DAVIES
,
RACHEL
(
Rahel o Fôn
;
1846
-
1915
),
lecturer and preacher
;
b. in
Anglesey (?)
, daughter of
William Cox
Paynter
, of the parish of
Llanfihangel-y-pennant, Caerns.
, and his wife
Jane Mary
(
Williams
)
,
Cae Eithin Tew
,
Cwmystradllyn, Caerns.
(Some of the forebears of her father had been
customs officers
at
Minffordd
and
Llanfrothen
,
Merioneth
, and at
Portmadoc, Caerns.
) When she was young she lived for a time at
Brynsiencyn
,
Anglesey
. She began to
preach
with the
Baptists
. About the year
1865
she came into some prominence as a
public lecturer
in various parts of
Wales
on the subject of religious unbelief; she also caused concern among some
Baptists
because she, a woman, preached from their pulpits. Shortly after
1866
she emigrated to the
U.S.A.
, and whilst she lived in
Ixonia
she joined the
Calvinistic Methodist connexion
(
Blackwell
says ‘the
Independents
’). She
preached
often in various places in the state of
Ohio
c.
1871
. She returned to
Wales
for a period and lived at
Dwyran
,
Anglesey
; at this time she gave some assistance to
David
Lloyd George
in his electoral campaign. She m., in the
U.S.A.
,
Edward
Davies
, a native of
Cardiganshire
; and d.
29 Nov. 1915
.
Sources:
-
Information [from her son
Joseph E. Davies
and] from papers belonging to the writer;
- parish registers of Llanfrothen and Llanfihangel-y-pennant;
-
Dros Gyfanfor a Chyfandir sef hanes taith o
Gymru at lanau y Mor Tawelog ac yn ol trwy brif dalaethau a
thiriogaethau yr Undeb Americanaidd
(Aberystwyth,
1883)
, 69;
-
'Dictionary of Welsh Biography.' 27
vols., N.L.W. MSS. 9251–77
;
-
Yr Herald Cymraeg (a'r Genedl)
,
1865-6
;
-
The Druid
,
15 Dec. 1915
.
Author:
Robert (Bob) Owen, O.B.E., M.A., (1885-1962), Croesor
