These paragraphs were translated from Welsh to
English by my brother Geoff, they were taken from a copy of �Cofiant,
John Jones, Talsarn� which was published in 1872 and was written by Owen Thomas. The
biography is of special interest to us because some of our own family are
mentioned, in particular our 8 x Great Grandmother Angharad James. It may also
be of interest to Welsh local historians and fellow genealogists � other
names mentioned are John Jones, Tany-y-Castell and Elinor his wife � John
William Lloyd, Gorddinen � William Pritchard and Angharad James his
wife, Dolwyddelen � William Lloyd, Gorddinen � Mr Morgans,
Minister at Llanberis � Rev John Williams, Dolwyddelen and his brother
Robert � Mr Thomas Pugh, Dolgellau � Richard Owen (Bertheos) and
his wife Margaret and daughter Elinor � Edmund Prys , Archdeacon of
Merionedd.
The
Rev John Jones was born in a house called Tan-y-Castell in the parish of
Dolwyddelen, Caernarfonshire. There is a degree of doubt about his birth date.
According to notes in what is thought to have been his father's bible, and
perhaps in his father's handwriting also, he was born on Tuesday, March 1,
1796, at four o'clock in the afternoon. That is clear enough and by itself
would show their relationship. But it appears from the register of baptisms in
the Parish Church, Dolwyddelen, that he was baptised there on March 19, 1797.
Whether the entry in the bible was wrong in the year, or for some reason there
was a delay in his baptism for more than a year after his birth is a matter on
which it is impossible, at the present time, to decide. It is thought that he
himself took the date in the bible to be his birth date. His parents were John
Jones and Elinor his wife, who were living at the time, and for some years before,
in Tan-y-Castell, and this was actually the place where his father was born and
brought up. Considering the exceptional influence his parents had on him we
hope the reader will find it acceptable if we now make a short mention of them
in order to acknowledge the effect on their son in making him so well known,
able and useful when grown-up.
His
father, John Jones, was the youngest son of John William Lloyd, Tan-y-Castell,
who was himself the oldest son of William Lloyd, Gorddunant (Gorddinen), and Dolwyddelen.
His father's mother was Catherine, youngest daughter of William Pritchard and
Angharad James, Parlwr, Penamnen, Dolwyddelen. His father was born in 1759.
(John Jones, Tan-y-Castell) Physically he was tall and graceful, notably strong
and energetic, and unusually attractive in his face. His natural abilities were
far above the normal and these abilities were sharpened by continual exercise
with one thing or another, till there was an obvious difference between him and
all his neighbors. He was, in particular, remarkably gifted in all sorts of
work where he used his hands, so much so that there was hardly a task in his
reach where he was not able to approach the mastery of a craftsman, like making
agricultural implements, stone masonry, wood work, everything necessary when
building a house, making furniture, even clothes for himself and the children.
The liveliness of his mind was such that he could never be an idler. After the
tasks of the day were done he would always find something to work on, or read a
book. After five minutes talking with friends at his house he would be unable
to resist taking up some task with his hands, keeping up his lively talk at the
same time. But when he began to warm to the talk of religion, because this was
always his favourite topic, he stood for a while as though swallowed up by the
subject, and forgetting his work. Soon, however, he returned to his work, but
continued to talk with great liveliness and delight.
From
his youth he was serious minded and very correct in his behaviour and hardly or
never taking any interest in vain games and the foolish masterly competitions
which were so common in those days in his neighbourhood, as in most parts of
Wales. The entertainment of his youth was in some kind of work, which prevented
him, in the period before religion took hold of him, from running to the kind
of excess common in his neighbours. He was married and starting to bring up
children before making a public profession of his faith. The few friends who
were in the small circle of members of the Methodist chapel, which was in its
early days in the neighbourhood, had waited a long time for him to come over
and join them. In those days there was a conscientious and godly minister named
Mr. Morgans, serving in the parish of Llanberis. Many of the parishioners from
the area, and further away, used to go there on Sundays to listen to him.
Amongst others, John Jones went for a long time, going through the whole
distance from Dolwyddelen, over wild and high mountains, and often through the
rains and storms of winter. He hadn't yet joined the chapel and thrown in his
lot with the people of The Lord. But religious matters were rooting deeply into
his mind at that time and clearly influencing his conduct in general. In the
end he turned to the house of The Lord and the members were overjoyed to see
him amongst them. The late Rev John Williams, Dolwyddelen, said this about
about it: "At first I was never more disappointed with anybody joining the
church than I was with John Jones. He was always a remarkably moral and wise
man and more knowledgeable than anybody in the parish and many of us looked
upon him almost as some self-righteous Pharisee. He did not associate much with
anybody, though he was remarkably easy-going and pleasant when you got to talk
with him. He was notable in his understanding of the bible and he would
generally have something new to say about its verses and on various points of
religion. With all that he was very exact in his behaviour and very careful
about his words, even more so than many of us religious people. Often we would
talk with one another, having waited a long while for him to join in before he
finally did so. At the same time we were almost afraid to see him come because
we did not know how to talk to him and in case it would be hard to go along
with what he said. But one evening he came to us and I never saw anybody more
humble or who seemed easier to deal with; this was to our great surprise. He
sat on the bench with his hand under his chin. When he was asked something he
raised his head and told his story freely and deliberately, but with serious
feeling, because the tears were running in a flood down his cheeks. He told of
his experience so simply and effectively after our being so disappointed with him
before, that everybody in the place wept." This was his attitude when he
joined the church, and, despite years of professing his faith, the high regard
he was held in by his friends, his rising soon to office, he did not lose that
humility he first showed on joining the church. Within a few months of him
coming into the church he was chosen to be a deacon or elder. He threw himself
earnestly into the tasks of his office and continued faithfully in that role
until the end of his days. He had a natural and easy way of speaking his mind;
but at the same time speaking deliberately and powerfully as one who felt the
solemn importance of the gospel and taking great care over his choice of words.
When he got up to speak in the church meeting everybody was eager to listen
attentively as if they were afraid of missing as much as one word he said.
He
was, exceptionally, a great man in prayer. He was always near to the throne of
grace, like one with a message. The aptness of his language, grace of his
manner and voice, and especially the extent and clarity of his views on the
great truths of the gospel often had great impact in prayer meetings.
He
wrote some essays on religious subjects, which were never printed as they would
be nowadays. They were lost (difancoll) many years ago. His son John, subject
of the present volume, had read them and he considered them to have shown great
sense and seriousness of mind. He also composed some verses. Once, at the start
of the year, he went with a few brothers to some man in the parish to keep a
prayer meeting. He waited a while by himself before going into the house, and
composed a verse which was given out by him to sing in the meeting. Robert
Williams, brother of the Rev John Williams, was present at the time and learned
the verse, which was as follows:
"
Mawr eirolodd y Gwinllanydd
Am
flwyddyn newydd i mi'n wir;
Heb
adael i gyfiawnder daro,
A'm
tori am ddiffrwytho'r tir:
Gwaed
yr Oen yw'r unig achos
Fy
mod yn aros hyd yn awr;
Haeddiant
Iesu ar ben Calfaria
Sydd
eto'n fwy na 'meiau mawr."
(Greatly,
pleaded the vine keeper
for
a new year to be true to me;
not
allowing the just strike,
To
break me and destroy the land:
Blood
of the Lamb is the only cause
I
am awaiting now;
Merit
of Jesus up on Calvary
is
still more than my great sins)
For
a while he was overseer at Dolwyddelen Mine (which was on his land), under the
tenancy of the late Mr Thomas Pugh, Dolgellau and others. Every day he used to
read a chapter from the Bible meal time and go and pray in the mine office with
all the other workers. There was a quite remarkable occasion concerning this
service. Two of the workers had been quarrelling and fighting with one another.
They were strong and stubborn, very dangerous to one another in their strife,
and very difficult to subdue. Soon after the quarrel had taken place between
them it was time for daily prayers in the office and they came along with their
fellow workers. John Jones was in an unusually serious mood that day. He
recognised God's goodness in safeguarding all their lives in a dangerous
occupation and showing them many mercies, all this despite their great
unworthiness and ingratitude to Him; and with godly shame he confessed their
sinfulness in forgetting God's goodness towards them, and humbly and fervently
asked God through his dear Son to forgive them all.
Then
he turned to the particular case of the two men who had been fighting; and with
solemnity and unusual feeling, fervently asked The Lord to forgive them and to
bring about a change of heart in them. By now there was a strange sight in the
office. Everybody was overcome by the strength of their feelings. The two men
having broken down in tears and sighs and having risen from their knees to
embrace each other; weeping they asked each other's forgiveness. The whole
scene was such that those who witnessed it could never forget it.
At
one time he experienced some trouble which caused him some painful financial
damage, but not enough to disturb his living. The parish priest, or vicar, (of
the established church of England) used a curate who performed various duties,
including reading the service in the church. This man led a remarkably bad
life, appearing drunk in public and indulging in all kinds of vice. The
parishioners were concerned about this and held a meeting where it was decided
to prevent him going into the church the following Sunday. John Jones was an
officer of the parish and because of this he was given the task of standing in
the door of the church to deny entry to the curate. According to their wishes
he stood in the doorway, his back on one door-post, his feet against the other,
with his arms folded. There were a great number of parishioners standing
nearby, seeing and hearing everything that happened. When the curate arrived
and saw this, after some exchange of words, he turned back and went to see the
vicar. These two conspired together, however, and placed the matter in the
hands of a lawyer. The curate swore a solemn oath that John Jones had hit him
and although there were many witnesses to the fact that John Jones did not take
his hands from under his arms and that they never touched each other, still the
curate stuck to his oath. In those days it was not easy for nonconformists to get
fair-play, especially in a case of this kind, when there would be only
ministers of the established church and their friends sitting in judgement and
these would generally be only to ready to believe anything against anybody who
doubted what they believed were their god-given rights. The parishioners became
too disheartened to place the case in a higher court, where there would have
been more chance of obtaining justice, because in those days the priestly order
was as feared as the King. In one way it was good for John Jones that they were
disheartened; because there was the fear that if the case turned against him he
would be in even greater tribulation. The parishioners undertook to pay the
whole cost of the case, by means of a deed, sealed with their names; but in the
end he had to stand all the costs himself, without receiving a halfpenny from
anybody. He left the deed alone, keeping it in his possession, and left it to
his family, without so much as asking for the money. This showed unusual
magnanimity in him, but showed something very different in his fellow
parishioners. It cost him some twenties (sic) of pounds. This was some
tribulation to him with his large family, especially in those hard and pressing
times. But the Lord took care of him, by blessing him with more than enough to
meet all the costs of the injustice of the law.
Although
he was healthy and strong, and would, through his whole way of life, expect to
live a long life, he was afflicted with a complaint which affected his knee
("anhwyldeb blin i ben ei lin"), and which after a long illness ended
in his death. In his last suffering the visits of his religious friends would
affect his mind greatly. He would, at times, feel so strongly that he was
unable to say hardly anything to them. One time a number of his dearest friends
came to him, with whom he would normally be very open and he was unable to say
even one word to them. After they went away he came to himself a little and was
able to speak. Clapping his hands he said to his wife - "My dear brothers!
my dear brothers! After coming to see me I was unable to speak even one word to
them! But I will get a tongue to speak with them again, - I will, I will. The
parable of the ten virgins has been very hard for me for some hours. He has
searched me through it. I was on the scales and was weighed, fainting with
fear. Truly it has been the day of judgement for me. The parable of the ten
virgins was close to killing me. I was unable to say a single word. So I was
unable to say a word to my dear brothers. But praise the Lord! I am cleansed.
I, who have come through the parable of the ten virgins, - yes I have come
through it forever. I have escaped for ever from my Judge. I will never be
condemned. Praise be to God! I will have eternity to thank Him. Oh, if my dear
brothers were here now I would speak to them." (Presumably nobody else
understood what this meant either!)
Shortly
before he died, with his wife at his bedside looking sad and disheartened, and
he knowing he was about to depart, leaving nine fairly small children, the
youngest not yet two years of age and the eldest not yet nine, he turned to her
and said "Try your best to keep your spirits up. The Lord will be able to
support you and I know He will look take care of you. I see you looking very
sad. You must be worried what will happen to you and the children after losing
me. But, my dear Elin, don't be concerned about my children. I have placed them
in the hands of the Lord. They are now in his care. It was hard on my soul to
present them to Him, but am satisfied that He has listened to me on their
behalf. The Lord is sure to give grace to my children, and you will see it. He
has told me he will do this and I am quiet in my mind that I will leave you in
the care of the Lord. Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayers or
failed to show me mercy. Take strength in the Lord." And so, in full
confidence he fell asleep with Jesus when he was only 48 years old. He was
buried in the parish cemetary, Dolyddelen, May 2nd 1807.
The
mother of Rev John Jones was Elinor, youngest daughter of Richard Owen,
Bertheos, Dolwyddelen and Margaret his wife. We know nothing about her father,
Richard Owen; but her mother, Margaret, was a daughter of Richard Isaac of
Llanfrothen, Meirionethshire, and Gwen his wife. Gwen was the eldest daughter
of William Prichard and Angharad James, Parlwr, Penamnen, Dolyddelen. It can be
seen from this, remembering what has already been mentioned, that Rev John
Jones was descended from William Prichard and Angharad James on both the side
of his mother and his father. His father was their grandson through their
youngest daughter and his mother was their great granddaughter through their
eldest daughter. We know nothing about William Prichard except that he was
sixty years old on the day of his marriage to Angharad and she had her
twentieth birthday on that day. She was the daughter of James Davies and
Angahrad Humphreys who were living in Gelli Ffrydau, in the parish of
Llandwrog, Caernarfonshire, about two hundred years ago. Angharad James was
counted a noteable woman in her day, unusually so; with a strong and talented
mind, remarkably decisive and highly educated. We do not know where she
received her education, but her parents were in a fairly high station and
possibly saw to her education. However it came about, she was educated far
above what would be normal even in these days. She was completely confident in
Latin, very familiar with the laws of the country, and was recognised as having
very extensive general knowledge. Some of her Latin books were in the
possession of her descendants for a long time; perhaps they are still in
existence. She was also very fond of poetry and used to compose many poems
herself. A large book of her poetry, in her own handwriting, was in existence
even within the last fifty years. It was borrowed for a while by the late Mr.
Griffith Williams, Braich Talog, Llandegai [Gutyn Peris], who said she was
completely familiar with the work of the old bards, and who called the book
"The Red Book", on account of its being written in red ink. Angharad
also had a harp which she was very fond of playing. Before going to bed at
night the whole family, including servants and maids, would have to come
together to dance, while she played on the harp. This was an established
custom, summer and winter, and a family duty. When the cattle were far from the
house in the summer, towards Aberleinw, Angharad would call with her maids to
do the milking and on returning home the Mistress would play while her maids
danced. That was the practice, whatever the weather. The custom had to be
followed and the appointed place was called "Glwt y Ddawns", as it is
even to this day. She was considered a very moral woman, and, according to the
ideas of her time, very religious. This, together with her education and
dominating personality, caused some dread in people when she was around.
We
tend to believe that she may have been a friend of Gwilym Cynwal who was a
famous poet who lived near her. It is known that Gwilym was always arguing over
about poetry with Edmund Prys, who was Archdeacon of Meirionedd and translater
of the Psalms into Welsh. It is said that one of the poems (Cywyddau) of the
Archdeacon so much affected Gwilym's mind that it damaged his health and ended
in his death.
There
have been great changes in Wales since Angharad's time, in the price of land,
as in many other things. Angharad held the whole of Cwmpenamnen (presumably on
a lease). At some time the rates on the land were raised to two pounds a year,
and she set out to Gwydir to give the place up, believing it was too much to
pay to keep the 60 milking cows on the land; but she changed her mind and
turned back.
We
may be excused for saying so much about Angharad because it is likely that her
descendants inherited many of her strong characteristics, to the benefit of
Wales to this day.
We
know nothing particular about Richard Owen, Bertheos, his grandfather on his
mother's side, except he was thought in the neighbourhood to be a very wise
man, remarkably genial and kind and correct in his behaviour. He was never
overtly religious, but in his later years he prayed by himself and left a deep
impression on his children.
His
wife, Margaret, grandmother of the Rev John Jones was generally known as having
great good sense, more so than most of the folk of the parish and her whole
heart was dedicated to religion. Nobody had a single doubt about her godliness.
She was not only godly but very godly. She made great efforts to bring up her
children religiously and her efforts were rewarded to her own satisfaction. The
couple had nine children. William, their only son, died young, but their eight
daughters lived to marry and it can be said without hesitation that they were
all godly and died rejoicing in Jesus. We believe the reader will not find it
unacceptable if we make the following mention of some of them.
Gwen,
their eldest daughter, married John Jones, Llan, Dolwyddelen. She was the
mother of Elizabeth, who is still living, widow of the late Rev David Roberts,
Bangor, and so grandmother to the Rev Samuel Roberts, Bangor and to David
Roberts, minister with the independents, Pendref, Caernarfon. She (presumably
Elizabeth, but the author does not make it clear) was also grandmother to Mr.
John Williams, Dolyddelen, a very popular preacher with the Calvinists
(Trefnyddion Calvinaidd), who died some years back, a fairly young man.
Jane,
their daughter, was the mother of the late Rev Cadwaladr Owen, one whose name
is known and remembered fondly throughout Wales, and one, as a farmer of Lleyn
said of him, "A preacher of the best kind, of use to his country".
Margaret,
their daughter, was the wife of the wise and faithful old preacher, John
Williams, Dolwyddelen. We have no information about family connections of the
other daughters, apart from the mother of the subject of this book; but they
were all blessed with a host of children and there is no doubt that they all
inherited eternal life.
The
mother of Rev John Jones was born in 1762. Her parents, (Margaret and Richard
Owen, Bertheos) especially her mother, were careful to bring up their children
in the truths of the gospel and free from the base and ungodly practices which
were so general in almost every part of the country at that time. (What were
they? - probably to do with religious practices objectionable to the
non-conformists) Their efforts with her, as with the other children, were not
in vain. We do not know how long after her marriage she made a public
profession of faith, but it was some time before her husband (the author is
talking about Elin and her husband, John Jones, Tan y Castell). Soon after this
she started family worship and after some time her husband began to join in.
After her husband died and she was left with a large family she kept up the
regular worship morning and evening. Over the next few years the youngest
children began to help in every other service by going through it with their
mother; but she wholly failed to get her eldest son (John Jones, Talsarn) to take
part until he rejoined the church after breaking from it for a while, as we
will see later. She was convinced she should have got him to join in when he
was younger, so she persuaded the younger boys to take part when they were very
young. At this time there were many workers at the Dolwyddelen quarries and
many of them were thoughtless young men. Some of them were lodging at Tan y
Castell because it was closer to the work; but Elinor Jones kept up the family
worship in their presence without fail. She had such an influence on the wilder
young men that they neither said or did anything unseemly in her presence.
She
was blessed with beauty, a shapely figure, strong and healthy, with innate
mental abilities far above the normal and noteably decisive whenever she took
something on. She had a great knowledge of the scriptures and their meaning,
almost like a preacher, and her talents in prayer were remarkable. There are
many still living; not counting her children, to testify they seldom heard
anybody more impressive, serious and closer to the throne of grace than she.
Her talents were no less in conversation, especially in religious matters.
Hardly anything came up where she did not have an original thought and she was
never at a loss for the most suitable word, from her rich store, to convey her
meaning. Her religious beliefs did not cause her to neglect the world around
her; on the contrary she was very painstaking and careful over this. It is hard
to overestimate her efforts, after being left a widow, to raise her children
comfortably and to implant in them the ways of the Lord. She could frequently
be heard solemnly and earnestly praying for them in her room, which left a deep
and indelible impression on them. God heard her prayers; they were all to be seen
in church and all her sons were church officials, three of them fine ministers
of the New Testament.
One
remarkable story was told by a woman named Margaret Jones, who was for years in
the service of the Rev. John Williams, Dolyddelen. Elinor Jones once went to
Ty'n y Fron, the home of her sister Margaret, who was the wife of the Rev. John
Williams, when John Williams was not at home. This was early in the morning
when the family were finishing breakfast. Her sister asked her to take charge
of the family's morning worship; but she refused, saying she had already been
through the service with her own family and that they should have done it well
before this time. She had been unwell for some time, which at times caused her
to feel very dazed, dangerously so. She explained that her head was really so
bad she was afraid that if she kneeled she would be unable to get up again. But
they said if she wanted they would help to get up, and after a while she
agreed. And it was a remarkable occasion. The prayers had such an effect the
whole family fell to weeping and wailing and falling across the chairs
helplessly, so that they had no power to help her even if she needed it. This
occasion was always remembered by those present.
She
ended her days peacefully, fully expecting salvation, and with joy in the
presence and grace of the Saviour. Shortly before she died she said, "I
have nothing belonging to the world to leave you, my dear children; but the
Lord gives me confidence to make my last will on the treasures of the covenant
of grace, leaving to all of you the peace of God which passes all
understanding". And so she died, victoriously, January 10th 1846, 83 years
of age.
Although
the Rev. John Jones lost his father when still very young he remembered him
well and with fond memories. He wrote a fairly extensive memoir about him.
This, if it were still available would, no doubt, tell us much about his own
early days. We tend to believe, however, that like many other well-known
persons, he owed more to his mother than to his father, specially considering
his rise to fame in Wales and the strong and good influence she had on him.
She, as far as we can judge, had the stronger and more original mind, and the
abilities to influence him. This is only our opinion, however; the
recollections of his son Richard (Rev. John Jones' brother) suggest we cannot
be too confident of this.
John
Jones and Elinor had nine children, four sons and five daughters. The Rev. John
Jones was the fourth child and eldest son. His sisters were: Margaret, the
oldest, who emigrated with her family to America and died just after arriving
in Wisconsin; Catherine who also died in Wisconsin; Mary, still alive and in
Wisconsin; Gwen, who lived at Bryn-y-Pwll, Trefriw (in the Conwy valley) and
died there; and Jane his youngest sister, who was born between William and
David and is still alive, with the family in Wisconsin.
His
brothers were: Richard, who was for years an able and faithful deacon in
Dolyddelen, but went to America and died in Wisconsin; William, viz the Rev.
William Jones, formerly of Rhyd-ddu, Caernarfonshire, but now of Welsh Prairie,
Wisconsin; and David, the youngest, now the Rev. David Jones, Treborth,
Caernarfonshire, who is well known and popular throughout Wales, and we hope will
be with us for many more years.
We
know very little, and much less than we would like, about John Jones as a
child. It is hard not to believe there was something unusual and different in
him, compared with other children. Everybody who remembers him says he was
calm, quiet and shy, tending to be solitary, not talking much to strangers and
avoiding their company if possible. Mr. William Owen, Penbrynmawr, Llanllyfni
sent us the following report about him at that age: "I was at Talsarn and
remember his mother saying to me,
'
I'm sure I remember John, when he was a child, taking my hand after a prayer
meeting in Dolwyddelen. On the road he said to me,'
'Mom,
I'm afraid I won't ever be able to pray properly.'
'What
makes you think that, my boy', I said.
'Well
I heard them say in the meeting tonight that prayer must have to do with the
mind of God and if that is prayer I am afraid I have never prayer properly.'
'I
was very surprised that, with him being so young, he noticed such detail in
what they were dealing with, especially considering how thoughtless I had been
(at that age)'.
That
is what his mother said to me.
I
remember him sometimes on church visits, to encourage parents to take their
children to particular church meetings, saying:
'
When I was a young boy I had gone to a prayer meeting with my father in
Dolyddelen. An old lady we called Auntie Nanws came and sat on the bench and
said, 'Praise be, yes, yes, the Sacrifice was finally made. Much was it
foreseen; there were many things oppressing him; but on Calvary he sacrificed
himself faultlessly to God'. 'Yes praise be', said my uncle John Williams and
there were tears running down his cheeks. This made such an impression on me
that I never forgot it' ".
Such
stories as these confirm there was something unusually serious about him when
he was very young. Everybody remembers that he hardly tended to play like other
boys of his age. His brother, the Rev. William Jones, said that he and his
brother Richard thought he was not worth playing with. Dolwyddelen is a fairly
narrow and beautiful valley, lying between high mountains and with a strong
river running through which has many tributaries, especially between Penmachno
and Capel Curig, eventually forming the river Conwy and meeting the sea at
Aberconwy, some thirty miles from its source. This river runs through the
farmstead of Tan y Castell, his birth place, and he noticed it very often in
his childhood. Its waters turned wheels for machinery and gave drink for the
cattle and horses. He spent many hours on its banks trying to devise novel
machinery and would get great pleasure when successful. He was very fond of
Sunday school and when quite young he was taught for a time by the Rev. Mr.
Charles of Bala (famous trainer of preachers). But the thing he liked most was
preaching. At first his great obsession was imitating the Rev. John Williams,
who he thought was the best preacher on earth. He tried to imitate his face,
his voice, his shout, his cough - everything. Once, after preaching, he said
"B'u't (sic) aren't I just like my uncle? I am more like him than he is
himself".
************************************************************
Genealogical information from
'Cofiant John Jones, Talsarn' by Owen Thomas, pub 1872.
John
Jones, Talsarn (the famous preacher) was born 1796, parents John Jones and
Elinor of Tan-y-Castell. John Jones, Tan-y-Castell was born in 1759 and was the
youngest son of John William Lloyd, Tan-y-Castell who was the eldest son of
William Lloyd, Gorddunant (Gorddinen), Dolwyddelan and Catherine, the youngest
daughter of William Pritchard and Angharad James, Parlwr, Penamnen, Dolyddelen.
Elinor
was born in 1762 and was the youngest daughter of Richard Owen, Bertheos,
Dolwyddelan and his wife Margaret. Elinor died January 10th 1846, 83 years of
age.
Richard
Owen's wife, Margaret, was a daughter of Richard Isaac of Llanfrothen,
Meirionethshire, and Gwen his wife. Gwen was the eldest daughter of William
Prichard and Angharad James, Parlwr, Penamnen, Dolyddelen.
William
Prichard was sixty years old on the day of his marriage to Angharad James; she
had her twentieth birthday on that day. She was the daughter of James Davies
and Angharad Humphreys who were living in Gelli Ffrydau, in the parish of
Llandwrog, Caernarfonshire around 1680.
Children
of Richard Owen, Bertheos, Dolwyddelan and his wife Margaret (siblings of
Elinor):
Gwen,
was the eldest daughter, and married John Jones, Llan, Dolyddwelan. She was the
mother of Elizabeth, widow of the late Rev David Roberts, Bangor, and so
grandmother (presumably Gwen) to the Rev Samuel Roberts, Bangor and to David
Roberts, minister with the independents, Pendref, Caernarfon. She (presumably
Gwen, but the author does not make it clear) was also grandmother to Mr John
Williams, Dolwyddelen, a very popular preacher with the Calvinists (Trefnyddion
Calvinaidd), who died a fairly young man.
Jane,
who was the mother of the late Rev Cadwaladr Owen.
Margaret,
who was the wife of the preacher, Rev. John Williams, Dolwyddelan. They lived
at Ty'n y Fron, at least for a time. Rev John Williams had a brother, Robert
Williams.
John
Jones and Elinor had nine children, four sons and five daughters. The Rev. John
Jones was the fourth child and eldest son.
Rev
John Jones' sisters were: Margaret, the oldest, who emmigrated with her family
to America and died just after arriving in Wisconsin; Catherine who also died
in Wisconsin; Mary, still alive and in Wisconsin (in 1872);Gwen, who lived at
Bryn-y-Pwll, Trefriw (in the Conwy valley) and died there; and Jane his
youngest sister, who was born between William and David and is still alive
(1872), with the family in Wisconsin.
His
brothers were: Richard, who was for years an able and faithful deacon in
Dolwyddelen, but went to America and died in Wisconsin; William, viz the Rev.
William Jones, formerly of Rhyd-ddu, Caernarfonshire, but now of Welsh Prairie,
Wisconsin; and the Rev. David Jones, Treborth, Caernarfonshire, the youngest.
Info
from second chapter on:
In
1818 Rev John Jones' sister Mary had recently married and was living at a
farmhouse called Cammaes, Llangernyw, near Llanrwst. (page 57)
1818
- Cadwaladr Owen, (John Jones' cousin), had a brother called William Owen. (p
63)
1819/21
- One Owen Lloyd was at Gorddinen. (p 75)
1821
- Azariah Zadrach (p 94)
John
Jones married Frances Edwards 14 May 1823, parish church Llanllyfni. (p 104)