Born at The Nappin, Jurby, which was farmed by his father. Deacon in 1822 and appointed Curate of Andreas 1822-1827. Married Betsy Clucas at Santan on 26 September 1822. She died 1862 (buried at St Marks along with a son and daughter who died young). Second wife was Catherine Clucas of Kionslieau.
Appointed to Curacy of St Marks 29th July 1827 which position he held for nearly 37 years - being known as 'Patriarch of St Marks'. At the time of his appointment this was a very poor living - see his own account in Manx Soc 28.
Left May 1864 to become curate of Mariners' Church Swansea, then in 1872 Curate of Caerdeon (vicar 1876) where he died 1888.
Full details of his time at St Marks can be found in Manx Soc vol 28.
He was a very competent Manx speaker and strongly believed in promoting the language - he wrote in 1872
" ... yet they could have both Manx as well as English, without the one coming in the way of the other. It is the greatest mistake in the world to believe that the knowledge of talking and reading Manx would ever come in their way in learning English. This never came in my way in learning English. At ten years of age I was able to speak fluently in Manx to my father's tenants, who had no English at all, and before I was twenty years of age I had translated many little English books into Manx and printed [them] for the use of the people. Now with all this work in Manx, it was never in my way either in speaking or reading English.".
He also revised the Manx of the Lioar dy Hymnen in 1844
Canon J. Gelling A History of the Manx Church Douglas:Manx National Heritage 1998
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