Josiah Rees

Josiah Rees (1744–1804) was a Unitarian minister and journal editor. He was born near Llandovery, Carmarthenshire, the son of Owen Rees (1716-78), a Nonconformist minister. Josiah attended the Presbyterian college at Carmarthen in 1762, becoming minister at Gellionnen in 1767, where he also kept a school. Rees moved from an Arminian to an Arian position, finally ending as a Unitarian. He helped form the South Wales Unitarian Association in 1803. His son, Thomas Rees (1777-1864), was also a Unitarian minister and writer. He began one of the earliest Welsh magazines in 1770, titled Trysorfa Gwybodaeth, neu, Eurgrawn Cymraeg (Treasury of Knowledge, or, Welsh Magazine). The magazine only ran for a few months. Rees also translated several works into Welsh, including John Mason’s popular work on Self-knowledge (1771).