Thomas Jones (missionary)
Encyclopedia
Thomas Jones was a Welsh
missionary, best remembered for his work in recording the Khasi language
in Roman script. The inscription on his gravestone calls him "The founding father of the Khasi alphabets and literature".
Jones, a carpenter's son from Montgomeryshire
, became a Calvinistic Methodist minister in 1840, and shortly afterwards set out for India
with his wife Anne. After their arrival in Calcutta, Anne gave birth to a child, which did not survive. The couple went on into the Khasia Hills, with the aim of converting the native people to Christianity
. Thomas Jones succeeeded better than the missionaries that William Carey sent to the hills in the 1830's. Jones's skills in carpentry and other crafts were valued by the Khasi community, and he learned their language by living among them. He opened a missionary school, and began preaching to the local people in their own language,with such fluency that they could not but marvel. In 1842 he produced a Khasi Reader, and translated a Welsh-language work, Rhodd Mam, into Khasi; these were the first books written in the Khasi language. He also compiled an alphabet and dictionary. In 1846 Anne Jones died in childbirth, and Thomas Jones married Emma Cattell, an act which got him into trouble with the Missionary Society.'as she was only fifteen years old' A failed attempt to set up his own mission at Pomreng led to further difficulties with the authorities, who abandoned him in 1847. As a result of his criticisms of a local industrialist, Harry Inglis, he was forced to leave the area, and contracted malaria
, of which he died. He is buried in The Scottish Cemetery at Calcutta
.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
missionary, best remembered for his work in recording the Khasi language
Khasi language
Khasi is an Austro-Asiatic language spoken primarily in Meghalaya state in India by the Khasi people. Khasi is part of the Austroasiatic family of languages, and is fairly closely related to the Munda branch of that family, which is spoken in east&endash;central India.Although most of the 865,000...
in Roman script. The inscription on his gravestone calls him "The founding father of the Khasi alphabets and literature".
Jones, a carpenter's son from Montgomeryshire
Montgomeryshire
Montgomeryshire, also known as Maldwyn is one of thirteen historic counties and a former administrative county of Wales. Montgomeryshire is still used as a vice-county for wildlife recording...
, became a Calvinistic Methodist minister in 1840, and shortly afterwards set out for India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
with his wife Anne. After their arrival in Calcutta, Anne gave birth to a child, which did not survive. The couple went on into the Khasia Hills, with the aim of converting the native people to Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
. Thomas Jones succeeeded better than the missionaries that William Carey sent to the hills in the 1830's. Jones's skills in carpentry and other crafts were valued by the Khasi community, and he learned their language by living among them. He opened a missionary school, and began preaching to the local people in their own language,with such fluency that they could not but marvel. In 1842 he produced a Khasi Reader, and translated a Welsh-language work, Rhodd Mam, into Khasi; these were the first books written in the Khasi language. He also compiled an alphabet and dictionary. In 1846 Anne Jones died in childbirth, and Thomas Jones married Emma Cattell, an act which got him into trouble with the Missionary Society.'as she was only fifteen years old' A failed attempt to set up his own mission at Pomreng led to further difficulties with the authorities, who abandoned him in 1847. As a result of his criticisms of a local industrialist, Harry Inglis, he was forced to leave the area, and contracted malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
, of which he died. He is buried in The Scottish Cemetery at Calcutta
The Scottish Cemetery at Calcutta
The Scottish Cemetery at Calcutta was established in 1820 catering to the specific needs of the large Scottish population in the Kolkata area. These Scots, including soldiers, missionaries, jute traders and businessmen, were attached to numerous enterprises in the area such as the headquarters of...
.
Sources
- Nigel Jenkins, Gwalia in Khasia (1995)
- D. Ben Rees (ed.), Vehicles of Grace and Hope: Welsh Missionaries in India 1840-1970 (2002)