Margaret Bevan Explained

Margaret Bevan
Birth Date:about 1894
Birth Place:Porth, Glamorgan, Wales
Death Date:December 20, 1953[1]
Death Place:Bethesda, Maryland
Nationality:Welsh, American
Occupation:Child evangelist, singer

Margaret Jane Bevan Geally (born – December 20, 1953), also called Maggie Bevan, was a Welsh-born child evangelist and singer, who twice toured the United States as a teenager, giving sermons and recitals in churches.

Early life

Margaret Bevan was born in about 1894, at Porth,[2] and raised in Caerphilly. Her father was Rees Bevan, an optician,[3] watchmaker and jeweller.[4] Her uncle was Dr. Gomer Lewis, a preacher in Swansea.[5] A pastor's advice moved her to evangelism.[6]

She earned a certificate from the Glamorgan Welsh Baptist Association in 1909, for passing the examination for entry into the ministry.[7] She was hailed as a "pulpit prodigy" when she preached at Barry Docks later in 1909.[8]

Career

Her mother accompanied her when, in 1910, she embarked on a preaching tour of American cities, especially in New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio.[9] She also sang, with her mother providing piano accompaniment.[10] That tour was judged a "triumphant" success, and she was encouraged to return for another tour in 1911–1912.[11] On this second tour, she visited the western United States, including an appearance in Denver, Colorado.[12]

Margaret Bevan was still preaching and singing in America in 1914 and 1915, while living in Scranton.[13] [14] [15] Her parents were living in Scranton at the time too; her father died by suicide in a Scranton charity institution in 1915.[16]

Later years

Margaret Bevan married engineer Edgar J. Geally of Scranton in November 1915;[17] both of his parents were from Wales.[18] [19] Their first child, a son, was born in Wilkes-Barre in 1918.[20] She was soon after preaching as "Mrs. Maggie Bevan Gealy."[21] She was "Mrs. Margaret B. Gealey" of Kingston, Pennsylvania when she preached at Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1920.[22] In 1923 she played the title role in a Wilkes-Barre production of "Princess Bonnie", a musical to benefit the American Legion.[23]

The Gealys moved to Pittsburgh in 1928 for Edgar's work.[24] In the 1930s and 1940s Margaret was active in the Women's Welsh Club of Pittsburgh, and still involved with music.[25] [26] [27] She died in 1953.

Notes and References

  1. News: Deaths . 31 May 2023 . Evening Star . December 22, 1953. 12 . subscription.
  2. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/5023192/margaret_bevan_preaches_in_new_york/ "Eloquent Girl Preacher Pays Visit to Brooklyn"
  3. http://newspapers.library.wales/view/3416242/3416251/257/ "Welsh Girl Evangelist"
  4. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/5022851/margaret_bevan_arrives_for_us_tour/ "Girl of Sixteen is Daring Pilot"
  5. http://newspapers.library.wales/view/3349322/3349327/68/ "Welsh Girl Preacher"
  6. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/5023102/margaret_bevan_preaches_in_scranton/ "Two Sermons by Girl Evangelist"
  7. http://newspapers.library.wales/view/3411396/3411402/51/ Untitled brief note
  8. http://newspapers.library.wales/view/4611636/4611642/60/ "Girl Evangelist at Barry Docks: Remarkable Young Pulpit Prodigy"
  9. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/5022901/margaret_bevan_preaching_in_pittsburgh/ "Young Welsh Girl to Fill Local Pulpit"
  10. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/5022963/margaret_bevan_preaching_in_scranton/ "Girl Evangelist Speaks on Christ"
  11. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/5023034/margaret_bevans_second_us_tour_1911/ "Girl Preacher on Return Tour"
  12. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/5023075/margaret_bevan_to_preach_in_denver/ "15-Year-Old Girl to Preach Gospel"
  13. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/5023306/margaret_bevan_preaching_in_maryland/ "Girl Conducts Revival"
  14. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/5023269/margaret_bevan_preaching_at_hazleton/ "Miss Bevan at Hazleton"
  15. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/5023576/margaret_bevan_preaches_in/ "Miss Bevan Preaches Here"
  16. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/5025916/death_of_reese_bevan_1915/ "Father of Woman Evangelist Commits Suicide at Charity Institution"
  17. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/5024359/margaret_bevan_married_edgar_j_gealy/ "Girl Evangelist is Married in Maryland"
  18. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/5024787/sarah_ann_gealy_died_1938/ "Mrs. Peter Gealy has Passed Away"
  19. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/5025058/death_of_peter_gealy_1934/ "Peter Gealy, 74, Taken by Death"
  20. News: 1918-08-05. Happy Over First Born. 14. The Times-Tribune. 2020-05-03. Newspapers.com.
  21. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/5024141/maggie_bevan_gealy_woman_evangelist_of/ "Woman Evangelist at Coxetown Church Feb. 4"
  22. http://cambridge.dlconsulting.com/cgi-bin/cambridge?a=d&d=Tribune19201030-01.1.8&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN------ "Central Square"
  23. News: 1923-03-22. 'Princess Bonnie' To-Night; Mrs. Edgar Gealy to Take Character Role in American Legion Benefit. 12. The Wilkes-Barre Record. 2020-05-03. Newspapers.com.
  24. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/5024906/edgar_j_gealy_moves_to_pittsburgh/ "Gealy Accepts Position with Large Company"
  25. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=IbZRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Y2kDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6592%2C5403796 "Women's Welsh Club Gives Xmas Party"
  26. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/5024212/maggie_bevan_gealey_singing_with_welsh/ "Welsh Groups' Concert at Monessen Well Received"
  27. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=pFgbAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ZEwEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2191%2C3153952 "Mt. Lebanon Group Presents Musicale"

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