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, Register of Missionaries, 57, 58;
- H.E.A.C., iv, 104;
- G. Penar Griffith, Cenhadon Cymreig, 34-6;
- E. Lewis Evans, Cymru a'r Gymdeithas Genhadol, 64-9, 95.
Author:
Rev. Dr. Evan Lewis Evans, D.Th., (1898-1978), Pontardulais / Swansea
