Mary Owen (hymnwriter)

Welsh hymnwriter

Mary Owen (born Mary Rees in 1796 in Briton Ferry, Wales; died 1875) was a Welsh hymnwriter.

Owen was born in 1796 in Ynys-y-Mardy, Briton Ferry, Wales to Daniel and Mary Rees.[1][2] Her father was a deacon, and religious services took place in their family home.[2]

Portrait of Mary Owen

Owen was a prolific hymnwriter; her hymns include "Caed modd i faddeu 'meiau", "Y gareg a dorwyd o'r mynydd", "Fe dderfydd fy ngofidiau", and "Fe gân y gwaredigion".[1] A collection of Owen's hymns, Hymnau ar Amryw Destunau, was published in four editions, the first of which was printed in 1839.[1][2] The collection has an introduction by Rev. William Williams (Caledfryn).[1]

Owen married twice.[2] Her first husband, Thomas Davies, was a sailor.[2] Her second husband, Robert Owen, was Congregational minister.[1][2]

Owen died on 26 May 1875 and was buried in Briton Ferry.[2][1]

## References

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1. ^ a b c d e f Roberts, Thomas Rowland; Williams, Robert (1908). Eminent Welshmen. Educational Publishing Co. p. 383.
2. ^ a b c d e f g Rees, Thomas Mardy. "Owen, Mary". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. National Library of Wales. Retrieved 8 April 2016.

## Further reading

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* Elfed. "Mrs. Mary Owen". Y Geninen (Ceninen Gwyl Ddewi: argraffiad arbennig, 1903) pp. 17–20. (in Welsh)
* J. Seymour Rees. "Mary Owen, yr emynyddes" (PDF). Y Llenor 25 (1946), pp. 68–75. (in Welsh)
* Branwen Jarvis. "Mary Owen yr emynyddes" (PDF). Y Traethodydd 143 (1988) pp. 45–53. (in Welsh)