JOHN D. PETERS’ ACCOUNT OF THE OWENS FAMILY

Brigham City, Utah

June 18, 1913

Mrs. Jane P. Owens

Willard, Utah

Dear Sister Owens:

In accordance with my promise, I send you the data which I found in a little memoranda book kept by my father.  I regret very much that I was not able to find the book earlier on Sunday.  However, I think I was able to translate correctly what my father had written in the Welsh language.

I want to say, Sister Owens, and no doubt I should have said it on the day of the funeral, but it did not happen to come to my mind, that I have heard my father and mother say that the coming to Utah was an experience which few people were be able to comprehend.  That very few of the Welsh Company could speak or understand the English language.  My mother lived until she was eighty-four years old and never made an effort to learn.  But, the part I wanted to mention is, I have heard my mother say that William Owens and his wife were a splendid type of humanity.  That Elenor, as mother called her, was a woman of wonderful character and will power.

When we stop to reflect, it does not need any testimony to proclaim her bravery when we recall that she started out with an invalid husband and seven children to this far western land where every thing was undeveloped and she was unable to speak the language of the people among whom she expected to live.  I have no way of expressing it better than to say that she must have been a mighty brave woman.

May the blessings of the Lord be with you, Sister Owens, and with the splendid sons and daughters that are left you by your husband.  I look upon your daughters and upon all the daughters of Brother Owens as the best type of womanhood, and those who are married are ideal mothers.  It is upon our children that the responsibility of perpetuating the name and the standing of a family depends, and your good name will be well sustained.  You will pardon me for this sort of digression.  Now to my promise.

William Owens was baptized by David Roberts on September 17, 1848.  Magdalene and Richard Owens on October 12, 1848, by David Peters.  Ellen and Cadwalander Owens on October 15, 1848, by Able Evans.  Owen Owens and Catherine Owens on November 5, 1848, by Jason Thomas.  Margaret Owens on November 19, 1848 by Able Evans, William Owens and Alice Owens on November 30, 1848 by David Eames.

All of these baptisms were performed at Festinog, and when I was back in Wales an old lady by the name of Roberts who was living in father’s old home, took me out to the place which is just below the old water wheel that turned the machinery for my father’s little carding and spinning factory and she said, “this is the place where those saints were baptized.”  To me this explained why father made the account.

The next memoranda which we have referring to the Owens family is the following:  Magdalene and Catherine Owens died on Friday, the 15^th day of December 1848 and were buried in the same grave on Monday.  The first of the girls was seventeen years of age and the latter thirteen, (so that it looks to me as though Catherine and your husband were twins or father made a mistake in their ages, because if I remember the splendid sketch given by your grandson, gave the age of Brother Owens as thirteen when he left Wales.)

The next account of your people is as follows:  and I will copy it as nearly as possible in the language it is written because that is in English.

On May 7, 1849, Jane, the daughter of William and Ellenor Owens of Crossor, Llanfrothan, Merionethshire, North Wales, Great Britain, died and was buried on the banks of the Mississippi River.  Also William, son of the said William and Ellenor Owens, and Alice their daughter died and were buried on May 8, 1849.  Also Ellenor Owens, the mother of the above named children died on May 9, 1849.  Also William Owens, the father of the above named children, died on May 12, 1849, and they were buried on the banks of the Mississippi River.  Also Richard Owens, son of the above William and Ellenor Owens died on May 18, 1849.

The days of the week, while not mentioned in this little account, were as folows:  Jane died on Monday, William and Alice on Tuesday, the mother on Wednesday, and the father on Friday, all of the same week, and Richard died on Friday of the following week.  All of these good people died of Cholera, sometimes called “Black Plague.”

Assuring you, Sister Owens, that if this little data is of any service to you, I am doubly paid in the privilege of furnishing it.

With kindest regards, I am

Very truly yours,

(signed) John D. Peters,

Brigham City, Utah