Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 42.djvu/436

Owen son, but he has probably been confused with David Owen's son Jeremiah, who was educated by James Owen, succeeded his father at Henllan, and, after holding various pastorates in England, died in America. Josiah Owen was educated by his uncle, Charles Owen, at Warrington. His first settlement was at Bridgnorth, Shropshire (after 1729), which he left in 1735. He then ministered for short periods at Walsall, and at Stone, Staffordshire. Some time after June 1740 he became minister of Blackwater Street Chapel, Rochdale, Lancashire. His ministry was immediately successful, and his chapel was enlarged in 1743. He came into note in connection with the rebellion of 1745 as a strong writer against the political and religious principles of the Jacobites. To him has been assigned the pun on the word Jacobite which belongs to Daniel Burgess (1645–1713) [q. v.] He published a sermon with the title, ‘All is well; or the Defeat of the late Rebellion … an exalted and illustrious Blessing,’ 1746. In his treatment of Thomas Deacon [q. v.], whom he calls ‘the Master-Tool’ of the faction, he was particularly harsh. An anonymous letter (dated ‘Manchester, 6 Oct. 1746’) in the ‘Whitehall Evening Post’ (11 Oct.) scoffed at Deacon for pulling off his hat when passing the ‘rebel heads’ of his unfortunate son and another insurgent, affixed to the Manchester Exchange. ‘Some suppose he offers up a prayer for them, others to them.’ This letter was defended in the ‘Gentleman's Magazine’ by a letter (dated ‘Manchester, 19 Dec. 1746’) bearing the odd signature ‘Philopatriæ,’ which Owen subsequently acknowledged as his. John Byrom [q. v.] referred, in ‘An Epistle to a Friend,’ to ‘the low-bred O——ns of the age,’ and published a ballad on ‘the zealot of Rochdale,’ under the title of ‘Sir Lowbred O .. N, or the Hottentot Knight,’ retorting a coarse gibe by Owen. The latter was fully persuaded of the goodness of his cause, but not sufficiently careful of his facts. Though nominally a presbyterian, he was warmly opposed to ‘synods and assemblies,’ and is said to have been instrumental (about 1750) in prevailing with the ‘provincial meeting’ of the ‘associated ministers of Lancashire’ to discontinue the customary questions respecting the internal state of congregations. In debate, as in pamphlet war, he was famous for his powers of retort. His ministry at Rochdale closed on 14 June 1752. He became minister of the presbyterian congregation at Ellenthorp, Yorkshire, where he died in 1755, ‘æt. 44.’ He published, in addition to separate sermons, including funeral sermons for Charles Owen, D.D. (1746), and James Hardman (1746): 1. ‘A Letter to the Bishop of Litchfield and Coventry,’ &c., 1746, 8vo; two editions in the same year. 2. ‘Jacobite and Non-juring Principles freely Examined,’ &c., Manchester, 1747, 8vo; 2nd edit. 1748, 8vo: to some copies of the second edition a new title-page, ‘The Humourist,’ &c., was prefixed (among other answers was ‘A Letter to the Clergy of Manchester,’ probably by Thomas Percival (1719–1763), of Royton Hall). 3. ‘Dr. Deacon try'd before his own Tribunal,’ &c., Manchester, 1748, 8vo. 

OWEN, LEWIS (d. 1555), Welsh administrator, was the son of Owen ap Hywel ap Llywelyn of Llwyn, Dolgellau. Under Henry VIII he became vice-chamberlain of North Wales and baron of the exchequer of Carnarvon, taking from the latter office his familiar title of ‘y Barwn Owen.’ He was sheriff of Merioneth for 1545–6 and 1554–5, and he represented the county in the parliaments of 1547, of the spring of 1553, and of 1554. He lived at Cwrt Plas yn dre, Dolgellau, which, until its recent removal to Newtown, was pointed out to tourists as ‘Owen Glyndwr's parliament-house.’ Owen met his death at the hands of ‘Gwylliaid Cochion Mawddwy,’ the red-haired brigands of the Mawddwy district. Empowered by a commission to extirpate the band, he and John Wynn ap Maredudd of Gwydir one Christmas-eve seized over eighty of them, and in due time had them executed. The rest swore revenge, and on 11 Oct. 1555 waylaid him near Mallwyd as he was returning from the Montgomeryshire assizes. His retinue fled, leaving only his son-in-law, John Lloyd of Ceiswyn, to defend him, and he fell pierced with more than thirty wounds. The spot is still known as ‘Llidiart y Barwn,’ the Baron's Gate.

Owen married Margaret, daughter of Robert Puleston, rector of Gresford, and had seven sons—John Lewis of Cwrt Plas yn dre, Hugh of Cae'rberllan, Edward of Hengwrt, Gruffydd of Peniarth, Robert of Bron-