Abel Morgan

Abel Morgan (1673 – 16 December 1722) was a Welsh Baptist minister, best known for the posthumously published work Cyd-goriad Egwyddorawl o'r Scrythurau (English: The Joint Principles of the Scriptures) the First Biblical concordance to be written in the Welsh language and the second Welsh book printed in British America.

Early life Morgan was born at Allt-goch in Cwrtnewydd, in the parish of Llanwenog, Cardiganshire in 1673. The son of Morgan Rhydderch, deacon at Rhydwilym, Morgan moved to Abergavenny at an early age to become a member of Llanwenarth's Baptist church. His career as a preacher began in 1692 and he was ordained in Blaenau Gwent in 1700, having received a call to preach in the region, c. 1696.

Later life and death In 1716, Morgan translated a formal confession of faith that had been signed by the Welsh Tract Church's congregants concerning official Baptist doctrine and practices.

Personal life and family Morgan was married three times during his life. His first wife, Priscilla Powell, and their son died during his initial voyage to North America, though their daughter survived. He later remarried Martha Burrows, and after her death married Judith Gooding née Griffiths, the widowed daughter of Thomas Griffiths (1645–1725), who had served as the first pastor for the Welsh Tract Baptist Church for twenty-five years. Morgan fathered three sons and one daughter from Gooding. Hanes y Bedyddwyr ymhlith y Cymry, 1885, pp. 355–356. Hanes y Bedyddwyr yn Nghymru, 1893-1907, Volume III, p. 108. National Library of Wales Journal, Volume II, pp. 116–117. National Library of Wales Journal, Volume III, pp. 19–22. National Library of Wales, NLW MS 9258 National Library of Wales, NLW MS 9267 Rhydwilym church register (access from the National Library of Wales) 'Y Cenhadwr Americanaidd sef cylchgrawn gwybodaeth fuddiol a dyddorawl i Gymry America,' The American Messenger, 1880 (New York: Utica, 1840-1901), pp. 325–325.