Family and Education

b. 4 May 1604, 1st s. of John Owen (d.1612) of Orielton, and bro. of Arthur Owen I. educ. L. Inn 1622. m. (1) Frances, da. of Sir John Philipps, 1st Bt. of Picton, 2s. d.v.p. 2da.; (2) bef. 1645, Catharine, da. of Evan Lloyd of Yale, Denb., wid. of John Lewis of Presaddfed, Anglesey, 2s. 1da. suc. gdfa. 1614; kntd. 10 Aug. 1641; cr. Bt. 11 Aug. 1641.2

Offices Held

J.p. Pemb. by 1622-50, 1652-d., Anglesey by 1634-6, 1642-53, 1656-d., Haverfordwest 1656-9, Sept. 1660-d.; mayor, Pembroke 1632-4, 1639-40, Haverfordwest 1656-7; sheriff, Pemb. 1633-4, 1653-4, 1663-4; commr, for militia, Pemb. 1642, Mar. 1660, S. Wales 1655; custos rot. Anglesey 1650-3; commr. for assessment, Anglesey 1650, Pemb. 1657, Anglesey, Pemb. and Haverfordwest Aug. 1660-9; common councilman, Haverfordwest by 1651-at least 1659; commr. for scandalous ministers, S. Wales 1654, propagation accounts 1654; dep. lt. Pemb. c. Aug. 1660-d.3

Biography

Owen was the great-grandson of Owen ap Hugh, the scion of an old Anglesey family, who sat for Newborough in 1545. His grandfather acquired Orielton by marriage in 1571; but Owen was the first of the family to sit for a Pembrokeshire constituency. So far as possible, he seems to have avoided commitment to either side during the Civil War, suing out a royal pardon in 1644. Probably a Presbyterian, he did not sit after Pride’s Purge. After a denunciation from Anglesey, his estates were seized in 1651, but he soon regained local office. Towards the close of the Interregnum, Owen was described as a Royalist,

as much as is understood of him, [but] so habituated to reservedness that it is thought he cannot now extricate himself, if he would, from it. A lover of his country and justice, but noted by some to be too sparing or too modest to bear the burdens of the affairs of his country, his interest and parts justly expecting more of his time and pains in his country’s service.

He sat for Pembroke Boroughs in the Convention, but was appointed to no committees and made no speeches. On 9 Nov. 1660 William Philipps complained that Owen had been prevented by John Robinson I from visiting a ‘friend’ in the Tower. Owen apparently did not seek re-election in 1661, though he served as sheriff for the third time in 1663-4. He probably died in October 1670 and was buried at Monkton church. His will was proved on 9 June 1671.4

Ref Volumes: 1660-1690

Authors: Leonard Naylor / Geoffrey Jaggar

Notes

• 1. Did not sit after Pride’s Purge, 6 Dec. 1648, readmitted 21 Feb. 1660.
• 2. J. E. Griffith, Peds. Anglesey and Caern. Fams. 58; Wards 7/49/211; J. R. Phillips, Owens of Orielton, 36-42.
• 3. W. Wales Hist. Recs. v. 121; CSP Dom. 1641-3, p. 299; 1655, p. 79; LJ, v. 304; Cal. Recs. Haverfordwest (Univ. Wales, Bd. of Celtic Studies, Hist. and Law Ser. xxiv), 95, 131, 134.
• 4. A. H. Dodd, Studies in Stuart Wales, 123, 162; W. H. Black, Docquets of Letters Patent, 185; Cal. Comm. Adv. Money, 876; Cal. Comm. Comp. 2787; Nat. Lib. Wales Jnl. xi. 143; Phillips, 86; PCC 80 Duke.