Lewis Jones (1836-1904) among Tehuelches, c.1867

Description

Lewis Jones (1836-1904), one of the leaders of the Welsh Settlement in Patagonia, was born in Caernarfon, and he worked as a printer in Holyhead and Liverpool. During his time in Liverpool, he became a prominent member of the Colonising Society that promoted the establishment of a Welsh settlement. In 1862, he was selected by the Society's Committee to inspect the land in Patagonia, along with Captain Love Jones-Parry .

In 1865, he was sent to Patagonia with Edwin Cynrig Roberts to prepare for the arrival of the first settlers. The early days of the Settlement proved extremely difficult, and many of the settlers became disillusioned. Many blamed Lewis Jones, the president of the Settlement at the time, and he decided to leave Patagonia for a period, spending eighteen months working as a printer in Buenos Aires. Upon hearing that a number of the settlers intended to leave Patagonia in 1867, Jones returned and persuaded them to stay.

Lewis Jones returned to Patagonia with his family in 1871. Lewis and his wife Ellen had two daughters: Eluned Morgan, who became a prominent literary figure, and Myfanwy Ruffydd, who married Llwyd ap Iwan, the son of Michael D. Jones.

From the 1870s onwards, Lewis Jones played a key role in the affairs of the Settlement. He was responsible for the Settlement's first printing press and established the newspapers 'Ein Breiniad' (1878) and 'Y Drafod' (1891). His history of the Settlement, 'Y Wladfa Gymreig', was published in 1898. Jones also played a pioneering role in the plans to construct the railway from Porth Madryn to the Chubut Valley. Construction work began in 1886 and the railway was officially opened three years later. The town which was established at the end of the railway line was named Trelew [lit. 'Llew's Town'] in honour of Lewis Jones. A statue of this remarkable man can be seen in the town's Parque Centenario today.