"Rev Rees Saron Jones ,D.D. as he was known in later years was born Rees Jones on 3 March, 1841 at Brynmanod farm,Cynwyl Elfed,Sir Gaerfyrddin,the third child of David and Elizabeth. The family chapel was Saron,Llangeler.

He entered Brecon College in 1864 until 1868 when on 14th and 15th of October that year he was ordained minister at Saron chapel,Treoes,nr. Bridgend.

In December,1871 he married Elvira,a daughter of Thomas and Mary Jenkins of Mount Pleasant farm,Llanblethian,Cowbridge and they emigrated to America in January where he was made minister of Providence church,Scranton,Pennsylvania in April.

He returned on a visit to his family in Wales in 1890 and that same year he was awarded a Doctorate of Divinity at Marietta College,Ohio.

He was a very renowned and highly respected minister until his death on 22 August,1904.A memorial window was placed at his chapel in his memory.Elvira died in 1934 and they are buried at Forest Hill Cemetery,Scranton.They had several children.

There are several books which contain much information about him including - History of Welsh Independant Churches by Thomas Rees and John Thomas, Album Aberhonddu by T.Stephens and History of the Providence Welsh Congregational Church,Scranton,P.A.

Other books which contain information about him but little or nothing about his time at the College are as follows:

History of the Parishes of Llangeler and Penboyr by D.E. Jones and Memorial Volume of Welsh Congrgationalists in Pennsylvania,U.S.A. by David Jones,Scranton.

Rev Evan Mathias was a nephew of Rev Rees Saron Jones. He was born on 7 February,1885 at a place called Gat Bwlchclawdd in the village of Rhos,Llangeler,Sir Gaerfyrddin,a son of David and Mary(Mali)Mathias,nee Jones.

Around 1890 the family went to live in Llanelli.Evan became a student at Brecon College around 1905 and became a minister at Edwardsville,Treharris, Glamorganshire in 1909.

In 1911 he became minister at New Inn,Pontypool.He joined the army as temporary chaplain in 1914 and saw active service at Gallipoli.

Over years and years he served in Germany,on Salisbury Plain based in Aldershot,China with the Shanghai Defence Force and finally back to Aldershot and Catterick,Yorkshire.

He was made Colonel in 1933 before retiring in 1939.The following year he came to live in Brecon and in 1943 he was made financial secretary of Brecon Memorial College only having to finish within a few months because of ill-health.

However in 1950 he resumed duties until October,1953.In 1957,following the death of Rev.Arthur Jones,he was made secretary.

He died on 3rd. July,1962 and is buried at Aber,Talybont-on-Usk,Powys.He had married Muriel Morgan and they had three children.One is Roland,famous poet/writer and Roland's son Glyn was a well-known political reporter on T.V. in the 1970's and 1980's."

Article written by Gareth Jones