Page 27 - Ninnau Jan-Feb 2021

Celebrating my mother turning 100 years young

By Margaret Ewart 1919, the Reverend R. L.
Williams accepted the call to
My mother, Mary Jane Ewart, serve at Shiloh Welsh
nee Williams, was born in Congregational Church in
Slatington, Pennsylvania, on Plainfield, N.Y., and the couple
January 5, 1921. She will be left Slatington for West
100 years old on January 5, Winfield, N.Y.
2021! When Mary was still a baby,
Her mother, Gwladys her family left West Winfield,
Rhyffydd Williams, nee N.Y., and moved to Oak Hill,
Williams, was also born in Ohio. Here, The Reverend R.L.
Slatington. At that time, Mary’s Williams ministered to three
family was living in New York Welsh Churches each Sunday,
state, where my Taid, The Nebo, Salome and Ty’n Rhos.
Reverend Robert Lewis He then served at Oak Hill
Williams was serving at The Welsh Congregational Church.
Shiloh Welsh Congregational All of the services were con-
Church in Plainfield, near West ducted in Welsh. Mary remem-
Winfield. Gwladys, however, bers that her father traveled by
went home to Pennsylvania to horse between the churches.
have her baby, so that she When Mary was 8, the fami- Mary Ewart turns 100!
would have the support of her ly, now with a second child
mother and other family. called Lewis John, moved to Welsh fairly well, but was not
Our family Welsh Bible once Carroll, Nebraska. The entirely fluent. When Mary was
belonged to my Taid, Reverend Reverend Williams had been a child, her parents would
Robert Lewis Williams. In it, in called to serve at Bethany sometimes speak Welsh at
his own hand, his date of birth Presbyterian Church, another home, in an attempt to have a Margaret and Mary Ewart at Caernarfon Castle in 2017
is listed as March 2, 1885, at Welsh Church. Before the fam- private conversation. But Mary
Penrhyndeudraeth, North ily left Ohio, the Minister at had been attending church ser- of them, including Yale and Festivals of Wales, held in dif-
Wales. Other records list anoth- Oak Hill Presbyterian Church vices conducted in Welsh, and Case Western. She chose Case ferent cities in Canada or the
er date, which I will include ordained Mary’s father as a had been immersed in Welsh Western after learning their U.S. every year. (Though
later. In a written account of his Presbyterian Minister. The speaking communities for her Master’s in Nursing Program Mervyn had little interest in
early life, also in his own hand, family lived in Carroll until entire life. So when she was was superior to Yale’s. Her learning Welsh, he did very
the following information is Mary graduated from high still quite young, she remembers tuition was paid for in exchange much enjoy all the music and
given. Robert began preaching school, as valedictorian of her being about nine years old, the for becoming a nurse cadet. It workshops that make up these
at Glan Y Pwll Public School, class of 17 students in 1938. day came when her mother did was an arrangement in which festivals.) Mary has taken for-
Ffestiniog, in 1898 (Mary Because his native language not understand something her she agreed upon graduation to mal classes and attended weekly
remembers being told her father was Welsh, Mary’s father natu- father said in Welsh. As Mary go overseas to serve in the war. less formal Siop Siarads led by
was known as the Boy rally settled in communities recounts the story, she became But the war was over when Robert Joseph Jones and others
Preacher). In 1902, he was with significant Welsh popula- exasperated and shouted “Mom, Mary graduated so she began for over three decades. In fact,
made local Preacher in Merthyr tions. Carroll was such a com- he said….!” So her parents had work as a nurse specializing in Mary still attends Robert’s
Vale. He came to Wilkes Barre, munity, and Welsh was com- underestimated Mary’s Welsh tuberculosis first in Cleveland, weekly classes today.
Pa., in the United States in monly used in daily life. Each language skills and from then Ohio; then New Haven, Conn. In recent years, I have also
1906, and possibly worked there Sunday, The Reverend on, her parents knew Welsh was and Lincoln, Neb. Eventually, begun studying Welsh. I share
as a trolley car conductor. In Williams conducted two ser- no longer their secret language. she began teaching in the my mother’s love of the lan-
1909, he entered Kingston vices, a Welsh service at 1pm, There were other benefits to Masters of Nursing program at guage, and we attend the local
Seminary in Pa., went to and a service in English at speaking Welsh, Mary quickly Yale University. weekly classes together. More
Binghamton, N.Y., in 1912 and 7pm. Because most of the fami- learned. It seemed the elderly While teaching in New Haven, recently, we have also been
was ordained at the Welsh lies in Carroll were farmers, men in town were delighted Mary met her soon-to-be hus- attending weekly Siop Siarads
Church in Nelson, N.Y., on there were no morning when the youngsters showed an band, Dr. Mervyn Henry and other events with the Welsh
April 12, 1915. services. Everyone was too interest in learning their native Ewart. He was a Canadian Society of Western New
Robert Lewis Williams was busy with their morning chores, language. They kept candies in chemist teaching at the Albany England, and monthly classes
the oldest of thirteen children which had to be done, even on their pockets, and any child who College of Pharmacy, in with Cymdeithas Madog by
born to Lewis Williams, 1848- Sundays. Mary of course, being spoke to them in Welsh, would Albany, N.Y. After they mar- zoom. We’ve even found a
1920 (known in his youth as the pastor’s daughter, was receive a piece as a reward. ried in 1957, Albany became number of enjoyable Noson
Lewis Ellen Williams of obliged to attend both services. Candy was a rare treat in those Mary’s new home. Here, Mary Llawens, in both North America
Penrhyndeudraeth) and Jane Mary’s Nain/grandmother, times, and so, a powerful moti- worked as head nurse at Albany and in Wales. By phone, Mom
Williams, nee Davies of Bala, was Mary Pritchard and came to vator. Medical Center. She worked and I practice speaking Welsh
1850-1943. Lewis worked in Slatington from Wales at age 3 After graduating from high for the National Board of with our family in North
the slate quarry at Blaenau with her parents. Mary’s school, Mary attended Hastings Nursing and eventually took a Wales. At home, we practice
Ffestiniog and, after emigrating Taid/grandfather was John R. College. She worked her way job as Bureau Chief with the with each other, and with our
to the U.S., he worked in the Williams. He also came from through college with various New York State Education’s two Welsh speaking cats, Cath
slate quarry at Slatington, PA. Wales to Slatington as a child. jobs. Among them was assis- Department of Medical Fawr and Cath Oren! Mary has
Lewis and Jane’s other 12 chil- Mary and John had eight girls, tant to the secretary at the local Licensure and Credentialing. traveled to Wales seven times,
dren were: all born in Slatington, where Presbyterian Church and assis- Mary and Mervyn had two chil- most recently in 2017 when she
Evan, Ellen, Lewis, Jane and John worked in the slate quar- tant to the pastry chef in the col- dren, Robert and me, Margaret. was 96 years old. This was an
Margaret Williams who all ries. We have the following lege dining hall. Her parents After leaving Nebraska, extra special trip because both
stayed in Wales. information on John and Mary and younger brother by then had Mary’s exposure to the Welsh my brother and I joined her. I
Catherine (Kate), David (Dau), Williams, married June 23, moved to Steel City, Neb. Rev. language was understandably had been to Wales once before,
Grace, William, Sarah, Morris 1881, in Slatington, known as Williams had a position as pas- limited. After so many years but this was Robert’s first visit.
and Owen Williams who all Mr. and Mrs. John R. Williams, tor of the Presbyterian Church without using it, her skill in the Mom and I were delighted to
emigrated to Wilkes Barre, Pa. and their children. in town. In the summers, Mary language suffered. But after introduce him to his Welsh fam-
After being ordained, Mary’s Their children were Jane, went home to Steele City, and some time in the Albany area, ily, and share with him our
father, Reverend Robert Lewis Martha, Mary, Elizabeth, Annie, worked as secretary for the local she found a group of like- mind- beloved Cymru. We stayed
William’s first pastorship in the Gwaldys (Mary’s mother) and doctor. ed Welsh language lovers called with our family in Bala, and
US took him back to Pa., to the Marguerite Williams. Mr.and After graduating from the Saint David’s Day Society. even attended the National
Bethel Welsh Congregational Mrs. John R. Williams also Hastings, Mary’s big dream was She joined the group and attend- Eisteddfod in which several of
Church in Slatington. Here he adopted two orphaned baby to travel to England, and contin- ed various activities, including our cousins were competing.
met Gwladys Rhyffydd boys. Both boys died as ue studying The Canterbury some Welsh language lessons. Welsh is a big part of daily
Williams. As the story goes, on babies. We have no record of Tales by Chaucer. She had fall- In 1991, Mary retired from the life in our house. In fact, the
the day he met Gwladys, Robert their names or dates of birth. en in love with the stories. It state. Though she continued covid-19 pandemic has resulted
told those with him “I’m going We don’t know very much was 1942 though, and WWII working as a consultant for sev- in us having increased contact
to marry that girl one day.” He about Mary and John Williams’ would prevent her from eral years, she now had time to with other Welsh speakers vir-
did just that on Christmas day, families in Wales. We did find embarking on this adventure. pursue some of her other inter- tually. We now participate in
1917, in Scranton. In the two first cousins of Gwladys So, with a degree in English, ests, among them her Welsh Siop Siarads and other Welsh
December 28, 1917, edition of Rhyffydd Williams in Mary took a job teaching at a language skills. events with people from all over
the Slatington Newspaper, their Holyhead, Megan Owens and high school in Inavale, Neb. Over the years, Mary has the world. Studying Welsh
wedding notice reads “The Gwladys Byrne. We also But because so many of the attended many of Cymdeithas together has provided for us a
bride wore a gown of purple understand the grandparents of male teachers were off at war, Madog’s intensive week long healthy and interesting shared
messaline and was attended by Gwladys are buried in the ceme- Mary was required to teach courses in the U.S., Canada and activity while staying safe at
her sister, Miss Marguerite tery of an abandoned chapel many other courses in addition Wales. Most recently she home. I’m so proud of my
Williams of town. The groom near Snowdon. to English, like typing and attended in-person the 2018 Mom. She is a role model to
was attended by his brother, Although Welsh was the History. At the end of her first Cwrs Cymraeg at Hamline many, and a perfect example of
Owen Williams of Wilkes first language for both of her year, she was sure that this was College in St. Paul, Minn., and how one is never too old to
Barre. The bride is the daughter parents, Mary’s mother was also not her calling. That is when the virtual 2020 Cwrs Rhith. learn.
th
of Mr. and Mrs. John R. exposed to many English speak- she decided to go into nursing. Mary and her late husband, Happy 100 Birthday Mom!
Williams of West Washing-ton ers as a child. As an adult, Mary applied to a number of Mervyn, also faithfully attended I love you very much! We’ll
Street, town.” Sometime before Gwladys spoke and understood schools and was accepted to all the annual North American keep learning together.

January-February 2021 NINNAU Page 27