Biography of Jane Foster Bowen
Written by Jane Bowen Hodgings Tuttle, her Grand-Daughter
of
Camp J. Wylie Thomas of The Daughters of the Utah Pioneers
of
Spanish Fork, Utah County, Utah
My grandmother, Jane Foster Bowen, was
born at Dowlas, Glamorganshire, South Wales, June 19, 1820. She was the youngest of the four children of
Eleanor Parry (of Welsh descent) and George Foster (of Scotch parentage). Her
sisters were Eleanor, who was born at Bath, England, June 9, 1811, and Elizabeth,
born at Bath,
April 2, 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 also 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 pieces 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 of 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 the church. I shall try to repeat it as he gave it
to me: "I had lived in Llanelly, a town not
far from Dowlas. I was born and confirmed a member of the Episcopal Church, but
the main thing about the church that interested me was 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 of this kind 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 dismissed there. As a group of girls were leaving the church at Dowlas,
my eyes fell upon a dainty miss who completely captivated me. I remarked to my
companions, 'Boys, that's my wife,' and called their attention to this
particular young lady. I had never seen her before but 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 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 Oct. 11, 1848, confirmed
October 13, 1848 by William Hughes. Grandmother was baptized by Elder William
Thomas, January 19, 1849 and confirmed by Elder Howell Williams, January 24,1849. Ere long, Grandfather decided to bring his family to Zion. His people tried
hard to dissuade 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 Spring of 1855.
Grandmother had lost two children in Wales; they were
Eleanor Jane, born at Llanelly on March 19, 1848 and
died April 25, 1848 and Emily born at Llanelly,
September 20, 1851 and died January 7, 1852. These children left to come to Utah with their
parents: William, my father, age nine; George Foster, 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
planned to cross the plains with 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, Schuylkill
County, Pa., where
Grandfather worked at blacksmithing. At this place another baby was born, July
12, 1855. This was Uncle John. Grandfather 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 old, this family joined the other saints to
cross the plains. They were members of Captain 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" till 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 accommodation 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 were all the houses here
at that time but home, sweet home to them. Times were hard and the food was
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 for the fare and traveling expenses
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 years old
when she came to Spanish Fork and three more children were born here. They are
Lucy Ann, Julia Susanah and David Chalinder.
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 always held her 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, was always kind to everybody 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
often meager she set her table with great care and served her meals according
to the best form. She never tired 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 their praise. Marintha
Jones Milner lived with the Bowen family from the time she was nine years old
until she became a grown lady. 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 went for this lonely little widow to 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 repeated a
blessing on the food in the French language. She had lunch and supper with
Grandmother, then she was taken back home to sleep."
Grandmother was sick for a number of
months before she passed away. The end came May 25, 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 in one of the first Relief Society organizations in
Spanish Fork; Sister Karen Hansen was the other counselor.
Grandmother was the mother of nine
children. She set a good example for them and guided them aright. She instilled
into their minds and hearts a profound respect for the Ten Commandments. My
father lived to be nearly eighty-five years old and shortly before his death he
remarked, "I have never taken the name of the Lord in vain in my entire
life." This may be said of all her children.
Grandmother was the embodiment of
gentleness, kindness, thoughtfulness, 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.
The children of David and Jane Foster
Bowen are (in order of their birth):
William Bowen, born at
Llanelly, South Wales, July 5, 1845; died at
Spanish Fork, June 23, 1930.
Eleanor J. Bowen, born
at Llanelly, South Wales,
March 19, 1848; died at Llanelly, April 25,
1848.
George Foster Bowen,
born at Llanelly, South Wales, March 20, 1849;
died at Spanish Fork December 24, 1919.
Emily Bowen, born at Llanelly, South Wales,
September 20, 1851; died at Llanelly, January 7,
1852.
Eleanor Jane Bowen,
born at Llanelly, South Wales, December 8, 1852;
died at Salt Lake City, September 9, 1917.
John Evans Bowen, born
at Minersville, Schuylkill,
Pa. July 12, 1855.
Lucy Ann Bowen, born
at Spanish Fork, Utah, April 10, 1858; died at Spanish Fork, May 26, 1858.
Julia Susanah
Bowen, born at Spanish Fork, Utah,
October 26, 1859.
David Chalinder
Bowen, born at Spanish Fork, Utah, January 1, 1863; died at Spanish
Fork, December 11, 1908.
