Born on 7 March 1844 at his mother"s home at Ddolgam, in the Llynfell valley, Carmarthenshire, was the son of Hezekiah and Ann Williams. He was brought up, the second of a family of ten, on his father"s farm of Cwmgarw Ganol, near Brynaman.
At an early age he found employment in the coal mines then being opened up in the district, and he worked, chiefly as a collier, with occasional periods of attendance at local schools, until the age of 27. In January 1872 he entered the school of his relative, Evan Williams of Merthyr. He was soon assisting Evan Williams and his successor, J. J. Copeland.
In 1874 he decided to qualify for the independent ministry.
He returned home, began to preach at Gibea Chapel, and, after a preliminary training, was admitted to the Presbyterian College at Carmarthen in 1875. Instead of a pastorate, Williams took a post as teacher of a private school at Llangadock.
Differences among the staff led to his moving, with the Review Doctorate. East. Williams, to Ammanford in 1880, where they founded the Hope Academy.
In 1884 Watkin took sole charge, and in 1888 he adapted for school purposes a building to which he gave the name of "Gwynfryn".
Until his death he ran the institution as a preparatory school, for those about to enter the dissenting ministry or other professions. He was ordained an independent minister in 1894, but held no pastoral charge. Williams died on 19 November 1905, and was buried at Ammanford.
