JONES
,
DAVID
(
c.
1630
-
1704?
), early
Cardiganshire
Puritan
.
His parents, and the time and place of his birth, are not known.
Samuel
Palmer
states that he was born in
Cardiganshire
, that he was well educated, a man of good learning, a plain and successful
preacher
, ordained by
Presbyters
. ‘When he was ejected, he maintained himself and his family by
keeping a grammar-school
,
preaching
as he had opportunity, for which he was several times in trouble. He died of a
consumption
, with a joyful hope, and steady trust in God.’ That is the earliest biography of him. He is chiefly associated with the parishes of
Cellan, Cards.
, and
Pencarreg, Carms.
He is believed by some to have been the
David
Jones
who matriculated from
Christ Church
,
Oxford
,
10 Nov. 1654
, but that record may just as easily concern others of the same name (particularly
David
Jones
,
vicar
of
Llangeler
,
1661-1680
). He was approved to the vicarage of
Llanbadarn-fawr
in
1658
and ejected in
1662
. His domicile at
Coedmor
,
Pencarreg
, was sufficiently long for that place to become attached to his name. He secured a general licence to
preach
,
28 Oct. 1672
.
Henry
Maurice
, in his list of
1675
, records him as the only
minister of the ‘Cardiganshire church.’
Howel
Harris
, writing at
Llangeitho
,
28 March 1743
, says that he had ‘
much sweetness in hearing a farewell sermon of one
David
Jones
,
1691
, being turned out for preaching ye Truth
.’ The date cannot refer to his ejection, but it is possible that he ceased to
preach
to the northern branches of the
Cilgwyn church
in
1691
. The lost
Cilgwyn Church
Book resumed its record after a break of thirty-three years in
1692
and his name is entered first, with
David
Edwards
(q.v.)
as his
co-pastor
in that church
between 1692 and 1698
. It is probable that
David
Edwards
had charge chiefly of
Llwynrhys
,
Cae'r Onnen
, and
Abermeurig
. From
1691 to 1693
David
Jones
received £4 a year
from the ‘
Happy Union’ Fund
, and it would appear from the review then made that he was living in the parish of
Cellan
. The word ‘dead’ is entered opposite his name, but he was alive in
1700
when
David Evan
Rhydderch
nominated him, as his friend ‘
David
Jones
of
Coedmor
,’ overseer of his will. According to
Evan
Lewis
(
1788
-
1864
) (q.v. in Appendix)
, who wrote an account of the
Cilgwyn church
about
1864
, with the old register in front of him, there was a record of his activities there until
1704
. Tradition places his death in
1700
. He m.
Deborah
, daughter of
Ieuan Gwyn
Vaughan
of
Moelifor
,
Llanrhystyd
, and widow of
Ernestus
Musgrave
of
Llanina
. They had one daughter,
Anne
, wife of
Philip
Pugh
of
Hendre
,
Blaenpennal
(d.
1687
);
Philip
Pugh
(
1679
-
1760
) (q.v.)
, another of the
Cilgwyn
ministers
, was therefore
David
Jones
's grandson.
Bibliography:
-
S. Palmer
,
The Nonconformist Memorial; being an Account
of the Lives…and Printed Books of the two thousand
Ministers ejected…
, 1802–3
;
-
Griffith Jones (Glan Menai)
,
Enwogion Sir Aberteifi
, 1868
;
-
Hanes Eglwysi Annibynnol Cymru
, iv, 85;
-
West Wales Historical Records
,
1910–29
, ii;
-
William Dillwyn
, ‘Geneal. Mem.’;
-
Cylchgrawn Cymdeithas Hanes y Methodistiaid
Calfinaidd
, xxx, 101;
-
T. Richards
,
Wales under the Penal Code, 1662-1687
,
1925
;
-
National Library of Wales
Manuscripts
2170, 5470;
-
Reference is made to two editions, by E. B.
Underhill, 1847, and Nathaniel Haycroft, 1865. Reference is
also made to Addenda B (pp. 511–9 in 1847 ed)
, 512;
-
Turner
,
Original Records of Nonconformity under
Persecution and Indulgence
, 1911
(where D. J. of Llandysilio, D.J. of Llanddewi-brefi, and D.J. of Dudley, are confused with him);
-
Y Cofiadur
, xiv.
Author:
Evan David Jones, F.S.A., (1903-87), Aberystwyth
