Elias Owen

Rev. Elias Owen MA, F.S.A. (2 December 1833 – 19 May 1899) was a Welsh cleric and antiquarian whose works include The Old Stone Crosses of the Vale of Clwyd, 1886 and Welsh Folk-Lore, 1896.

Family Owen was born in Montgomeryshire, probably in the village of Llandysilio, the third child and eldest son of James Owen (ca.1806–1886) and Susannah Morgan (1805–1868). His father was a farmer and one of the first 12 constables in the Montgomeryshire Constabulary. They had 13 children: Edwin James Owen (1859–1928), who became the vicar at Brithdir, near Dolgelly, Merionethshire. William Pierce Owen (1860–1937), who played international football for Wales, making 12 appearances and scoring six goals. He later became a solicitor in Aberystwyth. Elias Owen (1863–1888), who was the Welsh goalkeeper for three matches in 1884. He took his own life, aged 25. Thomas Edward Owen (1865–1932), who became the vicar at Aberdaron, Caernarvonshire and then Blaenau Ffestiniog, Merionethshire. Mary Owen (1866–NK), who emigrated to Australia or New Zealand. Susan Ellen Owen (1868–1940), who married William Greengrass who became headmaster at a school in Shoreditch, London. Margaret Ellen Owen (1870–1924), who married John James Jones who became curate at Pwllheli and then at St. Mary's, Bangor, Caernarvonshire. Lizzie Owen (1872–NK), who married Edward Wilde, a farmer of Westbury, Shropshire. Myfanwy Owen (1877–1967), who married Albert Moss, a Cunard ship's steward. Gwen Lily Owen (1879–1969), who married David Williams, a merchant who later operated a bus and coach company in Bethesda, Caernarvonshire. Sarah Louisa Owen (1881–1975), who married Arthur Harris, who was employed by the electricity board in Coventry. Enid Owen (1882–NK), about whom little is known. John Lowry Morgan Owen (1884–NK), who emigrated to Chile as a missionary.

Education

By the time he was six years old, the Owen family had settled in Llanidloes, about 35 miles south-west of Llandysilio. He attended the National School at Llanidloes, becoming a pupil-teacher; his occupation was given as such in the 1851 census, when he was aged 17 and living with his parents at Club Buildings, Lower Green, Llanidloes. At this time, students were not required to attend lectures at the college and needed only to sit the end of term examinations; such students became known as "steamboat men".

Owen lived at Llanllechid from the mid-1850s until 1871; during this time, he first developed his interest in antiquarian research. Together with the local vicar, John Evans, he explored the local mountains and mapped a Roman encampment on Moel Faban, on the lower slopes of Foel-fras. He subsequently created a map of the whole parish which was published in 1866 in the North Wales Chronicle and later, in a more elaborate form, in Archaeologia Cambrensis. In 2005, researchers from the nearby Moelyci Environmental Centre made use of Owen's map during investigations into local hill-fort sites. From 1871 until 1875, he was curate at St. Gwynnog's church, Llanwnnog, near Caersws. Hughes was buried in St. Gwynnog graveyard in 1887. but continued to be an inspector, before giving up both roles in 1892 when he became vicar of Llanyblodwel, in Shropshire. According to The North Wales Chronicle:Both addresses pay a touching tribute to the sincerity with which Mr. Owen carried out his work, and speak of the esteem in which he was held. . . Mr. Owen as an antiquary and author enjoyed an extensive and well-deserved reputation. Owen oversaw the addition of half an acre to the churchyard on land donated by the Earl of Bradford. He also enlarged the school at Porth-y-waen by converting the schoolmaster's house into an extra classroom.

Welsh Folk-Lore During his years as a school inspector, Owen travelled throughout the diocese visiting and inspecting schools. As explained in the preface to Welsh Folk-Lore:It was his custom, after the labour of school inspection was over, to ask the clergy with whom he was staying to accompany him to the most aged inhabitants of their parish. This they willingly did, and often in the dark winter evenings, lantern in hand, they sallied forth on their journey, and in this way a rich deposit of traditions and superstitions was struck and rescued from oblivion.

In this way he collected a vast amount of material which he was able to supplement with material supplied by his brother Elijah, who was a vicar in Anglesey, and several other churchmen.

In 1886, he published his major single volume work, The Old Stone Crosses of the Vale of Clwyd. In the preface, Owen explained the background to his works:Wales teems with folklore of great variety and interest, and in the grave of the aged, as one after the other leave us, is buried for ever some tale of by-gone days, which we wish had been retained. The writer hopes that he has rescued a few of these tales from oblivion.

Owen also edited The Works of the Rev. Griffith Edwards published in 1895. Edwards (also known as "Gutyn Padarn") was a fellow graduate of Trinity College, Dublin who became curate at Minera, Denbighshire and then rector of Llangadfan, Montgomeryshire. His literary works included poetry in Welsh and English and numerous articles in periodicals.

He was also elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London.

Death Owen died on 19 May 1899, aged 65; he was at work in his smoking room at Llanyblodwel on The Holy Wells of North Wales when he collapsed; by the time a doctor had arrived, he had died without regaining consciousness. At the inquest, the cause of death was found to be a cerebral haemorrhage, or "apoplexy", probably a stroke.

Owen is commemorated in the church of St. Michael the Archangel at Llanyblodwel with a stained glass window of the Good Shepherd and St Michael; underneath the window is a brass plaque with the inscription:To the glory of God and in memory of Elias Owen MA, FSA, vicar of this parish 1892–98, Diocesan Inspector of Schools 1876–1892, author of The Old Stone Crosses of the Vale of Clwyd and Welsh Folk Lore &c. This window and tablet are dedicated by his many friends in this diocese. His gravestone bears the inscription: "We all do fade as a leaf".(Isaiah 64:6)