church in Bangor, with which his family was connected, and joined the independents, among whom he began in August 1839 to preach. After keeping school for some time at Penmorfa, Carnarvonshire, and Prestatyn, Flintshire, he entered the dissenting academy of Marton, Shropshire, and subsequently that of Froodvale, Carmarthenshire. In March 1842 he accepted the pastorate of Bwlch Newydd in the latter county, where he was ordained on 15 June 1842. His next pastorate was that of Glyn Nedd, Glamorganshire, whither he moved in February 1850. In March 1854 he became minister of the Tabernacle Welsh independent church, Liverpool, in which town he spent the remainder of his days. His vigorous intellect and energetic spirit made him for half a century a prominent figure in his denomination and in Welsh public movements generally. While a successful pastor and powerful preacher, he was even better known as a journalist, lecturer, organiser, and political speaker. He edited the ‘Gwerinwr,’ a monthly periodical, in 1855 and 1856; the ‘Anibynnwr,’ another monthly, from 1857 to 1861; and the ‘Tyst,’ a weekly newspaper of the independents, jointly with William Rees [q. v.] until 1872, and thereafter as sole editor until his death. He had a large share in the 1662 commemoration movement which led to the building of the Memorial College at Brecon; and he twice visited the United States, in 1865 and in 1876, in the interests of the Welsh independent churches established there. He took a keen interest in the total abstinence movement from its beginning in North Wales in 1835, and was one of its best known advocates. In 1876 he received the degree of D.D. from Middlebury College, Vermont. He was chairman of the Union of Welsh Independents in 1878, and of the Congregational Union of England and Wales in 1885. He died on 14 July 1892 at Uwch y Don, Colwyn, and was buried in Anfield cemetery, Liverpool. On 23 Jan. 1843 he married Mrs. Eliza Owens, widow of his predecessor at Bwlch Newydd.
The following is a list of his published works: 1. A volume of essays and sermons, Liverpool, 1864. 2. ‘Memoir of Three Brothers,’ viz., J., D., and N. Stephens, independent ministers, Liverpool, 1876. 3. ‘History of the Independent Churches of Wales,’ written jointly by Thomas and Thomas Rees (1815–1885) [q. v.], 4 vols., Liverpool, 1871–5. 4. A second volume of sermons, Wrexham, 1882. 5. ‘Life of the Rev. J. Davies, Cardiff,’ Merthyr, 1883. 6. ‘History of the Temperance Movement in Wales,’ Merthyr, 1885. 7. ‘Life of the Rev. Thomas Rees, D.D.,’ Dolgelly, 1888. 8. Fifth volume of the ‘History of the Churches,’ written by Thomas only, Dolgelly, 1891. A novel, ‘Arthur Llwyd y Felin,’ was published posthumously (Liverpool, 1893). There is a portrait in oils of Thomas in the Memorial College, Brecon.
[Information kindly furnished by Mr. Josiah Thomas, Liverpool; articles in the Geninen (October 1892) and Cymru (October 1892).]
THOMAS, JOHN EVAN (1809–1873), sculptor, born in Brecon in 1809, was the eldest son of John Thomas of Castle Street, Brecon. He came to London and studied under Sir Francis Legatt Chantrey [q. v.] From 1835 to 1857 he exhibited frequently at the Royal Academy. His works were chiefly busts, and for many years he laboured at nothing else. Later in life, however, he executed several statues in marble and bronze and several portrait statuettes. Among his statues was a colossal bronze figure of the Marquis of Bute at Cardiff. He also sculptured a statue of the Duke of Wellington at Brecon, of Prince Albert on the Castle Hill, Tenby, of James Henry Vivian at Swansea, of the Prince of Wales at the Welsh schools at Ashford, of Sir Charles Morgan at Newport, and of Sir Joseph Bailey at Glanusk Park. About 1857 Thomas retired to Penisha'r Pentre in Brecknockshire, where he filled the office of sheriff. He died at his London residence, 58 Buckingham Palace Road, on 9 Oct. 1873, and was buried in Brompton cemetery. He was elected a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries on 3 Feb. 1842.
[Brecon County Times, 18 Oct. 1873; Redgrave's Dict. of Artists.]
THOMAS, JOHN FRYER (1797–1877), Madras civil servant, born in 1797, entered the service in 1816, and after holding ministerial appointments in the court of Sadr Adálat and officiating in various revenue and judicial appointments, including those of principal collector and magistrate and of judge of the provincial court of appeal and circuit, was eventually in 1844 appointed secretary, and in the following year chief secretary to the government of Madras, in both of which positions he exercised considerable influence over the governor, the Marquis of Tweeddale [see Hay, George, eighth Marquis of Tweeddale]. In 1850 he became a member of the governor's council, and in 1855 he retired from the service. He was a man of marked ability. Some of his minutes, re--
