GRIFFITH, WILLIAM (1719-1782), farmer
of Drws-y-coed Uchaf, at the head of Nantlle Vale, from 1744 till his death; known to Goronwy Owen (q.v.), to Margaret Davies, of Coedcae-du (q.v.), and to David Thomas (Dafydd Ddu Eryri, q.v.) as a man of literary tastes, is also noteworthy because his house was the centre of the Moravian mission in Northwest Wales from 1768 to 1776 — see under David Williams (1702-1779), David Mathias, and John Morgan (1743-1801). This was due less directly to Griffith than to his wife ALICE (1730-1808), daughter of Rhys Ellis of Tyddyn Mawr, Llanfihangel-y-Pennant, Caerns. (another literary family), whom he m. 16 Nov. 1753. Griffith d. 20 April 1782; his widow d. 6 March 1808; both were buried at Beddgelert. They had a son (who emigrated to U.S.A.) and eight daughters; five of these became active Moravian workers at Dublin or at Bristol, while another was the mother of Alicia Evans, who m. William Griffith of Holyhead (1801-1881) (q.v.). William Griffith of Drws-y-coed had asister, Jane, whose daughter Janet m. John Griffith (1752-1818) (q.v.) — William Griffith of Holyhead and his wife Alicia (parents of Sir John Purser Griffith (q.v.)) were thus second cousins. Alice Griffith of Drws-y-coed, again, had a sister, Margaret (Price), of Glyn, Talsarnau, one of whose daughters became a Moravian worker at Dublin, Bristol, Bedford, and London.
Bibliography:
- Cymm., xlv, 1938, and references therein.
Author:
Emeritus Professor Robert Thomas Jenkins, C.B.E., D.Litt., Ll.D., F.S.A., (1881-1969), Bangor.
