Meudwy Môn Manuscripts

Scope and Content

Casgliad o bapurau'r Parchedig Owen Jones (Meudwy Môn, 1806-1889). Mae'n cynnwys dyddiaduron; nifer o gyfrolau o bregethau; nodiadau ar areithiau ar amryw bynciau; a nodiadau ar hynafiaethau Sir Gaernarfon a Fflint; cyfrifon yn ymwneud â chyhoeddiadau a gwerthiant llyfrau Owen Jones a chyfrol o gywyddau.

A collection of 13 items of the Rev. Owen Jones ('Meudwy Mon'; 1806-1889). They include personal diaries for the years 1860, 1872 and 1879; several volumes of sermon notes; a volume containing addresses on various subjects and notes on antiquities of localities in Caernarvonshire and Flintshire; accounts in connection with the publications and sale of some of Owen Jones's books; and a volume containing copies of 'cywyddau' by Robin Ddu, Dafydd Llwyd ap Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, Owain Twna, Dafydd Gorlech, Ieuan Brydydd Hir, Huw Pennant, Sion Cent, Ieuan Dyfi, Iolo Goch, Llywelyn ab Owain, Rhys Goch Eryri, Tomas Prys, Maredudd ap Rhys, Edmwnd Prys, Owain Gwynedd, Guto'r Glyn, Tudur Aled, Wiliam Llyn, Ieuan Tew, Tudur Penllyn and Huw Cae Llwyd.

Administrative / Biographical History

Gweinidog a llenor oedd Meudwy Môn. Fe'i ganed yn y Gaerwen Bach, Llanfihangel Ysgeifiog, Môn. Bu farw ei rieni pan oedd yn ifanc iawn a magwyd ef gan ei fodryb Elizabeth gwraig Morgan Williams, barcer, Llangefni. Pan oedd yn 6 oed anfonwyd ef i ysgol y pentrem ac wrth ei weld yn dysgu mor dda talodd Rice Roberts, Plas Llangefni, a phan agorwyd yr Ysgol Genedlaethol symudwyd ef i honno. Ar ôl hyn bu'n brentis o saer, yn was fferm, yn athro teuluol mewn gwahanol gartrefi, ac yn cadw ysgol yn Llanddona, Llangoed a Penygarnedd.

Dechreuodd bregethu gyda'r Methodistiaid oddeutu 1827. Priododd Ellen, ferch Richard Rowlands, Bryn Mawr, Llangoed.

Gadawodd Fôn ym 1833 a mynd i'r Wyddgrug i gywiro proflenni a darllen llawysgrifau i'r cyhoeddwyr, John ac Evan Lloyd.

Derbyniodd alwad oddi wrth eglwydi Manceinion, 1844, ond rhoes y gorau i'w eglwysi ym 1856.

Bu farw ym 1889.

The Rev Owen Jones, otherwise known as 'Meudwy Mon', was a Calvinistic Methodist minister, and a man of letters. He was born at Gaerwen-bach, Llanfihangel Ysgeifiog, Anglesey, 15 July 1806. His parents died when he was very young and he was raised by his Aunt Elizabeth. When he was 6 years of age he was sent to the village school. Rice Roberts of Plas Llangefni, noticed his rapid progress and paid for his education at Thomas Jones's school, Llangefni. From there he was moved to the National School when it was opened. The local gentry intended paying for his further education in order that he might become a clergyman, but his Aunt declined their assistance and shortly afterwards he was withdrawn from the school. He then became a carpenter's apprentice, a farm labourer, a private tutor in various families, and a schoolmaster at Llanddona, Llangoed and Penygarnedd. In 1827 he began to preach in the C.M. chapels. He also addressed meetings on behalf of the Bible Society, of which he became an assistant superintendent, a post he held for over forty years. He married Ellen, daughter of Richard Rowlands of Bryn Mawr, Llangoed. In 1833 he left Anglesey and went to Mold as proof-reader in the publishing firm of John and Evan Lloyd. The following year he was appointed cashier at the Plas-yr-Argoed Colliery. He and Roger Edwards were ordained at the Bala Association, 8 June 1842, and both of them acted as ministers at Mold. It was there that Meudwy Mon began to take an interest in the temperance movement, of which he was one of the pioneers in North Wales. In 1844 he received a call from the C.M. churches in Manchester, but in 1856 resigned because of a difference of opinion, and became the North Wales superintendent of the United Kingdom Alliance. He continued to live at Manchester until 1866 when he went to Llandudno as pastor. In 1868-1869, however, he gave up his pastorate as it took up so much of his time and the pay was so small that he could not live without writing. From this time onwards he depended mainly on his literary activities for his living, although he continued to work for the temperance movement and the Bible society. In 1866 he was given a testimonial of D50 collected by public subscription.

He edited four short-lived monthlies; Y Cyniweirydd , 1834, which later became Y Newyddiadur Hanesyddol , 1835; Y Cymedrolwr , 1835; Y Cerbyd Dirwestol , 1859. He published a number of books and articles and edited two large works - Cymru, yn Hanesyddol, Parthedegol, a Bywgraphyddol , 1875, and Ceinion Llenyddiaeth Gymreig , 1875. However, he did very little original work. He translated, collected and adapted, without ever expressing his own opinion.

He died on 11 October 1889.

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