William Evans (d. circa 1776) was a Welsh minister and

lexicographer Lexicography is the study of lexicons, and is divided into two separate academic disciplines. It is the art of compiling dictionaries. * Practical lexicography is the art or craft of compiling, writing and editing dictionaries. * Theoretica ...

Life

Evans came from Cefn-gwilli,

Llanedi Llanedi () is a village and community in Carmarthenshire, Wales. Once the name of a parish, Llanedi is now a community taking in the hamlet of Llanedi and the villages of Hendy, Fforest (suburbs of Pontarddulais) and Tycroes. The community popula ...

in Carmarthen and was educated at

Carmarthen College Carmarthen (, RP: ; cy, Caerfyrddin , "Merlin's fort" or "Sea-town fort") is the county town of Carmarthenshire and a community in Wales, lying on the River Towy. north of its estuary in Carmarthen Bay. The population was 14,185 in 2011, dow ...

under Dr. Jenkins, 1767–72. He was for some years pastor of the

Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...

congregation at

Sherborne Sherborne is a market town and civil parish in north west Dorset, in South West England. It is sited on the River Yeo, on the edge of the Blackmore Vale, east of Yeovil. The parish includes the hamlets of Nether Coombe and Lower Clatcombe. ...

, but by March 1776 he had accepted a post at

Moretonhampstead Moretonhampstead (anciently ''Moreton Hampstead'') is a market town, parish and ancient manor in Devon, situated on the north-eastern edge of Dartmoor, within the Dartmoor National Park. The parish now includes the hamlet of Doccombe (), and ...

, Devon. He only spent seven weeks there, leaving on 12 May due to ill health., and probably died shortly after.

Works

His claim to noticeability is his English-Welsh dictionary, compiled while he was a student and published in 1771. A second edition appeared in 1812. The Welsh bibliographer Daniel Silvan Evans found some merit in it.

References

Year of birth missing 1776 deaths Welsh lexicographers 18th-century lexicographers Welsh Presbyterian ministers Welsh-speaking clergy 18th-century British Presbyterian ministers 18th-century Welsh writers 18th-century British male writers 18th-century Welsh clergy {{UK-linguist-stub