OWEN, THOMAS ELLIS (1764-1814), cleric;
b. at Conway 5 Dec. 1764, but not christened till 25 March 1765; son of William Owen, draper and tax-collector, and his wife Elizabeth Ellis of Glan-y-wern, Mochdre, daughter of John Ellis, a lawyer. He went up from Westminster School in 1785 to Christ Church, Oxford, graduating in 1789. In 1790 he was given the college living of South Stoke, Oxon., but on 10 Dec. 1794 became rector of Llandyfrydog with Llanfihangel-tre'r-beirdd, Anglesey; from the end of 1812 he was also perpetual curate of Penmynydd — he lived at Beaumaris. He d. 1 Dec. 1814, and was buried at Llanfair-is-gaer, where there is a tablet in his memory. He is best known as the author of two anti-Methodist pamphlets, Hints to Heads of Families, 1801 (two ed., a 3rd in 1802), and Methodism Unmasked (etc.), 1802; the former drew a retort, The Welsh Methodists Vindicated, 1802, from Thomas Charles and Thomas Jones, and a furious attack in verse, ‘Can ar Berson Paris’ (Llandyfrydog is near Parys Montain) from Thomas Edwards (Twm o'r Nant, q.v.), 1802.
Bibliography:
- Bangor MS. 6455 at U.C.N.W.;
- D. E. Jenkins, Life of Thomas Charles, ii, 391, and chapter 38;
- id., introduction to his 1905 reprint of the Hints.
Author:
Emeritus Professor Robert Thomas Jenkins, C.B.E., D.Litt., Ll.D., F.S.A., (1881-1969), Bangor.
