Diaries of Rev. Dr John Thomas Griffith

The collection consists of 35 diaries dating from 1871 to 1913. Also included are calendars for the years 1912 and 1914 and notes on American Baptists. A second accession of papers consists of inscribed resolutions presented to Dr John Thomas Griffith by two Pennsylvanian Baptist churches, a newspapers cutting and photograph.

Rev. Dr Griffith began life in the Vale of Glamorgan in 1845 and died at Maes-teg, Glamorganshire on 19th June 1917. He was an excellent example of what a man can do by pluck, perseverance and devotion to a sacred cause. He migrated to America in 1865 and for the next forty years was continuously engaged in preaching Baptist principles in the United States and opening new causes, especially in the state of Pennsylvania. He returned to Wales in 1908, stayed for some time near his early home at Kenfig, Glamorganshire, but afterwards moved to Maesteg. He was a theologian and a preacher of the Victorian type. He had a flair for research, and was immensely interested in Baptist history. His best work was the biography of Morgan John Rhys, which was first published at Lansford, Pennsylvania in 1899 - afterwards amplified and re-published at Carmarthen in 1910. He was a prolific contributor to the religious magazines both in Wales and Americ!a.

The two groups of papers which were received at two different occasions and thus catalogued separately, are arranged according to record type and then chronologically. They are incorporated into the General Collection of Bangor Manuscripts.

Open to all users.

Description compiled by Elen Wyn Hughes, July 2001.

An item level word processed list is available at the Department of Manuscripts of the University of Wales. Reference numbers : General Collection of Bangor Manuscripts : 1444-1481, 34587-34590

Usual copyright conditions apply. Reprographics are made at the discretion of the Archivist.

Griffith, John Thomas, Dr., Reminiscences : Forty-Three Years in America, 1865-1908, (Morriston, 1913)

Griffith, John Thomas, Dr., Baptist missionaries in their relation to the translations of the scriptures, (Philadelphia, American Baptist Publication Society, 1900)

Griffith, John Thomas, Dr., Brief biographical sketches: deceased Welsh Baptist Ministers who have laboured in N.E. Pennsylvania from 1832 to 1904 (Wilkesbarre, 1904)

Griffith, John Thomas, Dr., History of the first Baptist churches of Wilkes-Barre and Scranton, Pa, (Wilkes-Barre, 1905)

Griffith, John Thomas, Dr., The origin and development of civil and religious freedom in America, (Wilkesbarre, 1905)

Griffith, John Thomas, Dr., Rev. Morgan John Rhys, The Welsh Baptist hero of civil and religious liberty of the 18th century, (Lansford, Pa. : Leader Job Print, 1899)