Information provided by Adfa Chapel:
"Lewis Evan was born in Trefeglwys. He was 18 years old when he came to live at Crugnant, Llanllugan, with his grandparents. Crugnant was a woollen mill then and Lewis Evan was a shuttle weaver by trade. He has been described as a short man, quick and light in his step or walk.
On November 4, 1738, he went on a visit to Trefeglwys and to Ffridd farm. There, for the first time, he heard a man called Howell Harris preaching. When he came home that night, Lewis was a changed man.
When the circulating schools of Griffith Jones, Llanddowror, began to come to the area, Lewis Evan joined them and learned to read. Their reading book was the Bible - in Welsh, of course. He began to encourage others to read their Bible too and helped teach them to do so. In time, he had formed a reading group which became a Methodist cell.
Before very long, he was given the task of helping to organise the work of the Methodists in North Wales - in his own area, and into Merionethshire and beyond. His job title was that of 'Counsellor' - he was third in line from the man who was in charge of the whole of Montgomeryshire and Radnorshire then for the Methodists.
Lewis Evan was the first Methodist Counsellor in North Wales. He remained one for over 50 years. He had always been known for his ability to talk - and now his job gave him the chance to prove that he could talk for God.
Over the years, he travelled as far as Anglesey and Arfon, preaching. Sometimes he was thrown into prison - at Dolgellau, for instance. He experienced many troubles. People came to mock him and disturb his meetings. Others beat him up - either for fun or because someone had paid them to do so. But he came through it all with a good heart.
He lived to see the fruits of his labours and saw the building of a chapel at Adfa for the Methodists - who had till then been worshipping in buildings in local farms - such as Llwyncoppa. He died on September 5, 1792 and his remains were buried at Llanllugan churchyard. Unfortunately, nothing remains to denote his grave.
By today, a part of his gravestone has been discovered but his grave remains unknown. A striking memorial was raised for him outside Adfa chapel by his nephew, John Lewis, Felin Uchaf, and this still stands today."
Information provided by Adfa Chapel.
