John Davies

The Reverend John Davies (5 March 1804 – 16 December 1884) was a Welsh Congregational Minister, writer, linguist and poet. One source has Davies' date of death listed as 10 December 1884, separately noting that it was his funeral service that was conducted on 16 December 1884.

Davies, son of David and Mary, was born at Bwlch-yr-helygen, Cardiganshire. His parents relocated shortly after his birth to a nearby farm called Castell-y-geifr (The castle of the goats), Powys, Wales. Davies died in 1884 at the age of 81, leaving his vast collection of personal essays and poetry with the Congregational Minister and Historian - John Lloyd James (Clwydwenfro), one of Davies' former pupils.

Education

Davies' father had an above-average education, and was Davies's first teacher. Davies entered formal education at age 7, enrolling at the school at Neuaddlwyd near Aberayron. His education at Neuaddlwyd was largely religious, with the school being primarily aimed toward producing preachers and ministers, rather than academic scholars. Davies's teacher was the school's headmaster, the Congregational minister Thomas Phillips (1772 - 1842). Davies was here when the first Welsh missionaries left Wales for Madagascar, namely, David Jones and Thomas Bevan, who Davies later regarded as ministerial colleagues. Despite this, he remained at Glandwr until 1863. Upon leaving Glandwr after 35 years of service, Davies transferred to Moreiah (Moreia Welsh Independent) church, where he remained until he died. He served as chairman of the Union of Welsh Independents from 1873.

Personal life

Davies married Phoebe Griffiths (granddaughter of John Griffiths) on 22 July 1833. Phoebe fell ill and died on 16 September 1844. They had four children, all of whom died early. First was his youngest child, David, who died aged five on 4 October 1848. He was fatally wounded by a falling stone after climbing through a gap in a cobblestone wall. He was buried at Moriah.

Elizabeth Davies died on 20 February 1859, at the age of 19. She suffered from a burst blood vessel during a severe cold, and later died following a short illness. Like her brother David, she was also buried at Moriah.

Mary Anne Davies died shortly after giving birth to her first child on 10 January 1860, at the age of 26. She was buried at Penycae, near Llanarth. Mary Anne left behind her baby boy, named David Jones, who was then cared for by an aunt and uncle at Wern Mill.

Davies lost his last child, John Griffith Davies, on 14 March 1861, aged 25 years. He was blown from the mast-head of the ship Hibernia, after passing the Liverpool lightship. Despite a long search, his body was never found. The Hibernia was travelling from Liverpool to New Brunswick.

Publications

His published works include poems, songs, scriptural translations and Welsh literary essays. His better known work, "Notes on the Minor Prophets (Y Proffwydi Byrion )" was an original translation into Welsh from Hebrew (with marginal Latin), Syriac and Greek readings. The translation is considered to be his greatest feat; the result of forty years of research and labour. Davies' other papers include translations - Llyfr Coheleth and Llyfr Hosea; Lectures on St. Peter's Epistles, Horae Petrinae (Darlithau ar epistolau Pedr), and a collection of his own original verse and poetry - Flores Poeticae (casgliad o'i farddoniaeth).

Publications include:

Cyfieithiad o'r Testament Newydd, MSS Llethi Afonig Llanarth, Castell Newydd Emlyn : J.R Davies, 1868 34 t. Flores Poetici (casgliad o'i farddoniaeth), n.d. Horae Petrinae (Darlithau ar epistolau Pedr) n.d. Penillion ar glywed y Fronfraith yn canu gerllaw. Chef. 2, 1865, Aberteifi : D.W. Thomas, Argraffydd. 4 t. Proffwyd Byrion 1881 (o'r Hebraeg). Cyf. Gan John Davies, Llandeilo : D.W.a G. Jones, 1881 vi, 219 t. Purdeb y weinidogaeth, h.d.

Publications about John Davies:

Davies, Ben: Sion Gymro, Gomer, (1938). 106 t. Rees, T.M: Notable Welshmen 1700 - 1900 (1908). Eminent Welshmen, A Short Biographical Dictionary of Welshmen who Have Attained Distinction from the Earliest Times to the Present (1852).

Davies' personal letters have been used to show how instances of Welsh evolved over time and potentially influenced the English language.

The Davies Manuscripts

The National Library of Wales houses the Davies collection, comprising over 70 items of personal correspondence, essays, diaries, sermons, translations of segments of the New Testament, with commentaries, poetry, lectures, almanacs, and miscellaneous papers. In addition to the Davies collection is the Album of 'Clwydwenfro', assembled by one of Davies' pupils and admirers, the Reverend John Lloyd James (Clwydwenfro). The album contains hundreds of items pertaining to the life and death of John Davies, the majority of which are letters, books, proposals, church records, sermons, poetry and music. The collection was provided to the National Library of Wales by Mr J. Davies Jones, Beulah, Cardiganshire, a descendant of John Davies, in 1933.

Pseudonyms in publications

Davies used a number of pseudonyms in his writings. His best-known pseudonym was Shôn Gymro (or Siôn), which translates in Welsh to "John Welshman", a typically generic name for what may be deemed to be a hypothetical and average, male Welshman. Other names used in his writings were Castellanus (sometimes believed spelled Castellamis), often used with his English correspondence, and Shôn Llethi (or Siôn), Davies' pseudonyms were revealed publicly long after his death in a newspaper article submitted by his friend and student, John Lloyd James (Clwydwenfro).