llandyrnog, Vale of Clwyd, he turned to religion. On 22 December 1763 he married Mary Edwards of Plas Llangwyfan. They went to live at Berthen Gron in the parish where he had been born and before long their home was opened to the revivalists from South Wales. Mary Owen was a very exceptional woman; she rode her pony seven times to Llangeitho, a distance of 200 miles there and back, to get preachers to come to Berthen and the Vale of Clwyd. In 1766 John Owen himself began to exhort. His brother, Humphrey, also became an acceptable exhorter, and the two suffered bitter persecution. In 1775 John Owen began to build a chapel at his own expense and the following year it was ready for use. He went to Llangeitho to ask Daniel Rowland to come and open it but, while he was on his way back, died at Llangurig and was buried in Ysgeifiog churchyard, 8 August 1776; Daniel Rowland, however, came to the opening of the chapel as he had promised. Mary Owen died 5 April 1789 at the age of 51, and was buried in the same grave as her husband.

Author

• Edward Davies

Sources

• Y Drysorfa, 1839, 84
• Methodistiaeth Cymru (1851–6), iii, 141
• Cylchgrawn Cymdeithas Hanes y Methodistiaid Calfinaidd, ii, 91; v, 31; xxiv, 84

Additional Links

• Wikidata: Q20733584

Published date: 1959

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