USA > Iowa > Howard County > Lime Springs > History of the Welsh in Minnesota, Foreston and Lime Springs, Ia. gathered by the old settlers > Part 22
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JENKINS, MRS. WILLIAM E .- Daughter of Edward and Ann Evans, born at Llanrhaiadr-mochnant, Montgomeryshire, North Wales, in 1829. When she was twenty years of age her parents moved to America, staying for a short time in Ohio. In the spring of 1853 she came to St. Paul and in May, of that year, accompanied her brothers, John C. and Edward S. Evans, to Le Sueur county, being the first Welsh woman in that county. In 1858 she married Win. E. Jenkins, and they resided on a farm in the present town of Cambria for a few years, removing thence to Butternut Valley, where she died January 18th, 1885. Mrs. Jenkins was a woman of many excellent qualities of mind and heart, and a devoted christian.
JONES, DAVID-Born at Nant Glynn Denbighshire, Wales, March, 1824. When he was five years old his parents moved to Cyfylliog, in the same shire. In May, 1850, he came to Milwaukee, and stayed during the summer in Waukesha Co. He then went to Galena, Ill., and thence to New Orleans. There he found employment during the winter on a Missis- sippi steamboat. In the spring of 1851 he went to St. Louis and thence in June again to Galena. There he met one John L. Jones, who induced him to seek his fortune with him at St. Paul, Minn., where they arrived in August, 1851. Dur- ing the summer of 1852 he made three trips up the Minnesota from St. Paul to Ft. Ridgely, the last time going twelve miles beyond Ft. Ridgeley to a place called Red Rock to carry goods to the Yankton Sioux. It was here Mr. Jones witnessed the largest Indian encampment he ever saw. In May, 1853, he went with John C. Evans and John Roberts on a journey from St. Paul up the valley of the Minnesota to the Blue Earth and thence back through the Big Woods to
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view the land. In 1856 Mr. Jones located on his present claim in the town of Sharon, Le Sueur county. April 24th. 1858, he married Miss Rose, daughter of Edward and Ann Evans, late of the town of Sharon. In Demember, 1876, Mr. Jones was made an elder of the C. M. church of Saron, which office he still holds. An honest, sincere man, he lives in accordance with his christian profession. His children are: Jane, wife of David W. Jones, Anna, Thomas and Mary Jones. JJONES, DAVID C .- Son of E. D. and Mary E. Jones, was born in May, 1854, at Detroit, Mich. After graduating from the high school of Detroit he spent a year at Olivet college, Michigan. Went into railroad life in the fall of 1872 and was with the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern for seven years. In 1879 he was made chief clerk of the General Freight de- -partment of the Wisconsin Central Ry., at Milwaukee, and in 1884 was made Division Freight Agent of the Northern Iowa lines of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Ry. In 1887 he was made Third Assistant General Freight Agent at Milwaukee, and in 1890 he was transferred to St. Paul and made Assistant General Freight Agent of the Northwestern lines of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Ry. He was married in 1876 to Miss Mary J., daughter of Hon. Thomas D. Roberts, of Floyd, N. Y., and has been living in Minneap- olis for the last five years.
JONES, REV. DAVID D .- Born in May, 1844, at Bryn Cethru, Glanmorganshire, Wales. Son of David and Ann Jones. Coming to the United States he spent a number of years in school at Lane Seminary, Cincinnati, O., and at Union Park Seminary, Chicago, from which latter institution he graduated in 1875. He soon received a call to the pastor- ate of the Salem Congregational church, of Cambria, Minn., and in September of the same year was ordained at Mankato at a conference of the Congregational churches. April 1876, married Miss Mary A., daughter of Ilon. Robert 1I. Hughes, of Cambria, Minn. Soon after this he removed to Custer, near Tracy, Minn., where he located on a large and valuable farm and preached occasionally to the new churches in that vicinity until his death in 1886. He left him surviv- ing his wife and five children, who now reside on the home farm in comfortable circumstances.
JONES, DAVID E .- ( Dewi Cynon), Son of Evan and Wini- fred Jones. Born September 12, 1856, in Trecynon, Aberdare, Glanmorganshire, Wales. When but fourteen years old he
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D. C. JONES, MINNEAPOLIS, MINN.
H. G. JONES, JUDSON, MINN,
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. JOHN EDWARDS, JUDSON, MINN.
R. S. PRITCHARD,
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came to America alone, and settled in Coalburg, Ohio. Ile followed his occupation as carpenter in various cities in Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. In New Mexico he spent some time opening up mines under Ex-Governor Foster of Ohio. He married Miss Jennie, daughter of D. L. Davies, of Bethel settlement, Jackson county, Ohio, at Columbus in said state in the year 1883, and has had four children, two of whom are living. In the summer of 1884 he removed to Minneapolis with his family and conducted the singing in the Welsh church for a number of years. In 1886 he launched into bus- iness for himself as contractor and builder, and was very suc- cessful. Owing to his knowledge of building and his business abilities, in 1891 he was offered and accepted the position of Insurance Adjuster and Inspector for the Millers' and Manu- ยท facturers' Insurance company of Minneapolis, which position he still holds. Ilis musical career began in his tenth year under the celebrated G. R. Jones ( Caradog ), and he was one of the leading altos of the Aberdare United Choir when he came to America. At the age of fifteen he was elected pre- centor and choir leader of the Welsh Congregational church at Coalburg, Ohio, to succeed the well known Mr. J. B. Lod- wick. Six months after he took charge of this choir it took the first prize at the Eisteddfod at Youngstown, Ohio, where four well trained choirs competed on Mendelssohn's "The Song of the Lark." In 1876 he was director of the Hayes and Wheeler Glee Club of Cleveland, Ohio, which gained a wide reputation in that campaign. His male chorus from Coalburg and Brookfield, Ohio, was victorious over three choirs at Sharon, Pa., under the adjudication of the immortal Gwilym Gwent, who was profuse in his praise of it. In the Eistedd- fod at Lima, Ohio, in 1884, his male party was the best of seven and received well-merited commendation from all. Since his coming to Minneapolis he has led choirs at Eistedd- fodau there and at Mankato, Chicago and other places with marked success, and the Welsh church there has given several concerts andcantatas under his direction. He is a good vocal- ist and has taken several prizes in Eisteddfodau for singing bass solos. In 1887 Mr. Jones took charge of the music at the Fifth Avenue Congregational church, Minneapolis, and still has charge of it. In November, 1891, at the Eisteddfod at Mankato, Minn., in the Gorsedd proceedings, the musical and bardic nom de plume, Dewi Cynon, was duly conferred upon him in conformity with the traditional and ordained rites an
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ceremonies. He is a member of the Odd Fellows and a Pat- riarch's Militant, and is a thirty-second degree Mason and a Knight Templar, and is also a member of the ancient Arabic order, "Nobles of the Mystic Shrine." 0. MORBI4.
JONES, REV. DAVID F .- Born October 21st, 1825. IHis parents were Richard and Sarah Jones, Llanbedr, Merioneth shire, Wales. His mother was a sister to the eminent preachers, the Rev's. Foulk Evans, Machynlleth, and Robert Evans, Llanuwchlyn, near Bala, and daughter of Rev. Evan Foulk, Llanuwchlyn. Mr. Jones has two brothers who are ministers in the Calvinistic Methodist church, viz: the Rev. Evan F. Jones, of Glan Conway, North Wales, and the Rev. R. F. Jones, of Oshkosh, Wis. When Mr. Jones was a child of eight years he removed with his parents to Trefriw. When a young man he learned the blacksmith trade at Carnedda and Llangevnyw; and at the last named place he united with the Wesleyan church. From Trefriw he emigrated to America in 1849. Shortly before leaving his native country he was united in marriage to Miss Catherine Hughes, who now in her widowhood resides in the city of Mankato. He lived at Hol- land Patent, N. Y., and at Utica for about fifteen years and then removed to Cambria, Wis., and again from there to Ban- gor, near La Crosse. For a short time he resided at Big Creek and at Cataract, Wis., engaged in farming. He was chosen deacon of the Utica, (N. Y. ) church, and served in that capacity faithfully until called by his Master to a higher office, that of the ministry, at Bangor, Wis., in 1868. He was ordained to the full work of the ministry by the Wisconsin Synod in 1876. In 1879 he received and accepted a call to become pastor of Saron and Elim churches, in Le Suenr county, Minn., where he continued to labor with acceptance and success until his death, which occurred April 7, 1884. His remains were laid at rest near the church where he labored for so many years. He left surviving him six children, viz : Sarah E., now Mrs. O. E. Richards, Mankato; John F., Wm. F., and Richard F., all of Mankato; David F., attorney at law, Sparta, Wis., and Jennie E., now Mrs. John Hughes, of Ottawa, Le Sueur county, Minn.
JONES, DAVID K .- Born at Llanwinio, Carmarthenshire, Wales, in 1830. Emigrated to America in 1851 and settled in Cincinnati, Ohio. Worked there as a mechanic in the iron mills for eighteen years and by his thrift and industry became part owner in the works. He was married in 1864 and in
Rev. Griffith Roberts, LAKE CRYSTAL, MINN.
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Rev. Wm. A. Jones, OTTAWA. MINN.
Rev. John C. Jones, CHICAGO, ILL.
Rev. Wm. E. Evans, MANKATO, MINN. .
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Rev. David M. Jones. FAIRHAVEN, \T.
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Rev. Wm. M. Jones. JUDSON, MINN.
Rev. David F. Jones. LATE OF OTTAWA, MINN.
Rev. Richard F. Jones. OSHKOSH, WIN.
PROMINENT MINISTERS OF CALVINISTIC METHODIST CHURCH,
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1869 removed with his family to Watertown, Wis., where his wife's folks resided. His connection with the iron works in Cincinnati continued for some time after this. In 1881 he removed to Lime Springs. Ia. Here about 1888 he engaged in the furniture business, with which he is still connected, having built up a very large business. He has taken a very active part in the growth of Lime Springs, since he came there, both in temporal and in moral and religions affairs. He has been mayor of the city one term and member of its city council a number of times. His manly and fearless advocacy of the right on all questions, as a public official and private citizen, have won him the high esteem of his fellow townsmen. He has always been a valiant champion of temperance and other moral reforms and a faithful worker in the Welsh - church, of which he is a ruling elder. Ilis genial and happy nature make him a favorite with the young people, over whom he exerts a great influence for good. His only daughter, Anna, is the wife of Rev. J. R. McGlade, the Presbyterian minister of Lansing, Iowa.
JONES, REV. DAVID M .- Is a son of David Jones, Upper Bangor, North Wales. He was born at Ty Rhedyn, Angle- sea, N. W., in the year 1840. The family removed to Bangor when he was fourteen years of age. He attended school at Marian Glas and Tyngong1, Anglesea, at Garth school, Ban- gor, and at the Mechanic Institute, Liverpool. Ile began to preach at Rock Ferry, England. He emigrated to the United States in the year 1866. The first two years here he spent at Columbus, Wis., then removed to Mankato, Minn. In the year 1871, at the Judson association, he was ordained to the full work of the ministry, and accepted a call as pastor of Horeb and Bethel churches, being the first settled pastor of these churches. After years of successful work here, he set- tled at Remsen, N. Y., where he labored for six years, and then at Floyd in the same state for another period of six years. From the latter place he accepted a call to Waukesha, Wis., where he served the churches of Moriah, Soar and Zion for nine years. In the year 1891 he accepted a call to Fair Haven, Vermont, where he is now in the midst of a successful work. When located at Remsen, N. Y., he was united in marriage to Jemima, daughter of Mr. H. J. Owens. Mr. Jones will be long remembered in Blue Earth county, as a successful organ- izer of Literary societies, as well as for his ability and origi- nality as a preacher of the gospel. Hle is a frequent contrib-
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utor to the Welsh periodicals, and his sprightly wit and genial humor make his writings always readable. He is the Irving of Welsh writers.
JONES, EDWARD-Born October 13, 1862, near Aberdovy, Merionethshire, Wales. Son of Evan D. and Margaret Jones of Mankato, Minn. His parents emigrated to Le Sueur county, Minn., in April 1869, and thence to Mankato a few months later. Learned telegraphy at the Western Union office at Mankato, and, when eighteen years old, began working for the Milwaukee & St. Paul Ry. Co. After a year he en- tered the employ of the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Ry., where he continued for three years. After this, was with the Western Union Co. at St. Paul for one year and at Secora, New Mexico, three years, returning to assume charge of their office at Mankato in the fall of ISSS. June 28, 1893, married Miss Lizzie Merrill, of Florence, Ala.
JJONES, EDWARD R .- Farmer, born at Cardiganshire, Wales, December 29th, 1842. Emigrated with his parents in 1849 to Marquette county, Wis. January 20th, 1862, enlisted in Company C., 3rd Wisconsin Cavalry Volunteers, and served until the close of the war mostly under Gen. Blunt. In March 1866, he moved to Judson, Minn., where he purchased a fine farm. September 10th, 1873, he married Miss Mary A .. daughter of David J. and Sarah Thomas. In 1893 he retired from his farm to Lake Crystal, where he owns a comfortable home. Is a member of the G. A. R. Post of that place.
JONES, MRS. ELLEN-First wife of Rev. Richard G. Jones, was born at Llanegryn Merionethshire, Wales, August, 1807. Her father was Win. Jones, Bodywyn. At the age of 26 she removed to Dyffryn, where she was united in marriage to Rev. Richard G. Jones, late of Le Sueur county, (see his bio- graphy.) She was a woman of fine christian spirit, who walked worthy of her religious profession.
JONES, EVAN -Born at Tanrallt, four miles east of Bangor, Carnarvonshire, Wales, August 17, 1827. Son of John and Elizabeth Jones ( Indiana ). Emigrated with his parents to Philadelphia in July, 1836, and removed to Cincinnati, O., in November. Thence in the spring of 1837 they moved to Mad- ison, Ind., where his father helped build the first railway west of Madison. In 1840 the family moved twenty-seven miles north into, what was then, a forest wilderness, and purchased 240 acres of government land. In 1848 Evan left home, going first to Paddy's Run, O., and thence to Cincinnati, where he
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worked seven years in a rolling mill. In 1855 he attended the Baptist University, at Granville, O .. for a few months when he visited eastern Kansas and formed the acquaintance of "old John Brown of Osawatomie." Not liking it there he re- turned home and in May, 1856, removed with his parents to Cottonwood, Brown county, Minn., where about June 1, they located on a farm in Section 24. During the Sioux out- break of 1862 Evan went to the defense of New Ulm and par- ticipated in the battle there. On September 10, of that vear his father was killed by the savages in their raid upon But- ternut Valley, and Evan was chased by them into the sloughs and wasout hiding for eleven days without food, except a few ears of corn and some onions and watermelons he found in the fields at night, and ate raw. In June, 1866, he married Rachel, daughter of Thos. J. Jones, late of Cambria, Minn. In 1878 he sold his Brown county farm and removed to the vicinity of Lake Benton, Lincoln county, and thence after eighteen months he went to Murray county, where he purchased his present farm of 252 acres on the banks of Bear Lake, in Low- ville township. Ile has held a number of town offices and has been postmaster at Lowville for many years. Mr. and Mrs. Jones have been blessed with eight children: Elizabeth, Ellen, Mary, Hattie, Alice, Herbert, Dinah and Katie.
JONES, EVAN D .- Son of William and Gwen Jones, of Bod- owyn, Llanegryn, Merionethshire, Wales, where he was born September 7, 1834. June 10, 1859, he was married by Rev. Edward Jones, Vicar of Towyn, to Miss Margaret James, sec- ond daughter of Richard and Jane James, of Ynyshir, Cardi- ganshire. Emigrated to Le Sucur county, Minn., in April, 1869, and in a short time moved thence to Mankato, Minn., where he still resides, following the occupation of marble cutter, in which he has great proficiency. For a number of years he sang in the choir of the English Congregational church, of which he and his wife are faithful members. Eight children have been born to them, only two of whom survive: Edward and Robert.
JONES, EVAN 11 .- Born in 1835 at a place called Tanycoed, near Bettws-y-Coed, Carnarvonshire, Wales. His parents, Rev. Hugh Jones and Mrs. Jones, were highly esteemed in the community for their piety and integrity. He thus en- joyed the advantage of religions training and instruction at home by pions parents and in the church of God. The family came to America in 1845 and settled at Columbus, Wis., where
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his father ministered many years and was highly respected. After his father's death he and his mother moved to Lime Springs in 1867 where they have been very successful. In the year 1878 he was married to Sidney, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Roberts, of Columbus, Wis. They had three child- ren of whom one died about five years ago. Mr. Jones is a great reader, a patron of Welsh literature, and, because of his intellectual power and force of character, is one of the most prominent and active men among the Welsh of Howard county and vicinity.
REV. E. JOSEPH.
JONES, EVAN T .- Born at Tangrallt Blaenpenial Cardi- ganshire, Wales, in July, 1826. Married Miss Elizabeth Ellis, of Hendref, May 13th, 1846 and the following June emigrated to Jackson county, Ohio, and thence with the Jackson colony to South Bend, Minn., where they arrived May 10th, 1856. After a few weeks he removed to his present farm in Sharon Township, Le Sueur county. There, in partnership with David Lewis and Thos. J. Jones, (cooper, ) he built the first saw mill in that neighborhood ; which mill, after supplying the pioneers with lumber for over two years, burned in 1859. His wife died June 7th, 1857, and on January 1st, 1860 he married Miss Margaret, daughter of Edward and Ann Evans, of Ottawa, Minn. During the Sioux war of 1862 Mr. Jones was the only Welshman from the Big Woods settlement who went to the defense of New Ulm. He was a corporal in Capt. Saunders Company of Le Sueur Tigers. This company left St. Peter at 11 a. m., of the 20th of August and reached the Red Stone ferry at 11 p. m. It was a very dark and rainy night. Mr. Jones and another man ferried the thirteen teams they had over the Minnesota and on reaching New Ulin they were detailed for picket duty until morning. Thursday they perfected their company organization. Friday, Mr. Jones was detailed with about 140 others to go to Leavenworth to rescue eleven persons that were concealed in some willows. Saturday, he did efficient service at the battle of New Ulin, being stationed at the wind mill. On the 26th, the company disbanded at Mankato and returned home. Mr. Jones has served three years on the town board, six years as county commissioner and fifteen years on the school board. His second wife died December 8th, 1893. He has four children living by his first wife, viz: Ellis, of Lake Crystal, Thos. E. and Mary J., of Le Sueur, and David, of Menahga, Wadena county; and six children living by his second wife, viz: Eliza-
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beth, Anna, John, Rose, Edward and Phoebe, all of Le Sueur. The oldest Robert died December 31, 1884, aged 22 years.
JONES, HUMPHREY -- Born at Ty Hen, Rhosnegir, Llan- feilog parish, Anglesea, Wales, May 2nd, 1819. Son of Robert Jones and Catherine Humphreys, (it was the custom then in that part of Wales for the wife to retain her maiden name-her parents were Humphrey Humphreys and Margaret Owens.) He left home when quite young to work in the slate quarries of N. Wales and the coal mines of Monmouth- shire. At the age of 28 years he emigrated to the United States and worked in the coal mines of Coalport and Pome- roy, Ohio, and Wheeling, W. Va. In April, 1855, he located on the farm he owned until his death in section 5, of Judson. Minn., being one of the first eight Welsh settlers of that town. In September, 1867, he married Mrs. Eleanor Evans, widow of Thos. J. Evans, (Creek. ) He died May 9th, 1887. 1Ic was noted for his industry, whereby he gathered considerable means, and his great integrity of character. In his ways, he .was thoroughly original. He always took great interest in religious matters though not a church member until a year or two before his death. Jerusalem church is indebted to his efforts as much as anyone for its present commodious edifice. JONES, REV. HUMPHREY-Evangelist. Born at Tre'r- ddol, Cardiganshire, Wales, October 11, 1832. His father was Hugh Jones, Thys Capel, a brother of Rev. Humphrey Jones, a Wesleyan minister, who died suddenly at Beaumaris in 1861. His mother was a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Rowlands, Dolclotter. Both parents emigrated to the United States when Humphrey was quite young and he was brought up by an aunt, who was an inn-keeper at Tre 'rddol. He received the best education then available in that neighborhood. For a time he attended the school kept by Edward Jones at Aberyst- with. He was converted when only twelve years old at Tre'rddol, under the ministry of the late Rev. James Jones, and at the age of sixteen years he began preaching. In the fall of 1856 he crossed the ocean to visit his parents, who had located near Oshkosh, Wis. It was a time of revival in many of the American churches and the spirit seized Mr. Jones with much power, and for two years he preached in the Wisconsin churches with great acceptance, and organized the Wesleyan church at the Oshkosh Welsh settlement. In June, 1858, he returned to Wales and the first Sunday on his arrival began a series of revival meetings at his native church in Tre 'rddol.
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Mr. Jones was now in the glory of his strength-a splendid specimen of humanity, physically, mentally and spiritually, and his intense ernestness and fervid eloquence swept every thing before him and he became a great leader in the mighty revival which took possession of Wales in 1858-9-60. After a few years of evangelical work in Wales he returned in 1871 to Wisconsin, where he had pastoral charge of the Welsh church he had organized near Oshkosh. His brain, however, had been injured by overwork in Wales, and in 1872 he had to be taken to a hospital for treatment. After four years he was discharged and again resumed revival work, spending most of his time in Wisconsin and Minnesota. He was pastor of the Congregational churches of Cambria and South Bend, Minn., from the summer of 1889, to January 1, 1894. Soon after this he suffered a paralytic stroke at Waukesha, Wis., and died May 8, 1895, at Chilton, Wis., at the home of his brother, John Jones. Brilliant, eloquent and fervid he was at his best one of the greatest of recent Welsh evangelists.
JONES, HUMPHREY HI .- Born at Merthyr Tydfyl. Glan- morganshire, Wales, in 1839. Son of Humphrey E. and Elenor Jones. Emigrated with his parents to Portage Prai- rie, Wis., in 1849, and thence removed to Judson, Minn., in the spring of 1865 and engaged in farming. Married Marga- ret, daughter of John James, of Judson, Minn. He is pas- sionately fond of singing, and has always been a ready and efficient promotor of all musical gatherings. He is generally in demand for quartette and choir singing, and has been the leader of the Cambrian Glee club, a chorus of young men. who have sung at nearly all the great Welsh musical festivals of Blue Earth county. Mr. Jones has also made a successful farmer and is comfortably situated. His children are: John, Hugh, Lizzie, wife of Edward Jones, of Tracy, Llewellyn, Car- adoc and Gomer.
JJONES, HUGH G .- Born at Gerwen, Anglesca, Wales, February 28, 1845. Son of Hugh and Margaret Jones. Worked one year in quarries at the Festiniog, Merionethshire, whence he emigrated in 1866 to Cambria, Wis. Moved in June, 1867, to Lime Springs, Iowa, where he purchased a farm. In March, 1868, married Miss Mary Jones, at Cambria, Wis. Moved in 1872 to Blue Earth City, Minn., thence to Judson, Minn., in 1883. Has always taken an active interest in pub- lic affairs and is a prominent member of Carmel church. He is a frequent contributor to Welsh papers in prose and poetry
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under the non de plume, Carmelvn. He has also taken a lively interest in Welsh literary meetings. He owns a large and valuable farm which he has gained by industry and good management. He has two children: II. Grant James and Miss Mamie A.
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