Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Hughes, David
HUGHES, DAVID (1813–1872), independent minister, was born at Cefn-uchaf, Llanddeiniolen, Carnarvonshire; became member of Bethel independent church, Arfon, at an early age; and complied with the request of the congregation to begin preaching in 1832. He studied at Hackney College, and afterwards at the university of Glasgow, where he graduated and read theology under Dr. Wardlaw. He was ordained on 14 Sept. 1841, and became pastor of two small congregations in Flintshire. In 1845 he removed to St. Asaph, where he became part editor of the `Beirniadur,' and projected his chief work, 'Geiriadur Ysgrythyrol a Duwinyddol,' i.e. 'A Scriptural and Theological Dictionary,' which was completed in 1852. A second edition of this work appeared, vol. i. 1072 pp., in 1876, edited by the Rev. John Peter, and vol. ii. 1006 pp., in 1879, edited by the Rev. Thomas Lewis. The work contains a large number of biographies. Hughes removed to Manchester in 1846, and shortly afterwards to Bangor, where he remained nine years. On 1 Nov. 1855 he settled at Tredegar in Monmouthshire, and remained there till his death on 3 June 1872. Hughes was a large contributor to the 'Gwyddoniadur,' or 'Welsh Cyclopædia,' and edited and enlarged the English and Welsh dictionary of Caerfallwch [see Edwards, Thomas]. He began, with the author's sanction, a Welsh edition of Home's 'Introduction to the Bible,' but it was not completed.
[Geiriadur Hughes, Cyfrol ii.]