PETER, DAVID (1765-1837), Congregational minister and academy principal;
b. 5 Aug. 1765 at Aberystwyth. He was educated at Troed-y-rhiw and Castellhywel schools, Cards. Under the influence of Benjamin Evans (q.v.), Tre-wen, he leaned towards Congregationalism. He became a member at Penrhiwgaled, was at Carmarthen Academy (at Rhyd-y-gors) in 1783, and kept school in S. Ismael's, Pembrokeshire — in 1783. He decided to join the Congregational ministry and began to preach at Penrhiwgaled. He became an assistant tutorat Swansea Academy under William Howell (q.v.) in 1789, received a call from Lammas Street (Carmarthen) church, 9 Dec. 1791, and was ordained there 8 June 1792; among those who signed the call were Sarah Lewis, who afterwards became his wife, and John Ross (q.v.), the well-known Carmarthen printer and publisher. He was senior tutor of the Presbyterian Academy from 1795 to 1835. His first task at Lammas Street was to institute the Congregational system there; the church soon became one of the largest Congregational churches and the chapel was enlarged twice — in 1802 and 1806. Although he did not possess the eloquence of the popular preacher he was esteemed a substantial, practical, and evangelical preacher, and he stood in the first rank of the leaders of various movements in his time. His Hanes Crefydd yng Nghymru remained for a long time the main source-book for the history of religion in Wales. He d. 4 May 1837.
Bibliography:
- Hanes Eglwys Heol Awst;
- W. H. Lewis, Memoirs of … David Peter.
Author:
Rev. John Dyfnallt Owen, M.A., (1873-1956), Aberystwyth
