Thomas Dury Bowman

Thomas Dury Bowman was the oldest of six children born to Robert Bowman and Mary Ida Potts, both from England. With their son Thomas, they immigrated to America in 1863 sailing on the ship “Cynosure.” After arriving in America, they traveled to Nebraska to join the Thomas E. Ricks Company bound for the Utah territory. With other members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the company departed on August 10, 1863.

Exhaustive travel conditions, disease, injury, lack of food and medicine, premature birth, and extreme weather were some of the greatest threats to pioneers. Cholera, a bacterial disease caused from contaminated water, infected many of the travelers. Camped at Little Mountain just one day before entering into the Salt Lake Valley, 9- month-old Thomas passed away from diarrhea. They carried his body into the Valley and buried him in the Salt Lake City Cemetery.