Preece Family Tree

DAFYDD JOHN.

Dydd Mawrth, Ionawr 9fed, claddwyd gweddillion marwol Dafydd John yn Nghladdfa Gyhoeddus Aberdar. Daeth tyrfa fawr o wŷr bucheddol yn nghyd o bell ac agos, i dalu iddo y gymwynas olaf o barch. Yr oedd wedi cyrhaedd yr oedran addfed o 71.

Y mae yr enw Dafydd John wedi bod yn adnabyddus iawn yn nghylchoedd Aberdar a Merthyr am haner can' mlynedd. Daeth i amlygrwydd fel cerddor yn bur ieuanc, a pharhoadd felly ar hyd ei oes faith.

Ganwyd Dafydd John yn Merthyr Tydfil, Mai 12fed, 1822. Enwau ei rieni oedd William a Margaret John. Genedigol o Cilgeran, sir Aberteifi, oeddynt hwy eu dau, ond wedi d'od i Merthyr y darfu iddynt briodi.

Pan yn llanc tua phymtheg neu un-ar-bymtheg oed, teimlodd argraffiadau crefyddol dwys, ac aeth at grefydd yn Soar, Merthyr. Meddianwyd Dafydd John ieuanc o'r adeg hon yn mlaen gan lawer o ddifrifoldeb meddwl. Dadblygodd yn fuan mewn defnyddioldeb. Cyn hir cawn ei fod yn faswr o amlygrwydd a sylw yn nghor Rosser Beynon, ac fel cerddor, dysgybl ydoedd i'r gwr enwog hwnw.

Tua'r flwyddyn 1848, yr oedd gweithiau haiarn a glo Aberdar yn cynyddu, a'r lle yn myned rhagddo yn fawr. Penderfynodd Dafydd John symud o Ferthyr i Aberdar. Cymerodd hyny le yn mis Ebrill, 1849, ymaelododd yn Ebenezer, Heolyfelin, o dan weinidogaeth y Parch William Edwards, ac yma y treuliodd weddill ei oes. Bendithiwyd ef a phedwar o blant, sef Mr Tom John, Llwynypia, golygydd y Glamorgan Free Press; Mr J. W. John, ysgolfeistr, Ynyshir; Miss Mary John, ysgolfeistres, Cymer; a Miss Margaret John, ysgolfeistres, Bodringallt. Nis gwyddomam neb a lanwodd yr enw tad yn well na Dafydd John. Ni welsom erioed hefyd fwy o anwyldeb parchus yn bodoli rhwng rhieni a phlant nag oedd yn nodweddu ei deulu ef.

Wedi ymsefydlu yn Aberdar, daeth Dafydd John ar unwaith, i amlygrwydd neillduol fel cerddor o radd uchel. Cymerodd at y gwaith o godi y cor a'r ysgol gân i weithgarwch ac effeithiolrwydd yn Ebenezer. Dygodd i mewn amryw ddiwygiadau pwysig. Cyn hyn arferai y merched ganu tenor, a'r gwrywod ganu yr alaw. Gosododd yntau y merched i ganu soprano, a'r bechgyn i ganu tenor. Yn fuan iawn daeth cor Ebenezer i sylw mawr dan arweiniad Dafydd John. Ffurfiwyd cor undebol yn Aberdar er mwyn cystadlu mewn eisteddfod yn Merthyr. Y darn cystadleuol oedd 'Parotowch y Ffordd' (gwaith Daniel Charles Lewis, y crydd). Priodol iawn y gellir dyweyd fod yr amgylchiad hwn wedi 'parotoi y ffordd' i bethau mwy i ganlyn. Bu enill yn Merthyr y tro hwn yn symbyliad i gymeryd darnau mwy mewn llaw, ac enillasant lawer buddugoliaeth wedi hyny. Gellir edrych ar Dafydd John fel pioneer canu clasurol yn nghylchoedd Aberdar. Dysgodd i'w gor yr oll o'r 'Messiah' (Handel). Y rhan fwyaf o 'Judas Maccabeus.' Perfformiodd y 'Twelfth Mass' (Mozart), a chynorthwyid y perfformiad hwn gan string band Caradog, y cyntaf o'r natur yma yn Aberdar. Yn yr adegau hyn bu rai o brif gerddorion y Deheudir yn canu yn ei gor yn achlysurol, megys Dan Griffiths, Aberdar; Caradog; W. T. Rees (Alaw Ddu), Silas Evans, &c. Yr oedd Dafydd John yn gefnogol iawn i weithiau awdwyr Cymreig, megys Owain Alaw, Tanymarian, Ambrose Lloyd, Ieuan Gwyllt, &c. Trwy ei lafur diflino felly cododd y cor i sylw mawr yn y cylchoedd hyn. Gelwid am ei wasanaeth i gynal cyngerddau er cynorthwyo eglwysi ieuainc a gwan. Bu ef a'r cor o bryd i bryd yn cynal cyngerddau i'r amcan hwn yn Carmel, Treherbert; Ferndale; Ynysgau, Merthyr, &c. Ond yn nghanol llafur dibaid o'r tu allan, ei ofal penaf oedd am waith rheolaidd yr eglwys yn Ebenezer. Yr oedd yn ymgysegredig i achos Duw yn ei holl ranau yn ei eglwys ei hun. Fwy nag unwaith anrhegwyd ef gan eglwys Ebenezer fel arwydd o'i pharch dwfn iddo, yn gystal a'r gwerth dwfn a roddai ar ei ymdrechion parhaus. Yn y flwyddyn 1860, anrhegwyd ef â swm o arian ac harmonium da, a dyma y cyntaf a ddaeth i Gwm Aberdar. Yn Ionawr, 1875, cafodd ei anrhegu drachefn gan yr eglwys â piano rhagorol ac anerchiad hardd, a swm o arian, am ei ddylanwad iachus, a'i egni di-ildio gyda chaniadaeth y cysegr, ac o blaid cerddoriaeth yn gyffredinol. Yn y flwyddyn 1856, dewiswyd ef yn ddiacon. Llanwodd y swydd bwysig hono gyda ffyddlondeb a medr eithriadol am 38 o flynyddau. Yr oedd Dafydd John yn ddyn cyflawn a da yn mhob swydd, ond fel arweinydd canu cynulleidfaol, yr oedd fel Paul yn uwch o'i ysgwyddau i fyny nar lluaws o'i gwmpas. Yr oedd yn meddu ar fedr rhyfeddol hefyd i ganfod yr hyn oedd eisieu ei wneyd yn yr eglwys - yr oedd gofal arno ef am yr achos, ac am bob rhan ohono - yr oedd yu gyfaill trwyadl i'r weinidogaeth.

Yn ei ymddangosiad allanol yr oedd bob amser yn barchus. Yr oedd yn meddu i raddau helaeth ar y peth a elwir Presence. Nid oedd neb, wedi ei weled unwaith, byth yn methu ei adnabod ar ol hyny. Yr oedd Dafydd John o gorff lluniaidd a hardd, yn dalach na'r cyffredin, ei wynebpryd yn hawddgar-ddifrifol, ei holl symudiadau yn sydyn a bywiog, ei besychiad yn fyr ac uchel, ac yn wahanol i bob pesychiad a glywsom erioed. Gellid ei adnabod ganllath, neu fwy, oddiwrtho yn y tywyllwch, oherwydd neillduolrwydd ei besychiad.

Cerddai yn gyflym a gwisgi. Gwelsom ef yn 70 oed yn cerdded i Cwmdar, Hirwaun, Llwydcoed, a Tresalem, i rehearsals y gymanfa ganu, a llawer un ugain mlwydd yn ieuengach yn cael y gwaith mwyaf yn y byd i'w ddilyn. Yr oedd bob amser yn llawn o fyn'd, symudai yn mlaen gyda'i oes, neu yn hytrach o'i blaen. Arosodd yn berffaith ieuanc yn ei ysbryd a'i syniadau hyd y diwedd. Ni phetruswn gredu ei fod yn un o'r dynion duwiol mwyaf progressive yn ei Enwad, a phan fyddai wedi gwneyd ei feddwl i fyny i symud yn mlaen, llwyddai braidd yn ddieithriad, oblegid yr oedd yn llawn o deimlad caredig at rai o farn wahanol iddo ei hun, ac eto yn benderfynol, a dyfalbarhaol. Priodol iawn y dywedodd y Parch W. I. Morris, Pontypridd, yn ei angladd, 'Na ddaliodd neb ymchwiliad erioed yn well nag ef. Pa fanylaf y byddid yn ei chwilio, goreu oll yr ymddangosai efe. Yr oedd yn ddiniwed heb fod yn wasaidd. Yn ddidderbyn-wyneb, heb fod yn dramgwyddus, ac yn arweinydd canu o radd uchel, ac heb fod yn chwyddedig a gellid teimlo yn sicr, gan nad faint adawodd ar ol i'w weddw a'i blant, nad oedd cymaint ag un swllt brwnt yn y cwbl.' Nodweddid ef â'r un didwylledd a ffyddlondeb yn ei lafur gyda'r achos. Gwnaeth lawer yn gyhoeddus ac yn ddirgel i feithrin heddwch, a theimlad da. Medrai argyhoeddi dyn ei fod yn caru ei les. Nid oedd un amser yn dyweyd ei fod yn ddyn plaen, fel y mae arfer rhai, ac eto yr oedd y n hynod o blaen a llym, ond ei fod yn feistr ar y gelfyddyd o gynghori a cheryddu, fel mai anaml iawn y byddai ef yn methu gwneyd lles yn y cyfeiriad hwn. Parchai Dafydd John dy Dduw a'i wasanaeth gydag ysbryd llawn o ddefosiwn. Yr oedd hyd yn nod coed a cheryg ty Dduw yn gysegredig yn ei olwg. Prin yr wyf yn meddwl fod nemawr wydryn wedi ei osod mewn ffenestr o gwmpas y capel a'r ysgoldy, neu gloc wedi ei lanhau, neu ganwyllbren, neu fwrdd, neu sedd, neu gadair wedi ei hadgyweirio, nad oedd ef wedi bod yn gofalu am hyny. Y gwir yw, ni wnaed na bychan na mawr yn nglŷn â'r achos, na fu Dafydd John yn cymeryd rhan flaenllaw ynddo. Nid oedd pall ar ei ffyddlondeb a'i sel grefyddol. Gwelir hyn yn amlwg yn ei waith yn dilyn yr ysgolgan yn gyson hyd y diwedd. Pedair blynedd yn ol rhoddodd ofal yr ysgol gân i fyny, ond parhaodd hyd ei farwolaeth yn arweinydd y canu cynulleidfaol. Wedi i'r eglwys, ar ei gais ddewis W. E. Thomas i ofalu am yr ysgol gân yn ei le, y cynorthwywr mwyaf ffyddlon a didwyll a gafodd yr arweinydd newydd o hyny hyd yn awr oedd yr hen arweinydd enwog. Er dim ni chollai ysgol gân, gofalai fod yno yn siriol ei ysbryd i galonogi yr arweinydd a'r ysgol gân, ac yr oedd ei bresenoldeb yn llawnder gwerthfawr. Credwn mai addurn penaf ei gymeriad godidog oedd ei ysbryd rhagorol. Dyma yr elfen a beraroglodd ei fywyd crefyddol maith a llwyddianus, ac fe erys dylanwad hwn yn hir iawn, a bydd cofio Dafydd John yn help i fyw yn dduwiol yn Nhrecynon a'r cylch.

DAFYDD JOHN.

Tuesday, January 9th, the mortal remains of Dafydd John were buried at Aberdare Public Cemetery. A great crowd of living men came together from far and wide, to pay him their last respects. He had reached the age of 71.

The name of Dafydd John has been well known in the Aberdare and Merthyr districts for half a century. He came to prominence as a very young musician, and so continued throughout his long life.

Dafydd John was born in Merthyr Tydfil, May 12th, 1822. His parents were William and Margaret John. They were both natives of Cilgeran, Cardiganshire, but married after coming to Merthyr.

When he was a boy about fifteen or sixteen years of age, he felt intense religious impressions, and came to faith in Soar, Merthyr. Dafydd John, though young, went forward from this point with much seriousness of mind. It soon developed in usefulness. We soon discover that he was a bass singer of prominence and attention in Rosser Beynon's choir, and as a musician he was a pupil of that famous man.

About 1848, Aberdare's iron and coal works were increasing, and the place was much advanced. Dafydd John decided to move from Merthyr to Aberdare. This took place in April, 1849, when he became a member of Ebenezer, Heolyfelin, under the ministry of the Rev. William Edwards, and here he spent the rest of his life. He was blessed with four children, Mr Tom John, Llwynypia, editor of the Glamorgan Free Press; Mr J. W. John, schoolmaster, Ynyshir; Miss Mary John, schoolmistress, Cymmer; and Miss Margaret John, schoolmistress, Bodringallt. No one knows the name of the father better than Dafydd John. We also never saw more respectful affection existing between parents and children than was typical of his family.

After settling in Aberdare, Dafydd John immediately came to prominence as a musician of high caliber. He took to the task of raising the choir and song school to activity and efficiency at Ebenezer. He brought in various important reforms. Previously the women sang tenor, and the males sang the melody. He set the girls to sing soprano, and the boys to sing tenor. Ebenezer's choir soon came to prominence under the leadership of Dafydd John. A union choir was formed in Aberdare to compete in an eisteddfod in Merthyr. The competitive piece was 'Parotowch y Ffordd' ['Prepare Ye the Way'] (the work of Daniel Charles Lewis, the shoemaker). This circumstance may well be said to have 'paved the way' for larger things to follow. Winning in Merthyr this time was a catalyst for taking bigger pieces in hand, and they subsequently won many victories. Dafydd John can be regarded as a pioneer of classical singing in the Aberdare circles[1]. He taught them all over the 'Messiah' (Handel). Most of 'Judas Maccabeus.' He performed the 'Twelfth Mass' (Mozart), and this performance was assisted by the Caradog string band[2], the first of its kind here in Aberdare. On these occasions some of the leading Southern musicians occasionally sang in his choir, such as Dan Griffiths, Aberdare; Caradog; W. T. Rees (Alaw Ddu), Silas Evans, & c. Dafydd John was very supportive of the works of Welsh authors, such as Owain Alaw, Tanymarian, Ambrose Lloyd, Ieuan Gwyllt, & c. Through his tireless labour the choir thus rose to great attention in these circles. He was called for his services to hold concerts to assist young and weak churches. He and the choir occasionally held concerts for this purpose in Carmel, Treherbert; Ferndale; Ynysgau, Merthyr, & c. But in the midst of countless outside labour, his primary concern was the regular work of the church in Ebenezer. He was dedicated to the cause of God in all his parts of his own church. On more than one occasion he was rewarded monetarily by Ebenezer chapel as a mark of their ongoing deep respect and the value placed on his continued efforts. In 1860, he was gifted with a good sum of money and a harmonium - the first to come to the Aberdare Valley. In January, 1875, he was again presented by the church with an excellent piano and a beautiful address, and a sum of money, for his wholesome influence, and his unwavering energy with the sanctuary, and for music in general. In the year 1856, he was elected Deacon. He filled that important job with exceptional loyalty and skill for 38 years. Dafydd John was a good and good man in every job, but as a congregational singing conductor, he was like Paul, head and shoulders above all around him[3]. He also possessed a remarkable ability to ascertain what he wanted to do in the church - for which he cared for the cause, and for all parts of it - he was a thorough friend of the ministry.

In his outward appearance he was always respectable. He was largely in possession of the thing called Presence[4]. No one, having seen him once, could fail to identify him after that. Dafydd John was of a memorable and handsome body, taller than average, his face easy-going, his movements quick and lively, his cough short and loud, and unlike every coughing we have ever heard. He could be known a hundred or more from him in the dark, because of the particularity of his cough.

He walked fast and agilely. We saw him at the age of 70 walking to Cwmdar, Hirwaun, Llwydcoed, and Tresalem, to the rehearsals of the singing festival, and many a good twenty years younger would have had their work cut out to keep up with him.. He was always full of vigour, moving forward with his years, or rather preceding them.. He stayed perfectly young in his spirit and ideas until the end. We do not hesitate to believe that he was one of the most progressive godly men in his Denomination, and when he had made up his mind to move forward, he was almost invariably successful, for he was full of a kind feeling for those with different views to himself, yet determined, and persevering. The Rev. W. I. Morris, Pontypridd, very fittingly said at his funeral, 'No one ever undertook research into new ideas better than him. The more detailed it was searched, the better it seemed. His manner was inoffensive, without giving in. He stood up to his detractors without being offensive and was a leader of high caliber singing, and not proud, and one could certainly feel that, given how much he had left for his widow and children, there was not one shilling dirty at all.' He was characterized by the same sincerity and fidelity in his daily work as in the [chapel] cause. He did much in public and in secret to foster peace and a good feeling. He could convince a man that he loved his welfare. He did not once say that he was a forthright man, as is the practice of some, and yet he was very plain and strict, but he was a master of the art of counseling and correcting, so that he was rarely failing to achieve peaceful resolution in such matters. David John respected the house of God and his service with a spirit of devotion. Even the knots in the wood of the trees and the stones of the house of God were sacred in his appearance. I hardly think that a glass was placed in a chapel or schoolroom, or a clock cleaned, nor a candle, table, seat or chair repaired that he did not have a hand in. The fact is, nothing small or large related to the Cause happened in which Dafydd John did not take a prominent part. His faithfulness and religious zeal were undeniable. This is evident in his work following the students until the end. Four years ago he handed over care for the choir scholars, but remained until his death the leader of congregational singing. The church then, at his request, chose W. E. Thomas to take charge of the choir scholars in his place - the most faithful and sincere assistant that the new leader had from then until now was the famous old leader. He did not then abandon the choir school but made sure to be there cheerfully, to encourage the conductor and his presence of great value. Surely the greatest mark of his excellent character was his open-minded spirit.This is what bears testimony to the authenticity of his long religious life, and this influence will last a very long time. The memory of David John will help those in Trecynon and the surrounding area to live godly lives.

[1] Classical singing could have been quite controversial at the time, as it was seen as quite avant garde for a chapel choir.

[2] "String bands" at the time were mostly made up of harps, which were considered seemly in chapel.

[3] Referring to Paul climbing to the rock of Ares in the Areopagus in Athens. The implication is that he was boldy setting a new standard of faith.

[4] Charismatic, but with his charisma coming from God.