David Howell (priest)

David Howell (16 August 1831 – 15 January 1903)[1] was the fourth Dean of St David's.[2][3]

Life

Howell was the son of John Howell, farmer and Calvinistic Methodist deacon, of Treos, in the parish of Llangan, Glamorganshire. His mother being of weak health, he was brought up for the most part by his grandmother, Mary Griffiths of Tynycaeau, a church-woman. At the age of fifteen, he returned to his father's home, which was now at Bryn Cwtyn, near Pencoed. Farming, however, was not to his mind, and, having shown a decided bent for letters, he was persuaded by his mother and the rector of St. Mary Hill (afterwards well known as Archdeacon Griffiths of Neath) to prepare for orders in the Church of England. He studied at the Eagle School, Cowbridge, the Preparatory School, Merthyr, and the Llandaff Diocesan Institute at Abergavenny.[4]

He was ordained in 1856 and began his career as Curate of Neath.[5] After that he was Vicar of St John, Cardiff and later Archdeacon of Wrexham [6] before his elevation to the Deanery.[7]

Family

He married Anne Powell of Pencoed; they had four sons, one of whom was William Tudor Howell.[4]

References

1. The Dean Of St. Davids. The Times Friday, Jan 16, 1903; pg. 4; Issue 36979; col C
2. Although an ancient foundation, before 1840 the senior residentiary cleric was the Precentor, and not a Dean, due to a complication during the dissolution of the monasteries > “Eglwys Gadeiriol Tyddewi, 1181-1981 / St David’s Cathedral, 1181-1981” St David’s, Gwasg yr Oriel Fach, 1981 ISBN 0-905421-02-7
3. London Gazette
4. Lloyd 1912.
5. Who was Who (1991) Who was who. A cumulated index 1897-1990, CD-ROM, London : A & C Black, ISBN 0-7136-3457-X
6. The Clergy List, Clerical Guide and Ecclesiastical Directory" London, Hamilton & Co 1889
7. Ecclesiastical Intelligence The Times Saturday, Apr 10, 1897; pg. 14; Issue 35174; col B

Attribution

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Lloyd, John Edward (1912). "Howell, David". Dictionary of National Biography (2nd supplement). London: Smith, Elder & Co.

Religious titles
Preceded by Owen Phillips	Dean of St David's 1897–1903	Succeeded by James Allan Smith