My grandmother, Jane Foster Bowen, was born at Dowlais, Glamorgan, South Wales, 19 June 1820. She was the youngest of the four children of Eleanor Parry, of Welch decent [sic] and George Foster of Schotch [Scotch?] parentage. Her sisters were Eleanor, who was born at Bath, England, 9 June 1811, and Elizabeth, born at Bath 2 April 1817. George, her only brother, was born at Crickhowell in 1814. He died in his early manhood. Grandmother was the only member of the family who married.Her father was spoken of as a gentleman’s Gardener and he was a cabinet maker by trade. He made the casket for Princess Charlotte, a daughter of King George III. The casket was made of rosewood, and from small peices [sic] that were left, he made a snuff box of excellent workmanship. (I have it in my possession). This was brought across the plains.
I know very little about my grandmother’s childhood except that she was reared in a highly cultured family. She carried evidences of this all her life for she was a very refined lady.
As a girl she was religiously inclined and attended church regularly. My grandfather related a story of their love romance which originated at church. I shall try to repeat it as he gave it to me. “I had lived in Llanelly a town not far from Dowlais. I was born and confirmed a member of the Episcopal Church, but the main thing about the church that interested me were the pretty girls who attended the services. It was a favorite pastime of mine to gather with my chums to watch the young ladies walk down the church steps as the services were dismissed. It was on an occasion like this that I met my wife. I was not content to visit my own church but went to neighboring towns to be on hand when church was dismissed there. As a group of girls was leaving the church at Dowlais, my eyes fell on a dainty miss who completely captivated me. I remarked to my companions, “Boy’s that’s my wife” and called their attention to this particular young lady I had never seen before. I lost no time in making her acquaintance and I soon became a regular visitor at her home. A friendship sprang up between us which ripened into courtship and finally, one glorious autumn day in 1844, I became the husband of one of the finest girls in the land.”
During their courtship, Grandpa gave his sweetheart a small pen knife which she brought to America with her other treasures. Uncle John still has this much cherished token.
After their marriage my grandparents resided in Llanelly, South Wales, where most of their children were born.
Grandfather had never taken any great interest in the Episcopal Church, but when he heard the Latter-Day-Saint missionaries preaching on the streets he became deeply interested in their message. He soon began to investigate and study this new religion and in due time became thoroughly converted and was baptized, 11 October 1848 by William Hughes, confirmed 13 October 1848 also by William Hughes. Grandmother was baptized by Elder William Thomas, 19 January 1849 and confirmed by Elder Howell Williams 24 January 1849. Ere long, grandfather decided to bring his family to Zion. His people tried hard to disuade him but to no avail. He saved sufficient money for the trip on sea and across the plains and with his wife and family left Liverpool, England sometime in the spring of 1855.
Grandmother had lost two children in Wales; they were Eleanor Jane, born at Llanelly, 19 March 1848 – died 25 April 1848 and Emily born, Llanelly, 20 September 1851, died 7 January 1852. These children were buried in St. Paul’s cemetery, Llanelly, Carmarthenshire, S. Wales.
Their [sic] were three children left to come to Utah with their parents; William Parry, my father, age nine; George Foster, age six and Eleanor Jane, the second, age two.
As the family embarked on the sea voyage, Grandpa dropped his bag of money into the sea. This was thought to be a great misfortune at the time but was really a blessing in disguise. They had thought to cross the plains when they first landed in AMerica but were forced to remain in the East long enough to earn sufficient money to buy an outfit. They located at Minersville, Schylkill Co., Pennsylvania, where Grandfather worked at blacksmithing. At this place another baby was born 12 July 1855. This was Uncle John E. Grandpa said, “If I hadn’t lost my money I might have lost my wife, for the baby would have been born on the plains and the mother was quite frail. We had no conception of the hardships to be encountered on the way.
In the Spring of 1856 with four children, the baby less than a year, this family joined the other Saints to cross the plains. They were members of Capt. John Hunt’s company, which followed Martin’s Handcart company. They expected to reach Salt Lake City early in the fall but Hunt’s company was held back to help the handcart pioneers and they did not reach “the valley” until December 22nd. Brother Charles Martell went to Salt Lake City to meet the Bowen family but through some misunderstanding they failed to make contact, and the new emigrants came direct to Spanish Fork where they had relatives. They spent several weeks at the home of Morgan Hughes. This hospitality was a great accomodation to the newcomers, one which Grandfather never forgot, for he availed himself of the opportunity to help his cousin and her family when she became a widow.
As spring drew near, my Grandparents moved into their first Utah home. Crude as it was, as were all houses here at that time, it was home sweet home to them. Times were hard and food meager but they worked unitedly toward an objective.
Grandmother’s people in Wales worried a great deal about her. Their aristocratic minds could not be reconciled to the fact that one of their family had joined the Mormons. They heard about the hardships through which the pioneers were going and they wrote repeatedly, pleading with her to come back home to Wales. Her parents were anxious to forward the money to bring their daughter and her family back to them, but she had come to Utah for a purpose. Nothing could induce her to go back. She said, “I will not go back. I will never cross the plains again.”
Grandmother was thirty-six when she came to Spanish Fork. There were three more children born to her here. They are: Lucy Ann; Julia Susannah; and David Chalindar. The two little girls died in childhood and are buried in Spanish Fork’s first cemetery which is located on what is now the Finch farm on the east bench.
I cannot remember my Grandmother Bowen but as a child I formed a very high estimate of her. My mother loved and respected her and held up as an example for us children. Mother spoke of her as a lady with a sweet, soft voice, very refined, very proud. She never saw her angry, she was always kind to everyone and was very fond of pets.
Grandmother was very systematic in all she did and was an excellent cook. If she had a hobby it was that of collecting fine china. She brought some beautiful china across the plains and was very careful in using it. She was very precise and though the fare was meager she set her table with great care and served her meals according to the best form. She was never tiring in teaching her children to be polite and she found delight in having them use good table manners. She took pride in her personal appearance and her hair was always worn in curls.
I have consulted several people who knew my Grandmother. From Mrs Emma Robertson Creer, who chummed with Aunt Eleanor I quote: “She was a very refined lady and always wore her hair in curls. She had beautiful rich china.”
Agnes Miller Creer said, “The first cuckoo clock I ever saw was in Grandma Bowen’s home. She had a great deal of beautiful china. I loved to go to her home because she was always so sweet and kind.”
Everyone to whom I speak regarding her are enthusiastic in her praise. Marintha Jones Milner lived with the Bowen family from the time she was nine years old until she was a grown woman. She tells me that Grandmother was a pleasant, kind soul and was very considerate of everybody. As an illustration she related the following story: “Mrs Denna was a blind lady who lived alone a block south of the Bowen home. Every morning as soon as the men were off to work, Grandmother sent Marintha or she herself would go for this lonely little widow show would spend the day with them. In gratitude Mrs Denna sewed carpet rags for Grandmother when there were any to be had, and Marintha threaded her needles. This little lady was French and frequently said a blessing on the food in the French language. She had lunch and supper with Grandmother, then was taken back home to sleep.”
Grandmother was sick for a number of months before she passed away. The end came, 25 May 1877 when she was nearly 57 years old. Marintha stated that up to that time there had never been, in Spanish Fork, such a large crowd of people at a funeral.
I don’t know much about her church activities except that she was a counselor to Aunt Mary Jones Flavel Bona in one of her first Relief Society organizations in Spanish Fork. Sister Karen Hanson was the other counselor.
Grandmother was the mother of nine children. She set a good example for them and guided them aright. She instilled in their minds and hearts a profound respect for the ten commandments.
Grandmother was the embodimenet of gentleness, kindness, throughtfulness, truthfulness, and honesty. We may say she was a lady in every respect. Like all early pioneers her life was not a bed of roses. She endured and suffered as did her contemporaries but if we, her posterity, will emulate her example, she will not have striven in vain.
Jane Bowen Hogens Tuttle
for the J. Wylie Thomas Camp
of Daughters of the Utah Pioneers
I’ll keep everyone posted!