Evans, Jonah (c1856 - 1926)

Jonah Evans wrote the book Hen Gymeriadau - Cwmgors a'r Waun o'r flwyddyn 1840  [Old Characters of Cwmgors and Gwauncaegurwen from the year 1840] in 1907.
The book was indexed and translated by Jenni Hyatt in 1999 and can be viewed on the above Genuki page.

Apart from being immensely grateful to him for contributing such an invaluable resource for local family historians I realised I knew nothing else about him, so I did some research.

My first port of call was the 'other' local history book by L C Huws - Annibynwyr Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen, written in 1942, and here are some references  from the translation which will help to place Jonah Evans in the area's history.

• ................... . Jonah Evans [who was the treasurer of Carmel Chapel for many years] (p16)
• In the year 1902, the following were elected to join the existing deacons; ............................. Jonah Evans, Dyffryn Clwyd (p55)
• ...........and by 1898 we have the names of four secretaries, namely..................... The following year we have six names, to augment the above four, Jonah Evans and W S Jones. The explanation for this is that the church had split into areas and made one secretary responsible for looking after the accounts of each area.(p57)
• Jonah Evans was elected as treasurer of Carmel. He was a capable man beyond the ordinary, taking an interest in literature and poetry, and a brave leader in social matters. He wrote the History of Carmel, and a book on Old Characters of Cwmgors and the Waun. He was a deacon since 1902.
  Jonah Evans died at the beginning of 1926,....(p59)

I'm assuming that the Dyffryn Clwyd in the first reference above is the abode detailed on the 1871 census, not far from the Caegurwen Arms - a Thomas Morgan and family were living there then. And in 1891 a Henry Bigby and family/lodgers were there.

According to FreeBMD a Jonah Evans died in the March Quarter of 1926 in the Pontardawe Registration District, he was aged 70 which implies he was born c 1856.

A search of the 1911 census finds Jonah Evans and family living at Dyffryn Clwyd, GCG and  these are the details as transcribed

• EVANS, JONAH    HEAD    MARRIED     M   56  MINER HEWER     GLAMMORGANSHIRE LLANGUICKE      
• EVANS, AIYHANAH [see below]  WIFE    MARRIED    27 [years married]    F  48   GLAMMORGANSHIRE LLANGUICKE      
• EVANS, EVAN     SON     SINGLE   M  27  MINER HEWER     GLAMMORGANSHIRE LLANGUICKE      
• EVANS, CAMBE    SON     MARRIED  M  23 MINER HEWER     GLAMMORGANSHIRE LLANGUICKE      
• EVANS, GWENIE   DAUGHTER   SINGLE  F  15  DOMESTIC        GLAMMORGANSHIRE LLANGUICKE      
• EVANS, MINNIE   DAUGHTER  SINGLE   F  12  SCHOOL  GLAMMORGANSHIRE LLANGUICKE      
• EVANS, CATHRINE         DAUGHTER   SINGLE   F  7  SCHOOL  GLAMMORGANSHIRE LLANGUICKE      
• EVANS, WILLIAM JOHN     SON     SINGLE  M  9  SCHOOL  GLAMMORGANSHIRE LLANGUICKE      
• EVANS, ASQUITH  SON     SINGLE   M   3   GLAMMORGANSHIRE LLANGUICKE

So, from the above we now also know that Jonah was born in Llangiwg parish, as were all his large family, he was a coal face worker, he married his wife in 1883/4

A further search of FreeBMD finds a Jonah Evans married Angharad Thomas in the Dec Quarter 1883 in Pontardawe Registration District.

(4/11) I am contacted by Billo Jenkins (formerly of Twyn yr Efail) who tells me " My maternal grandfather was William Thomas, known to all and sundry as"Billy Derwydd", who lived all his married life in Twyn yr Efail. One of his sisters, Angharad, was married to Jonah Evans and they had 8 children viz .Evan, Camber, Christmas (who died in infancy), Gwenny, Minnie, Cathrine,William John, and Asquith."

The photographs that follow were contributed by Leigh Jones (August 2011)

Jonah Evans is Leigh's great grandfather and his daughter Catherine Evans is Leigh's grandmother

 Jonah Evans

Jonah and Angharad Evans, GCG

Jonah Evans & family head stone, GCG

 GCG Girls Hockey team

Catherine Mafanwy Jones, nee Evans & daughter of Jonah, seated centre

Old Carmel chapel reopening in 1927

Angharad Evans (wife of Jonah) front right

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