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 Porth () is a town and community in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, within the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan, Wales. Lying in the Rhondda Valley, it is regarded as the gateway connecting the Rhondda Fawr and Rhondda Fach va ...

,"Eloquent Girl Preacher Pays Visit to Brooklyn"
''Brooklyn Daily Eagle'' (7 February 1911): 18 via

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and raised in

Caerphilly Caerphilly (, ; , ) is a town and community (Wales), community in Wales. It is situated at the southern end of the Rhymney Valley and separated from the Cardiff suburbs of Lisvane and Rhiwbina by Caerphilly Mountain. It is north of Cardiff an ...

. Her father was Rees Bevan, an optician, watchmaker and jeweller. Her uncle was Dr. Gomer Lewis, a preacher in

Swansea Swansea ( ; ) is a coastal City status in the United Kingdom, city and the List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, second-largest city of Wales. It forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area, officially known as the City and County of ...

. A pastor's advice moved her to evangelism. She earned a certificate from the Glamorgan Welsh Baptist Association in 1909, for passing the examination for entry into the ministry. She was hailed as a "pulpit prodigy" when she preached at

Barry Docks Barry Docks () is a port facility in the town of Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, a few miles southwest of Cardiff on the north shore of the Bristol Channel. The docks were opened in 1889 by David Davies and John Cory as an alternative to the co ...

later in 1909.

Career

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

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

Later years

Margaret Bevan married engineer Edgar J. Geally of Scranton in November 1915; both of his parents were from Wales. Their first child, a son, was born in

Wilkes-Barre Wilkes-Barre ( , alternatively or ) is a city in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. Located at the center of the Wyoming Valley in Northeastern Pennsylvania, it had a population of 44,328 in the 2020 census. ...

in 1918. She was soon after preaching as "Mrs. Maggie Bevan Gealy." She was "Mrs. Margaret B. Gealey" of

Kingston, Pennsylvania Kingston is a borough (Pennsylvania), borough in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located on the western bank of the Susquehanna River opposite Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania, Wilkes-Barre. Kingston was first settled in the early 17 ...

when she preached at

Cambridge, Massachusetts Cambridge ( ) is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is a suburb in the Greater Boston metropolitan area, located directly across the Charles River from Boston. The city's population as of the 2020 United States census, ...

in 1920. In 1923 she played the title role in a Wilkes-Barre production of "Princess Bonnie", a musical to benefit the

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. The Gealys moved to Pittsburgh in 1928 for Edgar's work. In the 1930s and 1940s Margaret was active in the Women's Welsh Club of

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, and still involved with music."Mt. Lebanon Group Presents Musicale"
''Pittsburgh Press'' (14 March 1941): 38. She died in 1953.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bevan, Margaret Welsh Baptists 20th-century Welsh women singers People from Caerphilly People from Porth 1894 births 1953 deaths