GRIFFITH, JOHN THOMAS (1845-1917), Baptist minister in the U.S.A. and Wales ;
b. 1 Jan. 1845 at Pen-y-parc in the Vale of Glamorgan. He was baptized 20 May 1859 at Pisgah, Pyle. He was at Mountain Ash in 1862. He was m. in Jan. 1865; he also started to preach that year. He emigrated to Scranton, U.S.A., and worked in a coal mine. Ordained by the Welsh community at Newburg, Cleveland, he subsequently served twenty churches. He was twice married. He returned from Edwardsville to Wales in 1908, had charge of an English church at Maerdy, Rhondda, for a time, and then retired to Kenfig Hill; there he founded an English cause. He was at Thomastown, Tonyrefail, from Sept. 1912 until Nov. 1913. He visited America in 1914 and after his return lived at Maes-teg where he was a church member at Bethania until his death on 19 June 1917.
Griffith lectured frequently on historical matters relating to the Baptist denomination. He translated Hanes y Bedyddwyr by James Spinther James (q.v.) into English (presenting his translation to Crozer College, U.S.A.), and published a life of Morgan John Rhys (q.v.) — in English, 1899, and in Welsh, 1910, a history of the Baptists at Pen-y-fai, Glam., 1916; Reminiscences, 1913 (concerned mainly with his life in America from April 1865 until April 1908); Brief Biographical Sketches of Welsh Ministers in Pennsylvania, 1904; and a History of the first Baptist Church of Wilkesbarre and Scranton, 1905.
Bibliography:
- Ser. G., Jan. 1918;
- J. T. Griffith, Reminiscences.
Author:
Rev. William Joseph Rhys, (1880-1967), Gelli, Rhondda / Treherbert
