WILLIAMS
,
JOHN
(
Ioan ap Ioan
;
1800
-
1871
),
Baptist minister and author
;
b. at
Trwyn-swch
,
Llanddoged, Denbs.
,
1800
, son of
John
and
Jane
Williams
. He was baptized at
Llanrwst
, where his mother was a member, and started to
preach
at the age of 25 at
Cefnbychan
, where he
kept school
. He was a student at
Abergavenny
,
1828-31
, and although he spent some months on probation at
Penrhyn-coch
, it was from
Aberduar
that he received his first and only ‘call.’ He was ordained
29-30 Nov. 1831
and remained there till his death,
31 Dec. 1871
. He m. at
Aberduar
13 Aug. 1841
,
Eleanor
Hughes
, daughter of
D.
Hughes
,
Glandyforiog
,
Llanybydder
, who bore him two sons and four daughters. He was buried at
Aberduar
. His ministry was prosperous, the chapel at
Aberduar
being extended as early as
1834
, and as a
preacher
he became famous for his eloquence and his original sayings, but he is best remembered to-day as a
poet
and
biographer
. He published (1)
Lloffyn y Prydydd
,
1839
, a volume of poetry, in both strict and free metres, on Biblical, social, and local subjects and including a number of elegies; (2)
Cofiant … Dafydd Saunders, Merthyr
,
1842
; (3)
Cofiant y Parch. John Jones, Llandyssil
,
1859
; and (4) a biography of
Benjamin
Thomas
,
Baptist minister
,
Penrhiw-goch
, in
Seren Gomer
,
1860
. His own biography by
J.
Davies
,
Llandysul
, was published in
1874
.
Bibliography:
-
J. Davies
,
Cofiant John Williams (I. Ab Ioan),
Aberduar
, Carmarthen, 1874
,
1874
;
-
Seren Gomer
,
1840
, 341;
1841
, 286;
1860
, 97;
-
Greal y Bedyddwyr
, 1827–37
,
1832
, 56;
-
Seren Cymru
,
5 and 12 Jan. 1872
;
-
Hanes y Bedyddwyr yn Neheubarth Cymru
,
1839
, 334;
-
Baptist Handbook
,
1873
;
-
Williams
,
Hanes Athrofeydd y Bedyddwyr yn Sir Fynwy yn
nghyd â byr grybwylliad am athrofeydd Hwlffordd a
Llangollen
, Aberdâr, 1863
, 35;
-
Y Geninen
,
1896
. 219.
Author:
Benjamin George Owens, M.A., Aberystwyth
