William Jones (clergyman)
Encyclopedia
William Jones was a Welsh evangelical clergyman, who was a friend and correspondent of the prominent Welsh cleric Thomas Charles
.
, south Wales and studied at Jesus College, Oxford
from 1773 or 1774 until 1777. He became friends with Thomas Charles
, who was studying at the college at the same time, and corresponded frequently with him thereafter. He broke off his studies in 1778 on being appointed tutor to the family of a Government servant in Jamaica, but returned to England in 1780, graduated and was ordained. He was curate
(1781–1801) and then vicar
of Broxbourne
and Hoddesdon
in Hertfordshire
; he had feared that his Methodist views would prevent his appointment as vicar. Twelve years before his death, he acquired a coffin for use when he died. During the remainder of his life, he used it as a bookshelf. However, when he died in Broxbourne on 12 October 1821, the coffin proved to be too small for him.
Thomas Charles
Thomas Charles was a Welsh Nonconformist clergyman of considerable importance in the history of modern Wales.-Early life:...
.
Life
Jones was born on 18 November 1755 in AbergavennyAbergavenny
Abergavenny , meaning Mouth of the River Gavenny, is a market town in Monmouthshire, Wales. It is located 15 miles west of Monmouth on the A40 and A465 roads, 6 miles from the English border. Originally the site of a Roman fort, Gobannium, it became a medieval walled town within the Welsh Marches...
, south Wales and studied at Jesus College, Oxford
Jesus College, Oxford
Jesus College is one of the colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is in the centre of the city, on a site between Turl Street, Ship Street, Cornmarket Street and Market Street...
from 1773 or 1774 until 1777. He became friends with Thomas Charles
Thomas Charles
Thomas Charles was a Welsh Nonconformist clergyman of considerable importance in the history of modern Wales.-Early life:...
, who was studying at the college at the same time, and corresponded frequently with him thereafter. He broke off his studies in 1778 on being appointed tutor to the family of a Government servant in Jamaica, but returned to England in 1780, graduated and was ordained. He was curate
Curate
A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
(1781–1801) and then vicar
Vicar
In the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...
of Broxbourne
Broxbourne
Broxbourne is a commuter town in the Broxbourne borough of Hertfordshire in the East of England with a population of 13,298 in 2001.It is located 17.1 miles north north-east of Charing Cross in London and about a mile north of Wormley and south of Hoddesdon...
and Hoddesdon
Hoddesdon
Hoddesdon is a town in the English county of Hertfordshire, situated in the Lea Valley. The town grew up as a coaching stop on the route between Cambridge and London. It is located southeast of Hertford, north of Waltham Cross and southwest of Bishop's Stortford. At its height during the 18th...
in Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
; he had feared that his Methodist views would prevent his appointment as vicar. Twelve years before his death, he acquired a coffin for use when he died. During the remainder of his life, he used it as a bookshelf. However, when he died in Broxbourne on 12 October 1821, the coffin proved to be too small for him.