Juliaette Bowen

By Sammie Wood

Juliaette Bowen, born August 29, 1829 in Bethany, Genesee County, New York, was the second child born to Israel and Louisa Durham Bowen. Kind and religious parents gave the love and training required for a normal childhood for Juliaette and her brothers and sisters.

When Juliaette was yet a young girl, her parents became interested in the newly organized church then being discussed by the town folk. The entire family, except for one daughter, Eliza Jane, were converted and baptized members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Eliza Jane was horrified and disappointed when the family accepted the Gospel. She insisted they had disgraced themselves and refused to leave New York when the family left to join the Saints.

While the Bowen family was making plans and the necessary arrangements to travel west to join the main group of Saints, Juliaette’s father became ill and died on April 23, 1837. Only the determination of the faithful mother kept the family together during this difficult period, knowing there would be trials and tribulations for them and no husband and father standing beside her to guide and protect the family.

Juliaette met a young man, Charles Wakeman Dalton, who after a brief courtship asked her to marry him. So on January 13, 1847, prior to their journey to Nauvoo to join the Saints there, the young couple were married in New York. On their trip to Nauvoo, they crossed lake Erie by boat, taking with them some highly prized thoroughbred animals. A fierce storm arose before the voyage was over and continued to get worse as nature gave vent to her feelings. The animals became terrified and were almost uncontrollable, so it was deemed advisable to turn the animals loose and let them go overboard. The young couple was heart sick at their loss, but knew they had done the only thing possible.

Juliaette and her husband made a home in Nauvoo and lived there during the time of the worst persecution at the hands of the mob. They experienced trying times same as others who loved and followed the Prophet Joseph Smith. Juliaette became very close to the Smith family, particularly, Emma Smith.

Many hardships faced Juliaette, and one particularly difficult time came when her first child, a son, was born while they were crossing the plains. The baby was born on August 26, 1849 on the banks of the Sweet Water River.

Juliaette and Charles, after living in different homes, finally built a home in Fillmore. During this period of time, Charles carried the mail, traveling by horse. It was a job which kept him away from his home and family a great deal of the time. It was of great concern to him because the Indians were hostile towards the Saints when they first arrived in Utah. Some of the tribes were quickly and easily befriended, but others, such as the Navajo, were difficult to deal with.

While Charles was away on one trip, the Indians went on the war path. Juliaette heard of the settlers being attacked and their homes burned, and was very frightened at the thought of being home alone with her small children. She tried not to show her fear, so after the children were fed and tucked in their beds, Juliaette got her gun and stood watch for any sign of lurking Indians. During her vigilant watch, she heard the sound of an approaching wagon. She froze in fear, but a silent prayer formed on her lips as she went to the door. Through a small creak in the door, she saw the Bishop getting off his wagon. He called to her and told her to get her children in the wagon and leave as quickly as possible for the fort where she would find protection.

Early the following morning, Juliaette returned to their home, only to find it burned to the ground. Undaunted, she salvaged what she could from the rubble. Only a strong faith and the determination to accomplish a goal sustained them at such times, when the Saints saw either a husband, a son, or friend shot down by the arrow of an Indian, or their homes and farms destroyed by fire.

Juliaette suffered ill health most of her life, but she bore nine children. Another test of her strength, not necessarily physical, came when she learned her husband had been asked by the president of the Church to take other wives. She was deeply in love with her husband and desired to preserve that love. Because of this love and her desire to do as the Lord willed, she agreed that Charles should do as he had been asked. She was saddened when, in later years, it did not work as it should. Shortly before their ninth child was born, Juliaette and Charles separated. There was continual strife and bickering among the other wives, and Juliaette, who had known some happy years with her husband, could not stand the upset family life.

Juliaette lived in Beaver until her youngest child was about four or five years old, when she took her children and moved to Circleville. They built a home there and had a farm which provided a means of the sons caring for their mother. It was a hard life with its moments of happiness as Juliaette saw her children grow to maturity and, one by one, marry and have families of their own.

Regardless of her ill health, Juliaette, a very sincere and religious woman, worked in the church whenever she was called to serve. She was always willing to help others. It seemed to help her own hurt to be able to help someone else who needed to be comforted and cheered. She died on September 29, 1915 at the age of eighty-eight at Circleville, Utah, and left a heritage for those who loved and honored her memory.

(Picture of Juliaette in a rocking chair, with a small picture of Charles Wakeman Dalton, upper left hand corner. This history is typed on a 11 x 17 paper with the picture on the right side and the history on the left side.)