EVANS
,
ARTHUR
(
1755
-
1837
),
Calvinistic Methodist minister
;
b. at
Felindre
,
Penboyr, Carms.
,
2 Sept. 1755
, son of
Thomas
Evans
. Left an orphan, he was brought up as a
weaver
by an uncle. In
1773
he joined the
C.M. society
then held at
Gwern-yr-hafod
and later at
Conwil
. Intending to take orders, he went to
Carmarthen Academy
, but failed to obtain orders. In
1782
he began
preaching
, and about the same time m. (he had four children). After
keeping school
at
Conwil
, he took a farm called
Waun-lwyd
, where he lived for twenty-seven years. He was one of the thirteen ordinands at the
Llandilo association
of
1811
. He d.
20 April 1837
. He was not a notable
preacher
, but he had great
administrative gifts
, and was
secretary of his county ‘monthly meeting’
for twenty-five years. A hymn of his, ‘
Dyro afael ar y bywyd
,’ is very well known.
Sources:
-
Y Gwyddoniadur Cymreig
(1889-96)
(2nd ed.), x, 570-4 (an expansion of an article in
Y Drysorfa
,
Jan. 1839
);
-
J. Thickens
,
Emynau a'u Hawduriaid
(1945)
,
1945
.
Author:
Emeritus Professor Robert Thomas Jenkins, C.B.E., D.Litt., Ll.D.,
F.S.A., (1881-1969), Bangor
