Margaret Bevan

Margaret Bevan
Margaret Bevan Gealy, from a 1916 newspaper.
Born	about 1894 Porth, Glamorgan, Wales
Died	December 20, 1953[1] Bethesda, Maryland
Nationality	Welsh, American
Occupation(s)	Child evangelist, singer

Margaret Jane Bevan Geally (born c. 1894 – 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[edit]

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[edit]

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,^[2] 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[edit]

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.

References[edit]