Life Story of Mary Walters Owen
Contributed By: Linda Ross · 7 July 2014 ·
MARY WALTERS OWEN Mary Walters Owen was born in Llanelly, South Wales, July 10, 1828. She was baptized into the LDS Church by John Williams in 1849.
Mary’s father, being prejudiced against the Latter-day Saints, turned her from her home. A friend, Ann Hicks, was turned out of her home also. The two stayed together and slept out night after night in the hedge fences, potato rows, or any other places where they could hide. Mary Owen was a good singer and was well respected by all the Branch to which she belonged. The Elders, with whom she traveled to sing in their meetings, instructed the Saints to be kind to the homeless girls. Since her father worked in the copper works and was only home at meal time, his absence gave Mary a chance to go home to see her mother and to prepare herself to go with the Elders to the next meeting. She often was caught in the rain and was forced to stay in hiding until her father left for work.
Mary’s sister, Ann, was sick and near death. When Mary requested that she be allowed to bring the Mormon Elders to administer to her sister, her mother said, “Oh, Mary, if you do your father will be so angry that I don’t know what he will do, but I am perfectly willing.”
So, with her mother’s consent, Mary brought the Elders, her Uncle William Leigh, and Walter Rodger, who administered to Ann telling her to sit up. She did. They administered to her the second time, telling her to get up and to dress herself. She did. They administered to her the third time promising her that she would be able to walk with them for dinner at her Uncle’s house, which was at a distance of about two miles. She did so cheerfully. Then her father came home at noon and discovered Ann’s absence, he was angry saying, “This is some of Mary’s work.” That night upon returning from work, he was astonished to find Ann rocking and singing by the grate. He was nearly overcome by the shock. Knowing that the sudden change had come as a result of the administration of the Mormon Elders, he said to his wife, “We will all go to be baptized in the morning.” So, it was through Mary that her parents and family became members of the LDS Church.
Mary was determined to come to Utah. She left Liverpool in the year 1851 on the ship Ellen Marian. She lived in St. Louis three years. At 21, she married George Gascotts, a sailor. Two children were born to them. By this time, her father’s family had come to St. Louis. It was while they were camping on the Missouri River waiting for a boat, that they received the sad news that Mary’s husband had drowned. Her younger child, Sarah Ann, whom the dead father had never seen, was a very young infant.
Mary left St. Louis for Utah July 1, 1854 and arrived in Salt Lake City September 20, 1854. She settled in Brigham City where she found life very hard because of the grasshopper plague. She and her Uncle Hendry Thomas dug sego’s all day long to quench their hunger and that of her baby.
Through all her trials, Mary kept the faith.
While in Brigham City, she met a man named John Owen, whom she later married in Salt Lake City. They moved to Wellsville, Utah in 1960, where they lived for the remainder of their lives. By their union, 10 children were born.
Mary never tired of giving to the poor and needy. She died at Rexburg August 30, 1888. She was loved by all who knew her. She was buried at Wellsville September 2, 1888.
