Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Jones, Thomas (1752-1845)
JONES, THOMAS (1752–1845), evangelical divine, was born on 2 April 1752 at Cefn yr Esgair, near Havod, Cardiganshire, where his father farmed his small freehold. In 1765 Jones entered Ystradmeirig grammar school. On leaving school he was curate successively of Eglwys Fach and Llangynvelyn, near Aberystwith (September 1774 to August 1779); of Leintwardine in Herefordshire (August 1779 to December 1780); of Longnor, Shropshire, where he had four churches under his care (December 1780 to July 1781); of Oswestry (July 1781 to January 1782); of Loppington, near Wem (January to November 1785); and finally of Great Creaton in Northamptonshire (November 1785 to 1828), serving also Spratton from 1810 to 1828. Jones was made rector of Creaton in 1828. He resigned in 1833, died on 7 Jan. 1845, and was buried in Spratton churchyard. He left 12l. a year to St. Davids College, Lampeter, to be given for the best essay in Welsh.
Jones and Thomas Charles of Bala were the Welsh clergymen who first conceived the idea of forming bible societies. Jones prevailed upon the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge to publish in 1799 an edition of ten thousand copies of the Welsh bible. These were soon sold out, and his repeated application for another edition met with refusals. His proposal to form a new society for Wales which should print smaller editions at Chester, Shrewsbury, and elsewhere, proved a failure. But when Charles mentioned Jones's project to the committee of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge in December 1802, the British and Foreign Bible Society was forthwith established. Jones acquired great reputation as an evangelical preacher. The following are his most important works: 1. ‘Scriptural Directory,’ 1811; ten editions. 2. ‘The Welsh Looking Glass … by a person who has travelled through that country at the close of the year 1811.’ Published anonymously, 1812, 12mo. 3. ‘Jonah's Portrait,’ 1819, eight editions. 4. ‘The Prodigal's Pilgrimage,’ 1st edit. London, 1825, 12mo; 4th edit. Thames Ditton, 1837, 8vo. 5. ‘The True Christian,’ 1833. 6. ‘The Christian Warrior wrestling with Sin, Satan, the World, and the Flesh, abridged, epitomised, and improved,’ from a work of that name by Isaac Ambrose (1604–1664) [q. v.], 1837. He was also the author of seven works in Welsh, chiefly translations of works by Baxter, Romaine, Berridge, and Sir Richard Hill. A collection of notes made from sermons preached by Jones was edited by Miss Plumptre, under the title of ‘Basket of Fragments,’ 2 vols. London and Retford, 1832–3, 12mo, and has since passed through many editions.
[Memoir of the Rev. Thomas Jones, with portrait, by the Rev. John Owen, 1851; Phillips's Jubilee Memorial of the British and Foreign Bible Society, p. 44; Williams's Enwogion Ceredigion.]