BEVAN
,
THOMAS
(
1796?
-
1819
),
missionary in the service of the London Missionary Society
;
b. in the neighbourhood of
Neuadd-lwyd, Cards.
,
about 1796
. He came from a religious home, and at the age of 8 was already a reader of the
Bible
. He experienced conversion near
Nantgwynfynydd farm
, and on
19 Nov. 1810
became a church member at
Neuadd-lwyd
. There,
Thomas
Phillips
(
1772
-
1842
) (q.v.)
, who was the
minister
, encouraged him to begin
preaching
. He then went to
Phillips's school
at
Pen-y-banc
and later to colleges at
Newtown
and at
Gosport
. It was now decided that he and
Stephen
Laidler
should go to
Madagascar
. He was ordained at
Neuadd-lwyd
,
20-1 Aug. 1817
, and m.
Mary
Jones
(
née
Jacob
)
of
Pen-yr-allt Wen
in the same district. They sailed for
Madagascar
9 Feb.
, arriving in
Mauritius
3 July 1818
. Five weeks later
Bevan
embarked again, and landed at
Tamatave
,
Madagascar
,
18 Aug. 1818
. Here he
started a school
with ten children. He went back to
Mauritius
to fetch his family, returning on
6 Jan. 1819
. Tragedy followed. His child d.
20 Jan.
, he himself
31 Jan.
, and his wife
3 Feb. 1819
. They are buried in
Tamatave
cemetery.
Bibliography:
-
London Missionary Society,
, 57, 58;
-
, iv, 104;
-
G. Penar Griffith
,
, 34-6;
-
E. Lewis Evans
,
, 64-9, 95.
Author:
