As a young man around 1820 he was engaged as a labourer building Thomas Telford's road from London to Holyhead (now known as the A5), and was heard by his fellow workers preaching on religious matters as he walked to work.
In his youth around 1820, he served as a laborer constructing the road from London to Holyhead (renamed the A5), and was often overheard by his colleagues preaching about religious matters while traveling to work.