At the age of eleven he was apprenticed on board one of the small trading vessels that visited his native town.
When about fifteen he devoted his leisure hours to music, and attracted public attention as a singer.
Shortly after this he competed successfully at a small eisteddfod, held at the chapel where he was a member, for the best poem on 'Humility.'
This brought him into public notice, and henceforth his name was constantly in the local papers and in connection with eisteddfodau, where he won twenty prizes.
His poetical works were collected and arranged by Dafydd Morganwg, and published in 1866, small 8vo (224 pp.