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Gwefan Cymru-Catalonia 46 The Welsh People of
Minneapolis (pp120-133) |
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46: THE
WELSH OF MINNEAPOLIS
By Rev. Joshua T. Evans
When considering that
less than fifty years ago the present site of Minneapolis did not have a
dwelling erected nor a single civilized inhabitant, now has a population of
more than 200,000, with 40,000 homes, and is one of the cleanest, most
enterprising and prosperous cities in the world, it would be interesting to
know from whence these people, who have built a city, which has, with a
capacity of 50,000 barrels per day, taken the lead of the world in the
production of flour, and is second to none in its lumber production. Only a
small percent age of the population can claim the city as the place of their
nativity, the great majority having been attracted here on ac count of business
advantages, educational facilities and beauty of the location. Restricted by a
limited knowledge, and absence of time to gather material, our inquiry at
present shall be relative to the Welsh and Welsh Americans of the city, who
according to their number, are second to no other nationality in morality,
industry and enterprise, and in the aid they give towards building up and making
the city clean and prosperous. As to their numerical strength our estimate
would be from 1,000 to 1,500, the great majority being Welsh Americans. They
have come from Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, New York, Ohio and other states, the
greatest number coming from Wisconsin, and a small percentage direct from
Wales.
46.1 The Welsh in Minnesota - from LIME SPRINGS, IOWA.
So far as the Welsh population is contributing to the
prosperity of the city, Minneapolis is indebted to a great extent to Lime
Springs, Iowa, and vicinity. Probably David
Williams, the miller, was the first to come from there early in the 70's,
followed by G. R. Jones and H. H. Jones, and in 1879 H. 0. Roberts and family, consisting of
Mrs. Roberts, O. H. Roberts, of St.Paul, Mrs.
Jennie A. Ingalls, Mrs. David
Roberts, of Mankato, and Humphrey and
Sarah.
J.D. Evans, the commission merchant; R. R .Davies and family, W. G. Thomas, who was for years in charge
of elevator B of the C., M. & St. P. R. R. ( = Chicago, Milwaukee & St.
Paul Railroad), and his brother, J. S.
Thomas; Thomas P. Jones and
daughters, Mrs. J. D. Evans, Mrs. J. W. Hughes and Mrs. R. Pritchard. G. G. Roberts came in 1883, and sons, John G. Roberts now of Lime Springs, Ia., and David E. Roberts, now of Sioux Falls, S. D., both traveling
salesmen for the J. I. Case Co.; and Mrs.
Thomas John, of Columbus City, Ia. Some years later their son-in-law and
daughter, Mr. and Mrs. J. O. Jones,
came to the city. Prof. John Morris
came in 1881, graduated at the State University, and was superintendent of
manual.training in the city Public schools for several years. D. T. Davies,
who is at the head of the Davies Packing Co., came early in the 80's, and has
been city meat inspector; Mr. and Mrs. D. T. Harris, Robert and Abram
Wood, commission merchants; Mrs. W.
F. James, W. J. Jones, who keeps
a wall paper store on Franklin Avenue; Griffith
Williams, the architect, and brothers, David,
Hugh and John; Howell Howells and
family, R. E. Roberts (Tenorydd
Machno), now of Chicago, and his sister, Mrs. Isaac, and her daughter, Mrs.
Kennedy, came early in the 80's, and Mrs. Kennedy still lives here. Rev. T. H. Lewis, of Dawson, Minn.,
spent several years as a stenographer in the city, and active in church work. Mrs. O. D. Owens and family, Evan Morgan and sisters, Mrs. W. J. Jones and Mrs J.M. Davies, are from Lime Springs,
Ia. C. J. Blythin came from
Williamsburg, Ia., in 1884, and is a native of Wales. He is the assistant
manager for D. R. Barber & Son, with their office in the Flour Exchange. Mrs. H. R. Williams is from Iowa, and Mr. Williams is the assistant general
superintendent of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway. H. J. Williams, assistant claim agent
of the Soo Railway, came here from San Francisco, Cal., but has lived in Clay
county, Iowa, and Mrs. Williams was
raised there, being the daughter of Evan
Jones, now of Lime Springs, Iowa.
46.2 The Welsh in Minnesota - from MINNESOTA.
Griffith
Samuel, who has charge of a branch house of the Milwaukee
Harvester Company, came from Kansas, and D.E.
Davies came from Denver, Col., in 1888. From Tracy, Minnesota, Dr. S. S. Jones came to this city in 1888,
and is a native of Wisconsin. Mr. and
Mrs. J. W. Thomas, Seventeenth Avenue, and Mrs. Peregrine and her son, Philip
Peregrine, are from Tracy. Mr. Thomas has been secretary of the Wyddorfa
several times. The city is indebted to Butternut Valley for W. F. Williams (Gwilym), the deputy
state grain weighmaster, and O. R.
Roberts, of Lake Crystal, was with us a few years, and Mankato lent us Rev. J. C. Jones for a year. D. H. Evans, the real estate dealer, is
a native of Blue Earth county, but came here from West Superior, Wis. Alexander Hughes and brother, James and families and sister, Mrs. R. R. Davies, are from Mankato. Robbie Hughes, son of the former,
captured one of the prizes for singing at the last Eisteddfod. Anna Griffiths, now Mrs. O. H. Roberts, of St. Paul, and
her mother; D. H. Williams, who holds
a position of trust with J.W. Thomas & Co., and G. O. Williams and families are from Mankato; also Mr. and Mrs. W. P. Hughes and children,
Willie, Katie, Maggie and Mabel, the latter a sweet singer. W. T. Jones lived at Mankato a short
time before coming here. Mrs. Elizabeth
Morton came from Lake Crystal in 1878, and her daughters, Mrs. Major Pierce and Mrs. Feeley, and son, C. F. Davis, are still here. Mrs.
Feeley keeps hair-dressing parlors on Nicollet Avenue, and Mr. Davis is dealing
in grain. Evan Griffiths, with the
Northern Pacific Express Company, is from Le Sueur. J. W. Thomas, the popular dry goods merchant on Nicollet Avenue,
came in 1885 from Winona, at which place he was engaged in the same business. Thomas E. Williams came to the city
from Dawn, Mo., and Mr. and Mrs. G. D.
Owens were from the same place, and have returned there.
46.3 The
Welsh in Minnesota - from THE STATE OF NEW YORK
The State of New York has not given many of its Welsh people to Minneapolis,
but deserves distinction because, so far as we are able to find, the first
Welsh came from there. Dr. O. J. Evans, a native of Remsen, takes the
lead, coming at the close of the war, in 1865. He has taken a prominent part in
building up the city, having served in the city council, state legislature,
board of education, board of health, etc., in addition to his professional
work. Miss Frances Jones came from
Lewis county, N. Y., in 1867, and now has charge of the mailing department in
the dry goods store of J. W. Thomas & Co. Lewis Edwards, the real estate dealer, is from Rome. E. R. Jones came from Utica in '87 or
'88, and was engaged in the mantel business. W. O. Jones came from the same place about the same time and has
been with J. W. Thomas & Co. several years. R. D. Jones, credit man in the same store, and brother of Mrs. J. W, Thomas, is from Utica. D. W. Davies came from New-York City in
1884. D. C. Jones, assistant general
freight agent of the C., M. & St. P. Ry. (= Chicago, Milwaukee & St.
Paul Railway), is a son of E. D. Jones,
Esq., of Detroit, Mich., and came here from Milwaukee, Wis. in 1890, and Mrs. Jones is a daughter of Hon. Thomas D Roberts, of Floyd, N. Y. C. W. Davies, engraver and printer, who
has an attractive store at 610 Nicollet Avenue, came from Whitesboro, N.Y. in
1881, and takes the lead in his line of business; and W. L. Griffith and family came from Utica in 1892.
46.4 The Welsh in Minnesota - from THE STATE OF OHIO
W.
G. James (Gwilym Ddu o Went), came from Des Moines,
Iowa, in 1883, and has been active with the Eisteddfodau, and his son, W. F. James, is one of our reliable
young men in the employment of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway.
The other children, Gomer, Robert,
Rachel, Lizzie, Edith, and Fanny are
at home with their parents. Mr. James lived several years at Cincinnati, Ohio. D. E. Jones came to the city from
Columbus, Ohio, in 1883, and is now employed by one of the insurance companies.
He was the leader of the Minneapolis choir of sixty voices, competing in the
Chicago Eisteddfod of 1890. Dr. David
Owen Thomas came here from Indianapolis, Ind., but was formerly from Ohio,
and he takes interest in the Eisteddfodau, has written several articles
on Welsh Philology, and possesses a collection of rare Welsh books. E. D. J. Evans came from Van Wert;
Ohio; also Mr. and Mrs. John Williams and
Mrs. Coe. H. P. Roberts, the attorney, related to the Roberts of
Llanbrynmair, was born in Ashtabula county, Ohio, but came here in 1884 from
Colorado.
46.5 The Welsh in Minnesota - from THE STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA
Among those coming from South Dakota, we can mention D. M. Evans, the late President of
Redfield College, who was also at one time the editor of the Aberdeen Daily
News. Morris Williams and Robert Rowlands and families came from
Aberdeen. Both had formerly lived in Wisconsin, Mr. Williams at Randolph, and
Mr. Rowlands at Cambria, Mrs. D. D.
Jones also came from there. From Ipswich, S. D., Ellis Jones and family came a few years ago, and he has been active
with the Wyddorfa; Mr. and Mrs.
Isaac Whittington and daughter Una,
Mrs. Mary E. Jones and children Harry and Mamie, and Mrs. Hugh
Griffiths and son and daughter are from there. Evan Griffiths is now the city editor of the Fargo Argus at Fargo, North
Dakota, and Mary Griffiths is the
cashier in this city for the Davies Packing company. W. R. Jones, of Ipswich, usually spends his winters here, and Owen Rowlands came from there. Mrs. Margaret Williams came from
Arvilla South Dakota, in 1888.
46.6 The Welsh in Minnesota - from BANGOR, WISCONSIN
The Welsh people coming from Bangor, Wis., are as
follows: John R. Howells came in
April, 1879, and his word is considered authority on the value of real estate; H. G. Morris came soon afterwards and
started a boot and shoe store. He is a native of Proscairon, Wis., and Mrs. Morris, of Welsh Prairie, near
Cambria. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Davies kept
a hotel for a short time, and Mrs. Davies is a beautiful singer. In 1881, J. H. Parry and family came to the
city; he has been four years in the city council and at present is our city
bread inspector. Robert, John and Mrs. Mingle, children of Mr. and Mrs.
Parry are living in the city, and Miss
Mingle their granddaughter, has been the organist in one or two of the Eisteddfodau.
Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Jones came a
little later and their children, Hugh
William, Evan, Annie and Maggie are
still with their mother. Mr. Jones was the son of Rev. Hugh Jones, Columbus, Wis. Prof. H. F. Pierce is well known as a music teacher, and has given
some of his compositions to the musical world. W. J. Salisbury is with the J. L. Owens Co., and Watkin Jones is one of our popular
young men. D. D. Jones has been here
several years, and his son, V. D. Jones,
is the city passenger ticket agent of the Great Northern railway, and V. E. Jones is the city ticket agent in
the Union depot. Mrs. J. J. Jones,
Sixteenth avenue, is the daughter of Owen
Hughes, and Mrs. J. J. Jones,
our dry goods merchant, is the daughter of E.
R. Roberts of Bangor, and Mrs. Nean of
John Jones. Mr. and Mrs. R. I. Williams, the druggist, and our young attorney, J. T. Baxter, have been in the city
several years. Miss Margaret Baxter is
an attractive singer and Mrs. Bardwell is
another sister living in the city. John
F. Jones was formerly from Bangor but came here from Bismark, N.D.
46.7 The Welsh in Minnesota - from CAMBRIA, WISCONSIN.
No place has more Welsh representatives in the city
than Cambria, Wis., and many who came here from other places have previously
made their home there. R. H. Jones and
his brothers, G. R. Jones, H. H. Jones,
W. H. Jones and O. W. Jones who
have lived here, were brought up at Cambria. R. H. Jones came here from, Berlin, Wis., and was one of the
organizers of the Minneapolis Harvester Co., and for years its secretary and
treasurer. W. H. and O. W. Jones when here were in the Wholesale implement
business. J. L. Owens came to the
city in July, 1878, and has been the means of bringing many others here. For
several years he was an inventor, and had charge of all the wood department of
the Minneapolis Harvester Co. He built the Jones block on Franklin avenue, and
later organized the J. L. Owens Co. to manufacture the Owens Panning Mills and
other farm machinery of his own invention, of which he is still the president.
His children, John J. and Robert J., are heavy share holders in
the company; David, who is foreman
in the shop; Richard L., who is
traveling salesman for the company, and Owen
L. and Mrs. J. T. Evans are
living in the city. David B. Thomas and
family came soon after, Mr. Owens and are still here. His daughters are Mrs. J. R. Jones, Mrs. Jacob Williams, Mrs.
Jesse Williams, Mrs. Tabitha Colter, and the sons David and Philip are
home with their parents. D. H. Evans came
in 1879 and in a few years was made foreman in the Harvester works, a position
which he still holds with Woods Harvester Co., at St. Paul. F. J. Jones, brother to Mrs. Evans, has been street
commissioner in the Seventh ward, and he and another brother, J. J. Jones, are members of the Odd
Fellows quartet. They now live at St. Paul. Mrs. Allen Jones is a sister of theirs. R. R. Howells and D. R..
Howells, nephews of J. L. Owens,
were among the early comers, and are in business together under the name of R.
R. Howells & Co., having a store of threshing machine supplies, etc on
Washington avenue, and a manufacturing plant in another part of the city.
Another brother, Benjamin, and the
mother and sister have come to the city later. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Lewis and O.
Roberts were among the first to come. D.
J. Hughes, H. A. Hughes, J. W. Hughes and their father, Wm. Hughes, came early in the 80's, the
latter has been city lumber inspector, and J.
W. is interested in music, and was secretary of the first Eisteddfod.
H. R. Edwards also has taken prizes
in singing in the local Eisteddfodau. D.
A. Roberts and son, Robert, are
the merchant tailors on Franklin avenue, and another son, T. D. Roberts, is one of our estimable mail carriers. George W. Williams, the organist of the
Welsh church, and Mrs. Williams, Mrs.
Louis Heinz, Mrs. Elizabeth Roberts, and her children, Robert, Mrs. D. D. Jones and Mrs.
S. S. Jones, formerly lived at Cambria. Mr. and Mrs. G. T. Griffiths, Mrs. Griffiths is the daughter of Daniel Williams (Glyn), Mrs. W. G. Thomas, Mr. and Mrs. Peter E.
Roberts, Mr. and Mrs. Morris Morgan, E. H. and D. E. Edwards, Nicolas Jones, D. E. Jones, Mrs. Casey, (nee Annie Hughes), Mary J. Evans, Mrs. Wolfenton and H. J. Hughes the deputy state grain weighmaster are well known
there. R. D. Jones, foreman with R.
R. Howells & Co., is a son of the late Rev.
Wm. Jones, Welsh Prairie. J. M.
Owens and family are from the same place. The children are John J., Charles, Frederick, Newton,
Alfred, Mrs. Sharp and Mrs. Porter and all are doing well. J. J. Jones, the dry goods merchant on
Franklin avenue, came from Marquette, Michigan, in 1884, but was formerly from
Cambria. R. L. Jones is interested
in music and has taken prizes at several of the Eisteddfodau.
46.8 The Welsh in Minnesota - from COLUMBUS, WISCONSIN.
From Columbus, Wisconsin, Dr. U. G. Williams came early in 1883, and for several years kept a
drug store on Washington avenue, but now gives all his time to the practice of
medicine. John O. Williams, one of
our mail carriers, came to the city in 1881, and is prominent in the Christian
Endeavor society; Mrs. Williams takes
great interest in painting, and is the daughter of the well known minister, Rev. Thomas R. Jones, who spends part
of his time at Minneapolis. Jesse
Williams came about the same time as his brother, and Daniel B. Jones, a cousin, who at one time was the leader of the
singing at the Welsh church, and now lives at West Pullman, Ill. Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Williams came in
1884, and Mr. Williams started a drug store which he is still running on
Franklin avenue. He takes great interest in music, and has been an active
worker in the Eisteddfodau.. They have three daughters, Edith, Evelyn and Clara. Evelyn took the prize on Soprano Solo, at the St. David Eisteddfod
in 1894, and Clara is a noted singer, being one of the attractions of the
Columbian International, Esiteddfod in 1893, and is now at the Royal Academy of
Music, London, where she has won several prizes of merit. J. O. Williams, son of Rev.
David Williams, came to the city in 1893.
46.9 The Welsh in Minnesota - from DODGEVILLE, WISCONSIN.
Dodgeville, Wisconsin, was the former home of Mrs. Talford, and Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Lewis. Mr. Lewis has been running a meat market
in this city for several years. R. R.
Williams, father of Mrs. D. T.
Davies, came from there in 1888, and Lizzie
and Edwin, her brother and
sister, are still here. The latter, is a member of the firm of Bushnell, Moffet
& Co., on Hennepin avenue. Paul
Jones, engineer on the H. & D., has been in the city several years, but
has recently moved to Montevideo. Maggie
J. Jones, sister to Mrs. P. Jones and
Mrs. Talford, is living in the city. George
Jones came to the city in 1885, and has been engaged in the meat business. Dr. C. W. Williams came to the city in
1892, and has his office in the Masonic Temple. From Neenah, Wisconsin, Miss Mary E. Martin came in 1891, and
is a faithful member of the Welsh church.
46.10 The Welsh in Minnesota - from OSHKOSH, WISCONSIN.
T.
R. Daniel came from Oshkosh, Wis., in 1884, and is engaged in
the insurance business, and his brother, R.
E. Daniel, came in 1886, and is state insurance adjuster. Both are
interested in music and the latter has been the musical adjudicator several
times at the Eisteddfodau Rev. and Mrs.
D. E. Evans were formerly from Oshkosh, but came to the city from
Litchfield Minn., and Mr. Evans is
pastor of the House of Faith, Presbyterian church. Mrs. Margaret Evans, mother of Mrs.
D. E. Evans and J. D. Evans, has
lived for years at Oshkosh, and another son, E. D. Evans, now the banker at Randolph, Wis., with his family,
lived a few years here, leaving in 1892.
46.11 The Welsh in Minnesota - from PORTAGE, WISCONSIN.
W.
G. Bebb who was in the dry goods business for years at
Portage, Wisconsin, came from there to Minneapolis in 1884, and engaged in the
real estate business. He was interested in every Welsh movement and was the
secretary of the Cymrodorion society. Their children are still living
here. David, the oldest, is a
book-keeper, William is studying for
the ministry, and Rosa studies
medicine.
46.12 The Welsh in Minnesota - from RANDOLPH, WISCONSIN.
H.
M. Jones came from Randolph, Wisconsin, and spent several
years with R. R. Howells & Co., and was active with the Wyddorfa. At
present he is at West Pullman, Ill. His sisters, Mrs. H. E. Jones, of St. Paul; Ella, who is stenographer for the E.
S. Jones Sons; and Emma and Edna have been in the city several
years. Mr. and Mrs. Ezra Thomas were
here some time but have gone to West Pullman, Ill. D. O. Davies came from there, and was one of the deacons in the
Welsh church for some, time before his departure for Seattle. Mr. and Mrs. S. S. Jones came quite
recently, wishing a pleasant place to live on retiring from the farm.
46.13 The Welsh in Minnesota - from RACINE, WISCONSIN
The contribution of Racine, Wisconsin, to Minneapolis
have been Mr. and Mrs. John V. Jones,
their son and daughter; Mr. and Mrs.
Thomas Jones, and grandchildren; Mrs.
Archibald Gray, of St. Paul, and Erma
Jones. Mr. Jones was a prominent
lumberman for years at Racine. Rev.
Joseph Roberts, the fourth pastor of the Welsh church, and Mrs. Roberts spent over five years in
the city, leaving in 1894, to take charge of the Thirteenth street Welsh church
of New York City. D. R. Evans came
from Racine in 1880, and was in the grocery business for a short time and
afterwards returned to that city. Thomas
I. Jones was for years foreman with Harrison & Smith, engravers and
printers, and now is with the Pioneer Press, at St. Paul. Mrs. Mary Jenkins and son, Richard
Jenkins, and daughter, Mrs. Kate
Roberts and grand children, Marge,
and John, are from Racine; also Mr. T. W. Roberts, one of the active
workers of the Wyddorfa.
46.14 The Welsh in Minnesota - from SPARTA, WISCONSIN
Miss
Libbie Lloyd came from Sparta, Wisconsin, in 1887,
and her sister, Magdalen, some time
later, and they kept a stylish dressmaking establishment on Ninth avenue for
several years. Mrs. J. W. Thomas,
Sixteenth avenue, is from the same place, and has favored some of the Eisteddfodau
with her recitations.
46.15 The Welsh in Minnesota - from WATERTOWN, WISCONSIN.
David
Rickett is from Watertown, and has charge of the mason work
on the C. M. & St. P. Railway. His daughter, Jennie is one of our popular young ladies.
46.16 The Welsh in Minnesota - from WATERVILLE, WISCONSIN.
The Rev. John Moses came from Waterville,
Wisconsin, in 1883, to take charge of the Welsh church as its first settled pastor,
and remained here over three years. George
Rice, Esq., of Waukesha county, in the early 80's spent some time in the
city, and J. R. Jones, our
Bloomington avenue grocer, came from there in 1883. Mr. and Mrs. Edward Griffiths and Mrs. Robert Powell are from the same place.
46.17 The Welsh in Minnesota - from CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.
John
E. James, the Northwestern freight agent of the Lake Shore and
Michigan Southern railway, came from Chicago in 1880, and is the son of the
late John James, of Milwaukee. Mr. and Mrs. Morris Jones came from
Chicago early in the 80's, and Robert
Pritchard came in 1888, and is one of our popular singers. T. Wynne Jones, general salesman for
Bell, Conrad & Co., came in 1889. He is a brother of Rev. J. Wynne Jones, of Baltimore, Md. .
46.18 The Welsh in Minnesota - from NORTH WALES.
Quite a number of individuals and families have come
to the city from North Wales:
R. N. Jones and family
came from Montreal, Canada, but are natives of Porthmadoc (Porthmadog), Gaernarvonshire
(sic) (Sir Gaernarfon /
Caernarfonshire). The eldest son, Evan Jones, is a draughtsman
for the C., M. & P. railway, and the present secretary of the Wyddorfa; Edward
Jones takes interest in music, and William and Richard N., Jr., are active in the Wyddorfa and church
work. W. J. Thomas and family came from the same shire. J. W. Thomas,
the oldest son, holds a good position with one of the implement firms, and is
one of our most popular singers; he has three brothers, Owen, William and David Richard,
the last two with their parents at St. Paul. Griffith G. Jones, credit
man of R. R. Howells & CO., is a native of Anglesey, and preaches
occasionally, and is one of our promising young men. His brother, Wm. M.
Jones, came a few years ago from Ipswich, S. D., where he resided a short
time after coming from Wales. Robert Hughes, who has been a real estate
dealer, and his sister, Mrs. J. R. Howells, and cousin, Robert Henry
Jones, are from the same shire. The latter, at present. is studying for the
ministry at Ripon college, in Wisconsin. Elizabeth Hughes came from
Caergybi, in 1888. J. J. Owens and G. D. Owens, J. E. and Elias
R. Jones and Lizzie Elias Jones are from Anglesey. Also J. T.
Griffiths and family. The daughters are Mrs. J. J. Reese, Mrs. Arthur V.
Jones, Mrs. Owen Thomas and Jennie and Lizzie, and all take
interest in music.
Owen Thomas and Arthur V. Jones crossed the water, and the latter
is a good singer. Cadwalader Jones came from London in 1891, and is now
at Chicago in business as a merchant tailor. Owen Williams, district
secretary of the American Express Co., came from Bethesda, N. W., eight years
ago, and is one of our prosperous young men. Allen and Henry Jones
are from Flintshire, coming here in 1883, and are both popular singers; Celia and Arthur, children of the latter take interest in the same line Robert Powell came from the same shire
in 1881. Maggie Jones has a sweet
voice and has taken several prizes for singing at the Eisteddfodau. She
comes from Bala. Minneapolis is indebted to Denbighshire for Peter Williams who came here several
years ago, and has a large blacksmith shop on Third street and Sixth avenue,
and his brothers, John and Thomas and families, and Arthur and Wm. Vaughan, are from
the same place. Thomas Morris came
here from St. Paul, but formerly from Dolgelly. His children, Owen T., Catherine, Mary and Richard, all singers and workers in the
Endeavor society and Wyddorfa. D.
R. Jones is from Denbighshire, and J.
J. Jones, Sixteenth avenue, from Meirionydd. Owen Evans and H. T. Evans,
who came in 1882, were from the same shire. Mrs. Jones, the widow of the former, still lives here. Owen Thomas came from Anglesey in 1883,
and built the Thomas block, on Franklin avenue, and afterwards went to Seattle.
Robert Pritchard, floor walker in
Donaldson's Glass block, was born on the other side of the ocean. We find a
great number in the city who have Welsh blood in their veins, but some of them
must go several generations back to trace it to Hen Wlad fy Nhadau. The
great grandfather of Herschell V. Jones,
editor of the Minneapolis Journal, came from there; and W. W. Williams, editor of the Tribune, Dr. Thomas S. Roberts and Dr.
W. A. Jones have some Welsh blood. Attorney W. P. Roberts can trace his family coming from Wales in 1698, the
oldest member being Robert Cadwalader and
one of the sons, Cadwalader Roberts.
They came over with Wm. Penn and settled at Philadelphia, Pa. D. P. Jones and W. O. Jones, sons of the late F.
S. Jones, are "proud of what Welsh blood they have," and
frequently make a visit to Gwlad Y Gan (Gwlad y Gân = the land of song). Frank F. Davis, the attorney; Joshua Williams, the hardware merchant;
Sidney M. Owen and his brother, H. R. Owen, editors of Farm, Stock and
Home; and R. G. Evans, member of the
republican national committee, have some claim on the principality.
46.19 The Eisteddfodau
According to the
national custom among the Welsh, Minneapolis has its Eisteddfodau and
other literary societies. Appearing under various names, they have a singleness
of purpose, to cultivate and develop brain power. Fields of labor are opened
for young and old. Competitive subjects are given. Prizes are offered for the
highest merit. . A prominent place is given to music. A chance is given to
develop poetic genius. Composition is brought to the front. Recitation and
declamation are not forgotten. Soon after the Welsh church was started, before
the church edifice was built, a literary society was organized. A prominent
place was given to temperance, and this society was active for two years. The
first Eisteddfod was held January 17th, 1885, when choirs from Mankato
and Minneapolis were competing, the latter taking the prize. The officers were:
President, Dr. O. J. Evans;
Corresponding Secretary, W. G. James;
Recording Secretary, W. Hughes. On
the 24th of March, 1886, the Wyddorfa was organized with the following
officers: President, H. O. Roberts;
Treasurer, D. O. Davies; Secretary, J. W. Williams; Executive Committee Dr. D. O. Thomas, R. L. Owens and D. W. Davies.
Between that time and January, 1888, thirty meetings had been held. An Eisteddfod
was held December 25th, 1888, when Rev.
E. C. Evans, of St. Paul, was president, and J. W. Hughes, secretary. The Cymrodorion society was
organized September Sth, 1891, as a secret society, and held several meetings
during the following eight months, but received a severe attack of summer
complaint from which it did not recover. The officers of this society were:
President, H. O. Roberts; Secretary,
W. G. Bebb; Treasurer, W. W. Thomas; Sergeant-at-Arms, H. M. Jones; Attorney, J. T. Baxter; Committee, Dr. D. O. Thomas, Rev. Joseph Roberts, E. R.
Jones, D. B. Jones and D. E. Jones. The Wyddorfa was
revived in November, 1892, and ever since has been in a flourishing condition.
Under its auspices two Eisteddfods have been held, one on St. David's
day, 1894, and the other on Washington's birthday, 1895, at both of which J. Williams was president. H. R. Edwards was the secretary of the
first, and J.W. Thomas of the last.
At the last one held the following persons were given prizes: Solos, Mrs. D. E. Evans, Maggie Jones, H. R. Edwards,
J. W. Hughes, Rev. D. E. Evans; Duets, R.
L. Jones and Maggie Jones, Robert Hughes and Maggie Jones; Quartettes, O.
T. Morris, Celia Jones, Lizzie Griffiths and R. L. Jones, and Mrs. J. W. Hughes, Katie Jones, Mrs. J. J. Jones and Mrs. D. E. Evans; Translation, O. J. Williams, St. Paul; Essays, Ellis Jones and O. T. Morris; Poetry, J. O.
Parry and O. J. Williams;
Recitations, Hayden Evans, Una Whittington and O. T. Morris. The adjudicators were:
Recitations, W. E. Williams and Rev. J. T. Evans; Poetry, H. O. Roberts; Essays, Revs. J. T. Evans and D. I. Evans; Music, R. E. Daniel and Mrs. Alice Blossom; Pencil Sketch, G. W. Williams. Hon. J. N.
Jones, Redwood, Hon. Job Lloyd,
Le Sueur, and W. R. Edwards, editor
of the Tracy Republican, responded to their names with eloquent remarks. The
male chorus sang under the leadership of Prof.
H. F. Pierce, and Miss Cora Owens was
the accompanist. The present officers of the Gwyddorfa are: President, Rev. J. T. Evans; Secretary, Evan Jones; Treasurer, Thomas Morris, Ellis Jones and Henry Jones. From its organization the
society has held forty-three meetings. Its motto is: "The truth against
the world."
47: THE
MINNEAPOLIS WELSH CHURCH
By J. W. Williams, Esq. (pp133-137)
"The Pyramids
themselves, doting with age, have forgotten the names of their founders."
- Fuller.
47:1
INTRODUCTION.
From the earliest
time, it has been the great problem with mankind, how to avoid death, or if not
avoid, to neutralize it. It is incompatible with the divine instinct implanted
in a rational being to be forgotten, and death,without further revelation,is to
the mind a state of forgetfulness, and of being forgotten. It is surprising,
looking backward, to see the masterful and almost effectual efforts of some
great minds to, perpetuate themselves and their memory. The angel suggested to
the prophet the most effectual and accepted modern way: "Go write it in a
book, that it may be for all time to come, forever and forever."
Doubtless, this is the motive of this work in general, and of this article in
particular, to perpetuate the memory of a subject we love. Previous to the year
1880 there were only a number of scattered Welsh -people and descendants of
Welsh parents, who, owing to location and the absence of a Welsh organization
were connected with English churches, where most of them remain. In 1880 there
was a greater influx of Welsh, attracted principally by the employment afforded
by the Minneapolis Harvester works, and consequently located contiguous
thereto. Like the patriarchs of old when there are "two or three"
Welshmen together they rarely fail to build an altar. The Sunday school having
been the principle and first agent by which the nation has attained to the high
standard among other nationalities for its morality and religious tendencies,
we naturally look for it as the first fruit of a Welsh settlement. The first
Sunday school here, was held at the residence of Mr. John L. Owens, September
17, 1880. It had twenty members, and was made a permanent institution, holding
its sessions in rotation from house to house. Shortly after a weekly prayer
meeting was also held in the same manner for a season. Subsequently the
services were held in a small rented church building on Nineteenth avenue,
between Fifth and Sixth streets, and afterwards in April, 1881, removed to
another rented church on the corner of Franklin and Bloomington avenues This
was an undenominational society., organized by subscribing to the following
pledge: "We, whose names are appended, solemnly pledge ourselves to God
and to one another to be the Lord's, and to serve him faithfully by the aid of
his grace forever." The little society of twenty-six who subscribed prospered
until it became necessary for them to seek a house of their own, and March 23,
1881, they incorporated under the laws of the state and elected as trustees, Messrs. H. D. Roberts, J. L. Owens, D. H.
Evans, H. H. Jones and J. H. Parry;
who in turn were succeeded by J. R.
Howells, D. B. Thomas, Wm. Hughes, Wm. G. Thomas and Thomas Morris. They purchased the lots on Seventeenth avenue south,
paying in cash whereupon now stands the church edifice. In September, 1882, the
erection of the new church was commenced according to plans made and given
gratis by Mr. D. R. Jones,
architect, Cambria, Wis., and under the direction and personal assistance of
trustees J. L. Owen and H. O. Roberts. The building was
completed by April 1, 1883, and dedicated. The whole expense was $2,300, of'
which amount $1,300 was collected and paid at the time, leaving $1,000 indebted
to Mr. and Mrs. Morris Jones, which
was fully liquidated in 1890. In 1884 an addition was made to it which is being
used for weekly meetings. While the church edifice is kept in first-class
repair, and is supplied with modern conveniences in the way of furnaces,
electric light, etc., yet the congregation feel that they need a larger and
better edifice, which would be in keeping with the position which the Welsh
people hold among the other nationalities of the city, and which no doubt would
have been built sooner but for the severe depression in business circles in
general, and abhorance to the bondage of a church debt.
47:2 MINISTERS AND PASTORS.
Previous to the
organization of the church there had been incidental visits by different
ministers of the gospel who preached for the few present. The first Welsh
sermon was preached at a school house, near Minnehaha and Lake streets, by Rev. E. R. Lewis (Conregationalist),
Iorwerth Callestr, (this is his pseudonym; Iorwerth is regarded as the Welsh
equivalent of Edward; Callestr is ‘flint’, and was used by natives of the
county of Y Fflint) in 1879, and the following year the Revs. O. P. Morris, R. F. Jones and T. R. Jones each preached in Franklin avenue Presbyterian church,
and later the Revs. Hugh Davies and H. P. Howell. February, 1883, the Rev. John Moses having received a call
from the church began his pastoral work which continued for nearly three years,
when he resigned and retired. The Rev.
I. N. Roberts was next called, and at the close of his first year retired.
Following the Rev. J. C. Jones served
the church very acceptably for a year, and at the end of that time he also
resigned. The Rev. Joseph Roberts was
the longest in service of the church, ministering to it for over five years.
November 11, 1894, he also gave up his charge, and up to the present the church
is in search of a pastor and will not desist until they obtain one of the best
in the two continents, being both able and aspiring enough to persevere until
successful in their endeavors. The Rev.
J. T. Evans, district superintendent of the Bible society for Minnesota and
the Dakotas, with headquarters at Minneapolis, is a member of the church and is
exceedingly energetic and useful in its interest. Mr. Robert Henry Jones, who is a candidate for the ministry, and is
now a student at Ripon, Wis., is a promising young man and a respected member.
47.3
DEACONS AND OFFICERS.
The, church, which at
first was undenominational, became united with the Calvinistic Methodist Synod
(Cymanfa), of Minnesota, and the second Presbytery (Cyf. Dosbarth)
elected three deacons, Messrs. John L.
Owen, H. D. Roberts and J. H. Parry.
Subsequently Mr. D. O. Davies and in
1888 Mr. D. T. Davies and John Morris were also chosen. D. O.
Davies has since moved to Washington and John Morris to Chicago. The other four
remain until this day and diligently serve the church. In the capacity of
clerks, Mr. H. O. Roberts served
five years; Mr. John Morris, one
year, and J. W. Williams, eight
years. The treasury has been watched over by D. H. Evans, R. R. Davies and D.
T. Davies.
47.4
AUXILIARY SOCIETIES
There are the usual
societies, auxiliary and co-operative, whose officers, and members are an
active and energetic support to the pastor and officers of the church,
contributing to the efficiency of the church work in general. The Bible and
Missionary societies each are mediums by which the church shows its appreciation
of the advantages of Christianity and civilization which it enjoys itself,
doing its share in disseminating the same joyful news among those whom their
lines have not fallen in such pleasant places. The "One Cent a Day
Army" is an adjunct of the Missionary society, and its members are the
most energetic in that work inasmuch that they pledge to contribute at least
one cent a day to missions. The Junior and Senior societies of Christian
Endeavor have their influence among the youth and children, as a nursery to the
church, fitting them to take up the yoke whenever their ancestors have laid it
down, promising a permanency to the work of the church even after the present
generation shall have been gathered unto their fathers. The "Willing Workers,"
a society among the ladies, who both willingly and eagerly work for the church
in things corporal and charitable, and worthily fulfill their mission. The
"Wyddorfa" is a literary society which is capable of much good
among the younger portion of the community. The little church around the corner
which started with twenty-five members has now reached its ten fold, but not
yet its zenith. From receiving $150 towards aiding the proclamation of the glad
tidings, it has since furnished $13,000 towards the same purpose. Has within
the last three years sent succor to the extent of $400 to missionaries, and
helped in distributing $300 worth of Bibles to the heathen. Harbored 400
transients who bless her for a temporary home, and has been the last succor to
thirty of its members who approached the gates of immortal mansions, to whose
title many of them owe a helping hand in the ministration afforded them within
the sacred precints of its sanctuary.
On to the next section -
1200e kimkat1200e The Settlement at Lime Springs
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