Joseph Harris (Gomer)

Joseph Harris (1773–August 10 1825) was a Welsh Baptist minister, author, and journal editor. A Welsh language poet, he took the Biblical name of Gomer as his bardic name. On 1 January 1814 he launched the first Welsh-language weekly "Seren Gomer" ("Star of Gomer") in Swansea.

Gomer was born on a farm in Wolf's Castle, Pembrokeshire. He became a preacher during the religious revival of 1795. He married Martha Symons, and took on Back Street chapel. One of his best-known works, "Cofiant Ieuan Ddu", was a biography of his son, John Ryland Harris, who worked as a typesetter for his father's printing press and died at the age of twenty.

Works

*"Casgliad o Hymnau" (1796)
*"Yr Anghyffelyb Broffeswr" (1802)
*"Bwyall Grist yng Nghoed Anghrist" (1804)
*"Traethawd ar Briodol Dduwdod ein Harglwydd Iesu Grist" (1816-17)
*"Cofiant Ieuan Ddu"

ources

* [http://wbo.llgc.org.uk/en/s-HARR-JOS-1773.html?query=joseph+harris&field=name Welsh Biography Online]

External links

* [http://www.oxforddnb.com/index/101012409/ Oxford Dictionary of National Biography]
* [http://www.llgc.org.uk/index.php?id=528 "Seren Gomer - the first Welsh weekly" at the National Library of Wales]