Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Owen, Thomas (1749-1812)
OWEN, THOMAS (1749–1812), agricultural writer, son of Thomas Owen of Anglesey, was born there in 1749. On 20 March 1767 he matriculated from Jesus College, Oxford, and graduated B. A. in 1770; migrating to Queens College, he proceeded M.A. in 1773. In 1779 he was presented to the living of Upton Scudamore, Wiltshire. He died in Anglesey in May 1812. Owen was author of: 1. 'Three Books of M. Terentius Varro translated into English,' Oxford University Press, 1800, 8vo. 2. 'Γεωπονικά, Agricultural Pursuits, translated from the Greek,' 2 vols. London, 1805–1806, 8vo. 3. 'Fourteen Books of Palladius on Agriculture,' London, 1807, 8vo. Donaldson describes these translations as 'honest performances.'
A contemporary Thomas Ellis Owen (1764–1814), son of William Owen of Conway, Carnarvonshire, was elected scholar of Westminster School in 1780, matriculated as student from Christ Church, Oxford, on 26 May 1785, and graduated B.A. in 1789; he was presented to the living of South Stoke, Oxfordshire, in 1792, and Llandyfrydog, Anglesey, in 1794, where he also became an 'able, active, and upright magistrate.' He died in 1814, and was buried in Llanfair-is-Gaer Church, Carnarvonshire. He wrote 'Methodism Unmasked; or the Progress of Puritanism,' 1802, 8vo.
[Works in Brit. Mus. Library; Foster's Alumni Oxon. 1715–1886; Watt's Bibl. Brit.; Donaldson's Agricultural Biogr. pp. 89–90; Hoare's Modern Wiltshire, Warminster, p. 94; Gent. Mag. 1802, i. 523–6, ii. 642–3, 1806 ii. 830–3, 1812 i. 497, ii. 183, 1815 i. 91; Welch's Queen's Scholars, pp. 412, 419.]