Griffith Jones was a minister of the Church of England

Church of England

The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...

 famous for his work in organising circulating schools in Wales

Wales

Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...

. His name is usually associated with that of Llanddowror

Llanddowror

Llanddowror is a small, historic, relatively unspoilt village 2 miles from the town of St. Clears in Carmarthenshire in West Wales.- History & Amenities :...

, Carmarthenshire

Carmarthenshire

Carmarthenshire is a unitary authority in the south west of Wales and one of thirteen historic counties. It is the 3rd largest in Wales. Its three largest towns are Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford...

.

Jones was born in 1683 or 1684 at Penboyr

Penboyr

Penboyr is a hamlet in the county of Carmarthenshire in west Wales consisting of a number of houses, smallholdings, farms and a church.-About:...

, Carmarthenshire

Carmarthenshire

Carmarthenshire is a unitary authority in the south west of Wales and one of thirteen historic counties. It is the 3rd largest in Wales. Its three largest towns are Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford...

, and christened on May 1 1684. He was educated at 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....

 Grammar School. He was ordained in 1708 and appointed rector of Llanddowror in 1716. He remained there for the rest of his life.

Jones was an enthusiastic member of the Society for the Promotion of Christian Knowledge, and in 1731 he started circulating schools in Carmarthenshire in order to teach people to read.