Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Jones, David (1796-1841)
JONES, DAVID (1796–1841), missionary to Madagascar, was born in 1796 near Neuaddlwyd, near Aberayron, Cardiganshire, and was educated at the college of Neuaddlwyd, chiefly by Dr. Phillips, at whose suggestion he and a fellow-pupil, Thomas Bevan, were ordained at Neuaddlwyd in August 1817, as the first protestant missionaries to Madagascar. They were married, and with their wives reached the Mauritius in April 1818, and in August crossed to Madagascar. There they were warmly welcomed by Fisatra, king of Tamatave, who sent his own son, along with ten or twelve other boys, to be educated by them. Bevan, and both his and Jones's wife, soon died, and were buried at Tamatave. Jones thereupon returned to the Mauritius to recruit his health, but after fourteen months resumed his work at Madagascar. In 1821 he married again. In 1822 he was joined by David Griffiths [q. v.] Towards the end of this year Jones and Griffiths settled the orthography of the Malagasy language on the phonetic system, giving each letter one sound, and using the Roman characters. They were helped in their work by David Johns [q. v.], and the natives were soon able to write their own language easily and correctly. The English colonists objected strongly to the phonetic spelling, but the missionaries were resolute, and the king (Radama) gave it his royal authority. By 1824 the number of scholars and religious converts had become very large. In 1827 a public examination of the children was held, and the king rewarded the most deserving. Shortly after, 1,500 catechisms, 800 hymn-books, and 2,200 books for spelling and reading were published; and in the following year the printing of a translation of the gospel of Luke into Malagasy was begun. About this time King Radama died, and soon afterwards more than twenty-five members of his family were assassinated. A long period of mourning followed, and all missionary work was stopped.
Jones and his friends now busied themselves in translating the scriptures. The queen sent orders that the Bible was not to be taught at the schools; but the missionaries, by patience and a conciliatory manner, secured a revocation of this order, and the work proceeded. In June 1830 Jones and his family visited Great Britain, there to further the interests of the mission. But when Jones returned to Madagascar, he found the work of the mission impeded by the authorities, and persecution was rampant in all directions. In June 1840 Captain Campbell and himself visited Ambatomanga to seek redress from the queen and her advisers. They were allowed a house each, but soon understood they were prisoners. The following day an inquisition was held, and many of the converts were put to death. Jones met with an accident, but managed to return to the Mauritius. He died there on 1 May 1841. His widow and children returned to London.
[Eglwysi Annybynol Cymru, iv. 105; Gwynionydd's Enwogion Ceredigion; Jones's Enwogion Sir Aberteifi; Jones's Geiriadur Bywgraffyddol.]