Letters to 'S.R.',

Forty-four letters, 1820-1883, nearly all addressed to the Reverend Samuel Roberts ['S.R.']. The correspondents are Evan R. Bebb (cousin), New York, 1833 (his employment, family news), William Bebb (cousin), Hamilton [Ohio], 1840 (the result of the presidential election, family and other news), B. W. Chidlaw, Paddy's Run, Ohio, and New York, 1841 (2) and 1848 (the death of his wife, Hannah, religious affairs, the cause of Anti-Slavery, his work on behalf of the Am[erican] S[unday] S[chool] U[nion], with a note, 1848, from Samuel Roberts, Llanbrynmair, to J. F. Parker, Birmingham (reference to the approaching departure of thirty(-five) or more members from Llanbryn-mair for America)), J[ames] Evans, Hon. Sec., Cymmrodorion, London, 1823 (re sending the medal awarded to Samuel Roberts for the best essay from the schools in North Wales on the subject 'O Dduw y mae pob peth'), E. L. (?) Gardenhire, Sparta, Tenn[essee], 1859 (mention of his charges to the grand juries, his hope that the addressee will be able to have a speedy adjudication of his claims), Jas. Griffiths, Treliwyd, 1833 (unaddressed and possibly to the Reverend John Roberts, Senior ?) (news of Henry, etc.), H[enry] Griffiths, Stroud, 1842 (requesting help in translating into Welsh some words to be written on the cover of a book for presentation to a Mrs. Mailing), David Howell, writing from Machynlleth, London and [Paris], 1874-1876, (4, copies, the first to Griff[ith] Jones, Solicitor, Aberystwyth) (sending some autographs for exhibition, with a list, thanking 'S.R.' for the copy of his Helyntion Bywyd, doubting whether Mr. D. Davies would want to be involved in any new venture, mention of the diverse nature of talents, etc.), Ezekiel Hughes, Ebensburgh, 1835 (news of America, the inpouring by Papal Europe of Jesuits and money into the Western part of the country, and the exertions of the Protestants), J. A. James, Edgbaston, [postmark 1834] (the case of the Welsh chapels has been admitted by the Board), John Jenkins, Kerry, 1828 (satisfaction in hearing that he purposes to publish his essay on the excellence of the Welsh language), Griffith Jones, Hon. Sec. (Cymmrodorion) [London], 1826 (2) ('S. R.'s essay on 'Calondid' has been adjudged one of the best on that subject, reasons for the delay in forwarding the medal), J[ames] Rhys Jones ['Kilsby'], Bolton, 1852 (thanking 'S.R.' for the admirable letters he put into his hand at Liverpool and asking him not to write any more against a trunk line to Milford Haven via Llanidloes, with a plan and particulars of distances and also a reply) (copy), Josiah Jones, Braichodnant [Llanbrynmair], 1835, to 'S.R.' in Birmingham (sending greetings to their pastor, with various items of news, and hoping they will soon hear that he is coming home) (with notes also from R[ichard] Roberts [Llanbryn-mair] and John Roberts, Newtown, to their brother (items of news)), David Lewis (cousin), Erdington, 1829 (acknowledging a letter, mention of religious meetings, etc.), Edwd. Miall, Leicester, 1835 (the application by the Welsh Congregational churches for assistance) (with a draft of a letter from 'S.R.'), (Rees and) Grace Morgan [America], 1820 (to the Reverend John Roberts and his wife and in part to a sister) (family news, sympathizing with the sister on the death of her husband), Caleb Morris, [at] Bedwell Park, Herts., 1840 (thanking him for his reply to Edwards, wishing to know about the great Revivals in North Wales, mention of Brecon College, his stay at Bedwell Park with Sir Culling E. Smith, etc.) (continued)
Wm. Stern Palmer, London, [18]43 (acknowledging receipt of a donation to the [Congregational] Union, mention of the meeting of the Union at Leeds), Thomas Picton, New York, 1840 (acknowledging receipt of the memoir of 'S.R.'s father and the note, other Welsh reading, family news, the great schism in their church, etc.), Mary Prodgers (?Rodgers) (cousin), Ebensburg, 1854 (the death of her father [the Reverend George Roberts], reference to having received the letter containing an account of Cousin Ann Williams's death), Tho[mas] Raffles, writing from Donegal, 1842 (replying to a letter), Geo. Redford, Worcester, 1835 (a reminder concerning a pulpit engagement), George Roberts (or George and Jane Roberts), Ebensburg, 1835-1844 (4) (reference to hearing of the death of the writer's only brother [the Reverend John Roberts], and to sending a bundle of his letters for 'S.R.' to make selections from them, mention of D[avid] Lewis and his new wife, religious affairs, his resignation from office (1839) and the appointment of Richard Lewis as his successor, serious difficulties in the church and the resignation of Mr. Jones and himself in June 1838, family news, the death of the President [W. H. Harrison], critical mention of (theological) disputes between John [Roberts] and his cousin Richard Williams and between Samuel [Roberts] and a certain person, [Alexander] Campbell, the death of their dear relative, the Reverend David Lewis (1844), etc.), John Roberts [Senior], Llanbrynmair, [18]29 (they much wish to know when to expect him home from London, Lewis Pugh, the conduct of Mr. Morison in not publishing the memoir of Mrs. Lewis) (with a (?) draft reply in shorthand), J. Pye Smith, Homerton [London], 1840 (his inability to take on another applicant for help, what Mr. Methuselah Davies should do, requesting information concerning affairs at Machynlleth) (with a copy of 'S.R.'s reply concerning the church at Machynnlleth [sic] (end wanting)), A[rthur] Tidman, Sec[retar]y (Board of Congregational Ministers for London and its vicinity), London, 1834 (to the Revd. D. Morgan, Machynlleth, and 'S.R.') ( the appeal of the Welsh Congregational churches) (with draft letters from 'S.R.' to other persons), (?) W. C. Vaughan (nephew), Paddy's Run, O[hio], 1883 (acknowledging receipt of a paper containing a notice of the death and funeral of Richard [Roberts], the state of health of the writer's mother) (with a draft reply), Robert Vaughan, Kensington, 1842 (how to dispose of and send the books which he and brother Blackburn have collected for distribution among their more needy brethren in North Wales) (with draft reply), Algernon Wells, London, 1841 (arrangements for a delegation from the English to the Welsh Branch of the Congregational Union) (with a copy of a reply), J[ohn] B[ickerton] Williams, Shrewsbury, 1834 (sympathy on hearing of the death of the addressee's father), W[illiam] Williams, Wern, 1834 and undated (2) (re writing to London and some other places in England about the Union in Wales, a copy of an announcement to be printed on the wrapper of the Dysgedydd for March, George Lewis's accident, some of the features in the late the Reverend John Roberts that deserved to be emulated [cf. Cofiant y Parch. John Roberts . . . (1837), pp. 28-30]), Joshua Wilson, [London], 1842 (Mr. Blackburn had handed to him 'S.R.'s letter as he (J.W.) was the writer of the article (specified) in the late Supplement to the Congregational Magazine, a query concerning the meaning of an expression in Dr. Dan[ie]l Williams's will (dated 1711)) (with draft reply), and W. Wilson, Nottingham, 1835, under cover to the Revd. J. A. James, Birmingham (acknowledging a letter, individuals in St. James' Street and Friar Lane in Nottingham may help 'S.R.' a little, but the only congregation open to him is, he fears, Mr. Alliott's, suggesting that 'S.R.' should write to Mr. Alliott).

Title based on contents.

Formerly known as J. M. Howell 8.

Preferred citation: NLW MS 13196D.

The description is also available in the Handlist of Manuscripts in the National Library of Wales, Volume IV (Aberystwyth, 1971).

Digital version available http://hdl.handle.net/10107/5795815 (February 2022)

Published