1717–1791
Pantycelyn

Introduction

Born: Feb­ru­ary 11, 1717, on the fa­mi­ly farm of Pan­ty­ce­lyn, Wales.

Died: Jan­ua­ry 11, 1791, on Pan­ty­ce­lyn, the farm where he was born.

Buried: Llanfair-ar-y-bryn, Car­mar­then­shire, Wales.

portrait
portrait

Biography

Known as the Sweet Sing­er of Wales, and the Watts of Wales, Will­iams orig­in­al­ly at­tend­ed the Pres­by­ter­ian Col­lege in Car­mar­then, in­tend­ing to be­come a doc­tor. How­ev­er, at 21 years of age, he was rid­ing in a stage coach that stopped at Tal­garth, Bre­con­shire, where he heard the op­en air preach­ing of ev­an­gel­ist How­el Har­ris. That day Will­iams changed his ca­reer plans from me­di­cine to the min­is­try.

He was or­dained a dea­con of the Es­tab­lished Church in 1740 by Dr. Cla­get, Bi­shop of St. Da­vid’s, and for three years served the cu­ra­cies of Llanwrtyd and Llanddewi-Abergwesyn; he ne­ver re­ceived Priest’s Or­ders.

He be­came ear­ly ac­quaint­ed with the re­viv­al­ist Da­ni­el Row­lands, and for 35 years preached month­ly at Llaullian, Caio, and Llansawel, be­side mak­ing preach­ing jour­neys in north and south Wales. He was held in great es­teem as a preach­er.

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