Machynlleth

Edward Giles Roberts was born on 8 December 1823 in Lôn Pen yr Allt, a small side street off Doll Street, to Robert Roberts of Mallwyd and Jane Giles of Machynlleth. By 1828 the family had moved a mile out of town to Pen y Bont, Felin Garrig, near Penegoes, where four sisters were born — two of whom died young and are buried at Penegoes cemetery.

Captain Dan Jones came to Machynlleth as a missionary and taught in rooms at the Town Hall. During 1845 and 1846 Edward’s father bought one of his tracts; Edward read it many times over. In February 1846 he was baptised in the River Dyfi at Llyn Craig y Bwlch, together with his brother David and a number of other persons from the town, and was ordained a priest at Dan Jones’s hands.

From here Edward preached to “100’s” at Machynlleth, Aberhosan, Melinbyrhedyn, Cwm Llinau, Pennal, Bryn Crug, Llanegryn and Dinas Mawddwy, helped establish the Llanbrynmair branch in 1849, and presided over the Dinas Mawddwy branch from 1850. He emigrated on the John Bright in 1866 and settled at Malad, Idaho — the valley Brigham Young determined should be settled by Welsh Saints, which still holds an annual Eisteddfod.