REV. ERASMUS WILLIAM JONES, UTICA, ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
REV. ERASMUS W. JONES was born in the parish of Llanddeiniolen, Carnarvonshire, North Wales, December 17th, 1817.On May 29, 1832, in company with his brother William, he sailed for America from the port of Carnarvon, and after a boisterous passage of nine weeks and two days landed in New York. Here he remained something over two years, when with the family of his brother John, who had preceded him to this country, he removed to Trenton. In the fall of 1838 he became a resident of Remsen, working here at his trade of tailor with the late John Edmunds. Mr. Jones was soon recognized as a singer of much merit, taking prominent soloist parts in concerts, and actively interesting himself as a worker in the temperance cause; also he identified himself with the anti-slavery movement, which then was decidedly unpopular and called for no little moral courage in its adherents. The best citizens and most devoted church members viewed it with great displeasure, considering the Abolitionists a deluded and dangerous faction. But how these honest despisers of the anti-slavery cause eventually came to see their mistake, becoming fear- less defenders of what they had formerly denounced, are well known facts of general history.
In the summer of 1848, Mr. Jones entered the ministry of the English Methodist Episcopal church, in which regular ministry he was actively engaged for thirty-eight years. In 1852 his conference gave him permission to visit his native land, after an absence of twenty years. In 1864 he was appointed chaplain of the 21st Reg't, U. S. colored troops, and was honorably discharged at Charleston, S. C, April 25, 1866. In the fall of 1882, he became afflicted with almost total deafness, and was obliged to give up his regular pastorate. In 1885 he visited the Welsh churches of Ohio and Wisconsin, where he received the warmest welcome. During his absence of three months he preached on an average seven times a week, almost wholly in his native tongue. In 1887 he again visited Wales and the scenes of his childhood, a tour that gave him unbounded satisfaction.
In 1856, Mr. Jones published "The Captive Youths of Judah;" in 1872, "The Adopted Son of the Prin- cess;" in 1886, "Llangobaith, A Story of North Wales;" and in 1890, "Gold, Tinsel and Trash, Stories of Country and City. "He was always an ardent friend of the Utica Eisteddfod, and once acted as its conductor. From year to year his Bardic Addresses before that body were well received, and he won many Eisteddfod prizes. At the international festival at Chicago, during the World's Fair, he took the one hundred dollar prize for the best translation into English of Llew Llyfo's dramatic poem, "Gwenwyfar," the adjudicators speaking of the English version in terms of the highest praise; and subsequently he won a prize at the Pittsburgh Eisteddfod, for the best translation into English of an "Ode on Sympathy." His later years were spent in Utica.
A narrative history of Remsen, New York.
REV. ERASMUS WILLIAM JONES, UTICA, ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
Ganwyd 17eg Rhagfyr 1817, ym mhlwyf Llanddeiniolen, Sir Gaernarfon.Bu yn ysgol Pentir, Sir Gaernarfon, eithr ymfudodd i Unol Daleithiau'r America yn 1833 gydag un o'i frodyr, ac ymsefydlu yn Efrog Newydd. Bu yn Trenton am gyfnod, yna yn Efrog Newydd, ac wedyn yn Remsen, Oneida County, talaith Efrog Newydd.
Aeth i weinidogaeth y 'Methodist Episcopal Church' tua 1848. Yn 1852 dychwelodd i Gymru ac aros yma am gyfnod, yn pregethu, etc. Eithr aeth yn ôl i America a bu'n gaplan yn y fyddin yno. Bu hefyd yn gofalu am eglwysi yn Oneida County a mannau eraill, gan ymsefydlu yn nes ymlaen yn Utica.
Cyhoeddodd The Higher Law Triumphant: The Captive Youths of Judah, 1886; The Adopted Son of the Princess (nofel a wobrwywyd yn eisteddfod Utica, 1870); The Welsh in America, 1876; Gold, Tinsel, and Trash, 1890; a Llangobaith: A Story of North Wales, 1886. Bu'n cystadlu hefyd mewn eisteddfodau, gan ennill gwobrwyon yn 'eisteddfod ffair y byd,' Chicago, 1893, eisteddfod Pittsburgh, a.y. Bu farw 9fed Ionawr, 1909.
Y Bywgraffiadur Cymreig.
ERASMUS W. JONES DIEDIN 92ND YEAR
Had lived in this Section 75 years and was a resident of Utica for 26 years - oldest member of Methodist Episcopal Conference.At the advanced age of 91 years the Rev. Erasmus W. Jones, D.D., a widely known Welsh author and clergyman, died at his home, 14 Aiken Street, this city, Saturday evening about 6 o'clock, after a month's illness.. Dr. Jones had been partially blind for the past two years, beside being deaf and suffered from rheumatism. He bore his afflictions, however, with fortitude and cheerfulness. Dr. Jones was a prominent supporter of the Utica eisteddfod and was the author of several works. He was a frequent contributor to Welsh periodicals and translated much from his native tongue. He had lived in this section for about 75 years and was reckoned to be the oldest member of the Northern New York M.E Conference.
Dr. Erasmus W. Jones was born in Llanddeiniolen, Carnarvonshire, North Wales, December 16, 1817. He came to this country at an early age and settled in Remsen, Oneida County. Here he worked at his trade as a tailor. The youth had the Welsh love of music in-born in him and also the gift of song. He began teaching singing in mnay of the churches of this county in his spare hours and soon became noted for his success in this line. He opened a singing school and conducted it for many years. He developed a talent for public speaking and did considerable service as a local preacher. He was finally ordained a minister of the M.E. Church and became a member of the Northern New York Conference in 1848. He had several important charges, one of the earliest being at Clayton.
In 1854, while at Bellville, Mr. Jones was appointed chaplain of the Twenty-first regiment, United States Colored Troops, and went to Morris Island. S.C. He caught malarial fever from the Southern swamps and this originated his deafness.. He subsequently lost the use of his left ear.
In 1855 in Remsen Mr. Jones was married to Miss Maria Jones, who survives him. At West Winfield in 1878 the couple lost a daughter, Jennie, by death, and a year after he penned the following touching lines about her :
At last the angels, clothed in white,
Chanting thrie melodies of love,
Tore her away on wings of love,
To join the ransomed throng above;
We laid her gently in the ground -
'Twas on a lovely Sabbath day,
Bishop, we cling to yonder mound,
O, do not send us far away.
In Winfield West there's many a spot
Give those to men of wider fame
We'll meekly take our humble lot
And ? forth in Jesus's name;
We'll bid good-by to Jennie's grave,
For there we can no longer stay,
Bishop, one thing we humbly crave,
O, do nor send us far away.
Besides his widow, Dr. Jones is survived by the following : A son, John Watson Jones of New York, and five daughters, Mary, widow of A. G. Bennett of San Jose, California; Naille, wife of James E. Banks of Jersey City; Emma, wife of George P. Northrup of Sauquolt; Flors, wife of Frank D. Dunham of Utica, and Miss Winifred L. Jones who is teaching in Cambden New Jersey. Of grandchildren he leaves ten. A. G. Bennett junior and Mrs. George Morrison of San Jose, California; Arthur E. Banks of Mexico, Mrs. S. D. Walker of Jersey City and Raymond Harvey and Florence Dunham of Utica. Of great-grandchildren he leaves two, Blaine Bennett and Ruth Morrison.
Long before the war broke out Mr. Jones advocated the cause of abolition with ardent force and eloquence on the platform. He also lectured on temperance. He was a fine singer and captured several eisteddfod prizes. At the world's eisteddfod at Chicago. In 1893 he won a prize of $100 for the best translation from Welsh to English of the King Arthur stories. He had also written a number of books of a religious character. His first, which has been republished only recently by D. C. Crook of Chicago, was entitled "The Captive Youths of Judah." Others of his books were "The Adopted Son of the Princes." "Llangobaith : A Story of North Wales," and "Gold, Tinsel and Truth." published in 1890. A medal was presented to him by the St. David Benevolent Society of New York in 1843 for the best song on the Welsh emigrant.
In 1883 Mr. Jones came to Utica to live and was appointed pastor of the M. E. Church in Whitesboro. He spent three years there. He was granted a superannuated relatikon in 1885, and preached occasionally by request in various churches, among them being the Welsh Calvinistic and Congregational churches at Ohio and Wisconsin. He made a trip to his native land, which he greatly enjoyed.
Dr. Jones was not only admired, esteemed and respected by a host of friends but he was also beloved by all who came in contact with him, especially among his fellow countrymen and his brother ministers in the Methodist faith.