David Williams was an Independent minister and schoolmaster. His pupils included the philosopher David Williams

David Williams (philosopher)

David Williams , was a Welsh philosopher of the Enlightenment period. He was an ordained minister, theologian and political polemicist, and was the founder in 1788 of the Royal Literary Fund.-Upbringing:...

, with whom he is sometimes confused.

Williams was born in Pwll-y-pant near Caerphilly

Caerphilly

Caerphilly is a town in the county borough of Caerphilly, south Wales, located at the southern end of the Rhymney Valley, with a population of approximately 31,000. It is a commuter town of Cardiff and Newport, which are located some 7.5 miles and 12 miles away, respectively...

. He studied for the ministry at the Carmarthen

Carmarthen

Carmarthen is a community in, and the county town of, Carmarthenshire, Wales. It is sited on the River Towy north of its mouth at Carmarthen Bay. In 2001, the population was 14,648....

 Academy, and in 1734 became minister of a chapel in Cardiff

Cardiff

Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...

. In 1739, he took over the newly-built "Watford" chapel, where he entertained Howell Harris

Howell Harris

Hywel Harris was one of the main leaders of the Welsh Methodist revival in the 18th century, along with Daniel Rowland and William Williams Pantycelyn.-Life:...

shortly afterwards. Williams and Harris later quarrelled, and the Methodist members of Williams' congregation formed a separate unit. His first wife, Mary, died in 1745, and he re-married, another Mary. One of his sons, Thomas Williams, took over from him as minister at Watford.

Sources

• Welsh Biography Online