MORGAN
,
ROBERT
(
1621
-
1710
),
Baptist minister
,
of
Llandeilo-tal-y-bont
(
Pontardulais
); b.
1621
. He attended the so-called general meetings of the
Welsh Baptist churches
in
1653-4
as a representative of
Carmarthen
, and signed the proceedings, but it is not certain that he was
minister
there. The church at
Carmarthen
did not survive the persecution of the
Restoration
period, and he became
co-pastor
with
Lewis
Thomas
(d.
1704
) (q.v.)
,
The Moor
, at
Ilston
, generally supervising the activities of the western branch, on both banks of the
Loughor
, and particularly in the
Llangennech
and
Llannon
area where he remained until his death. He took out three preaching licences in respect of houses there in
1672
, and his name appears, with that of his son
David
of
Llynllwchwr
and others, in a presentment in the
Great Sessions
at
Cardiff
in
1684
of persons who had absented themselves from the parish churches of the hundreds of
Swansea
and
Llangyfelach
. He was a representative at the well-known
Baptist Association
in
London
in
1689
. The date of his death is not known, but he was buried at
Llandeilo-tal-y-bont
on the
5 April 1710
. He
kept a school
for a while at his home, and he is reputed to have been a
poet
. Six children were born to him, among them being
David
;
John
, who d. at the very beginning of his ministry at
Warwick
,
12 May 1703
,
aged 24;
Hannah
, wife of
Arthur
Melchior
, who is included with her husband and others in a letter of dismission from
Swansea
to
Pennsylvania
in
1710
; and
Robert
(or
Morgan
)
who is said to have been a
schoolmaster
at
Horsley Down
,
London
.
Bibliography:
-
Hanes y Bedyddwyr ymhlith y Cymry
(
1885
ed.), 101-3, 107, 111-4, 178;
-
Trafodion Cymdeithas Hanes Bedyddwyr
Cymru
.,
1912-3
(7-8),
1916-9
(57);
-
A History of Carmarthenshire
, 2 vols.,
1935–9
, ii,
1939
, 149-50, 173-4;
-
N.L.W.
Penrice and Margam Manuscript at the National
Library of Wales
6029;
-
Hanes y Bedyddwyr yn Nghymru
,
1893–1907
, ii, 460-1;
-
Geiriadur Bywgraffyddol o Enwogion
Cymru
, ii, 293-4.
Author:
Benjamin George Owens, M.A., Aberystwyth
