author
Jenkins Lloyd Jones
1843–1918
A Welsh-born minister who helped shape liberal religion in the American Midwest, he paired preaching with energetic work in education, publishing, and neighborhood reform. His life also connects to a notable family circle as an uncle of Frank Lloyd Wright.
1 Audiobook
An Artilleryman's Diary
by Jenkins Lloyd Jones
About the author
Born in Cardiganshire, Wales, in 1843, he came to the United States as a baby when his family settled in Wisconsin. He later served in the Civil War and studied for the ministry at Meadville Theological School, beginning a long career as a Unitarian minister and organizer.
He became one of the best-known Unitarian leaders in the Midwest, founding All Souls Unitarian Church in Chicago and helping create the Abraham Lincoln Centre, a major community outreach effort. Beyond the pulpit, he wrote and edited widely, worked in religious education, and was associated with the 1893 World's Parliament of Religions in Chicago.
Remembered as an energetic reformer as well as a preacher, he pushed for a broad, ethical, creed-light approach to religion and took active interest in public issues, including peace and social improvement. He died in 1918, leaving a legacy that reached both church life and civic life.