Thomas Twining and Major Scott Waring on the society's work in India, on the ground that a conquered nation's free exercise of religion was improperly interfered with, Owen replied in ‘An Address to the Chairman of the East India Company,’ &c., London, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd editions, 1807. At the request of some of its members Owen wrote ‘The History of the Origin and First Ten Years of the British and Foreign Bible Society,’ 2 vols. London, 1816. This was reviewed by Robert Southey [q. v.] in the ‘Quarterly Review,’ 1827, vol. xxxvi. pp. 1–28, who, while calling Owen one ‘of its most amiable as well as able advocates,’ severely censures the society's translations. A French translation of the work appeared.
In August 1818 Owen went abroad, to assist at the establishment of a branch bible society in Paris, and to inspect the progress of the Turkish New Testament, then in course of preparation for the society by Professor Kieffer. He visited Pastor Oberlin and the branches established at Zurich, St. Gall, Constance, and other Swiss towns. He returned to England in December, and published ‘Brief Extracts from Letters on the Object and Connexions of the British and Foreign Bible Society,’ London, 1819. He also wrote ‘Two Letters on the Subject of the French Bible,’ London, 1st and 2nd editions, 1822. This was in reply to a charge of Socinianism brought against the translation.
Owen died at Ramsgate on 26 Sept. 1822, and was buried at Fulham. His widow, whose maiden name was Charlotte Green, and several children survived him. One of his daughters married the eldest son of William Wilberforce [q. v.]
Besides sermons and the works noted, Owen wrote: 1. ‘The Christian Monitor for the last Days,’ 1799; 2nd edit. 1808. 2. ‘An Earnest Expostulation with those who Live in the Neglect of Public Worship,’ London, 1801. 3. ‘The Fashionable World Displayed,’ by ‘Theophilus Christian, esq.,’ 1st edit. London, 1804; 2nd edit., with a dedication to Beilby Porteus, bishop of London, 3rd edit. 1805; 5th edit. 1805; 7th edit. 1809. An eighth edition was published before 1822. A New York edition from the fifth London edition appeared in 1806.
[Graduati Cantabr. p. 352; Masters's Hist. of Corpus Christi, Cambridge, ed. Lamb, 417–20; Gent. Mag. September 1813, pp. 226–8; works above mentioned; Faulkner's Historical and Topographical Account of Fulham, p. 269; extracts from the Register of Corpus Christi College, per the Rev. J. R. Harmer, librarian. Owen's funeral sermon, entitled The Character and Happiness of them that die in the Lord, was preached by William Dealtry [q. v.] on 13 Oct. at Park Chapel, and published, London, 1822; 2nd edit. same place and date. Another by Joseph Hughes, M.A., surviving secretary of the Bible Society, preached at Dr. Winter's meeting-house, New Court, Carey Street, on 27 Oct., was also published, London, 1822. A Tribute of Gratitude, by one of his congregation, and an Ode to Owen's memory, were published, London, 1822, and Thetford, 1823, respectively.]
OWEN, JOHN (1821–1883), Welsh musician, known in Wales by his pseudonym of ‘Owain Alaw,’ was born in Crane Street, Chester, on 14 Nov. 1821. His father was the captain of a small vessel; both parents were natives of Llanfachreth, Merionethshire, but had settled in Chester shortly before his birth. Owen began life as apprentice to a firm of cutlers, Messrs. Powell & Edwards; but in 1844, having shown a conspicuous aptitude for music, he gave up business and became a professional musician. He was organist in succession of Lady Huntingdon's chapel, St. Paul's, Boughton, St. Bridget's, St. Mary's, and the Welsh church (all in Chester), and at the same time gave tuition in music. It was, however, in connection with the Eisteddfod that he attracted the notice of his fellow-countrymen. His success in winning the prize for the best anthem at the Royal Eisteddfod of Rhuddlan (1850) was the first of a series of victories which gave ‘Owain Alaw’ a recognised place among Welsh musicians. He devoted himself energetically to composition, and during the next few years wrote a large number of glees, songs, and anthems, published in various Welsh musical magazines of the time. His only attempts at more ambitious work were the ‘Prince of Wales Cantata’ (1862) and the ‘Festival of Wales’ Cantata (1866). In 1860 appeared under his editorship the first number of ‘Gems of Welsh Melody,’ a collection of Welsh airs, published in four numbers at Ruthin (2nd edit. Wrexham, 1873). His fluent and melodious style of composition made him one of the most popular of Welsh musicians, and he was also much in request as conductor and adjudicator. He died at Chester on 29 Jan. 1883.
[Article by D. Emlyn Evans in Geninen, i. 124–30.]
OWEN, JOSIAH (1711?–1755), presbyterian minister, was born about 1711. He was a nephew of James Owen (1654–1706) [q. v.], and of Charles Owen, D.D. [q. v.], and is generally said to have been the son of their eldest brother, David Owen (d. 7 Oct. 1710, aged 59), minister of Henllan, Carmarthenshire. He may have been a posthumous
