Ben Bowen can probably be regarded as a famous Pentre person. He certainly worshipped there- for a while at least. Furthermore his house is just a few hundred yards away in Treorchy. BBC Cymru’ site has a mini biography of him but it is all in Welsh so I will attempt to translate best I can. He was born on High Street, Treorchy in 1878 and started down the mines at the age of twelve. At age seventeen he won the chair at the National Eisteddfod in Penrhiwceibr. He studied at Pontypridd (presumably the South Wales miner’s college) then at Cardiff but in 1901 ill health made doctors suggest a move to South Africa because of the better climate. In his young life he wrote a series of theological articles but according to leaders of his denomination (Welsh Baptist) these were unorthodox. As a result he was expelled form Moriah Chapel in Pentre and died aged 25.
The National Library of Wales also has something on him relating to Moriah. Perhaps this is the article that got him expelled? Any Welsh speakers out there feel free to translate for me.
Image shows the plaque that was made in his honour that is still visible on the house on High Street that he was born. Date photograph was taken is unknown, given the ladies hats, maybe the 1920s? But that’s just a guess. Again, any suggestions?
Sources
BBC Cymru – http://www.bbc.co.uk/cymru/deddwyrain/hanes/pages/rhondda.shtml
National Library of Wales entries for Ben Bowen – http://ead.llgc.org.uk/arddangos.php?math=manylion&iaith=eng&xmlfile=165857.xml&proto=&sec=0000165915 and http://ead.llgc.org.uk/arddangos.php?math=manylion&iaith=eng&xmlfile=165857.xml&proto=&sec=0000165855
Historic Pentre 
Biography by his brother, David [Myfyr Hefin] in Welsh entitled “Cofiant A Barddoniaeth Ben Bowen”. Printed and Published in Treorchy in 1904. Copies turn up from time to time on Ebay – search Ben Bowen in books.