Owens Family - Llanbeblig, Carnarvonshire
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William Owens married Eleanor Evans in Llanbeblig, Carnarvonshire on February 25th 1820. The family were members of the Baptist Church, although William was not an active member. They had 11 children. In 1848, after hearing the missionaries, the family joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and were baptized in Blaenau Ffestinog.
Not long afterwards, William made arrangements for the family to emigrate to America. Prior to leaving, four of their children died: John age 22, James age 20, Magdalena age 17 (who had married Evan Evans the previous year) and Catherine age 12. In the spring of 1849 the remaining members of the family left for Liverpool in the hopes of uniting with the Saints in Utah.
This was a brave decision especially because William Owens was an invalid and Eleanor would be in full charge of rearing their remaining seven children and providing for all their physical needs as they crossed the ocean and then prepared to cross the plains. What testimony could more loudly proclaim their devotion to and belief in truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ than the decision of this family to gather to Zion.
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For seven weeks the family sailed across the Atlantic Ocean until they arrived in New Orleans. From New Orleans they started up the Mississippi River and the Missouri River to St. Joseph, Missouri on the steamship St. Croix. En route they contracted cholera, which led to the death of six of the family members.
On 7 May 1849 Jane age 6, died and was buried on the banks of the Mississippi River. William age 16, died on 8 May 1849. Alice, age 10 died on the same day as her brother. Eleanor Owens, the mother of the children, died on 9 May 1849. William Owens, the father, died on 12 May 1849, and Richard, age 16 died on 18 May 1849.
The deaths occurred in tragically rapid succession: 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
Only three family members were able to be united with the Saints in Utah: Cadwallader, Margaret and Owen
Margaret Owens
Owen Owens