Healing of Brother Bowan from severe coal mine accident
Published October 5, 2026 at 6:19 AM
Contributed by
Millennial Star Research
In 1849, Brother Bowan, a coal miner, was crushed by falling rocks in a pit. He was presumed dead and brought home, where a doctor pronounced him hopeless as his body was 'broken to pieces' and his bowels were swollen. Despite police threats against any Elder attempting to interfere, Elder William Howell administered to him, anointing him with oil and blessing him to arise and walk. Bowan felt the swelling vanish instantly, dressed himself, walked across the room, and returned to work in the mine on the following Monday.
In Their Own Words
“I was working in a coal pit, in Pembrokeshire, when a large quantity of rock fell upon me, and crushed me in a most dreadful manner. I was taken home, and the doctor, after examining me, said there was no hope of my recovery, as my body was broken to pieces. My bowels were so swollen that I was a most pitiable object. Elder William Howell, who was then presiding over the conference, hearing of my situation, came to see me. The police had threatened to take him up if he attempted to interfere with me, but he disregarded their threats, and made his way to my room, where he immediately anointed me with oil and prayed for me. Placing his hands upon my head, he blessed me, and commanded me, in the name of Jesus Christ, to arise and walk. I could instantly feel the swelling go down. I put on my clothes, and walked across the room. The doctor, hearing that I was better, came in the evening to see me, and was so astonished that he could not speak for some time. On the following morning, which was Sunday, Dr. Davis again came and was greatly surprised to find me sitting up, eating breakfast. He asked me how I felt, and I told him I was quite well. I walked one mile that day and attended three meetings, and on the following morning, Monday, I resumed my work in the mine.”
— Brother Bowan, as recorded in The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star, Vol. 45, No. 43
Sources & References
The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star (Manchester, later Liverpool, England, May 1840–1970), 22 October 1883 (Vol. 45, No. 43). https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_the-latter-day-saints-millennial-star_1883-10-22_45_43 (account extracted verbatim from the issue's Internet Archive OCR text; research confidence: high) Full first-person account: The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star, 22 October 1883, Vol. 45, No. 43, p. 682 https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_the-latter-day-saints-millennial-star_1883-10-22_45_43
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