Bethenia Angelina Owens-Adair (February 7, 1840 – September 11, 1926) was an American social reformer, advocate for eugenics, and one of the first female physicians in Oregon.
Early life
Bethenia Owens was born on February 7, 1840, in Van Buren County, Missouri. She was the second of nine children born to Tom and Sarah Damron Owens. When Owens was three years old, her family, including her parents and her two siblings, Diana and Flem, left their home to start a homestead on the American frontier. The family traveled to the Oregon Country via the Oregon Trail in 1843 with the Jesse Applegate wagon train. The family settled in the Clatsop Plains and later moved to Roseburg in the Umpqua Valley.
Owens' parents were successful homesteaders, focusing their business primarily on cattle. Throughout Owens' life, her parents lent financial support to their children. According to Owens' memoir, her father came to Oregon with 50 cents, which he grew to twenty-thousand dollars within a few years.
From 1843 to 1853, the family resided in the Clatsop Plains region, living and working cattle herds on their 640 acres of land. During this period of her life, Owens often served as the family nurse and nanny, taking care of her siblings, and helping with work around the farm. It was during the first thirteen years of her life that she gained skills such as horseback riding, cooking, sewing, cattle rearing, and general homemaking.
In 1853, the Owens family moved south to Roseburg, in Umpqua County, Oregon. During the winter of that year, a former farmhand of Tom Owens, LeGrande Henderson Hill, visited. He spoke to Owens’ parents and requested her hand in marriage, to which they consented. Plans were made for the couple to be married the spring of the following year.
First marriage
Bethenia Owens, age 14, and Legrande Hill, in his early 20's, were married on May 4, 1854. It was a small ceremony attended only by their close family and officiating pastor. Owen's dowry included her horse, Queen, several cows, fabric, and furniture. Shortly after their marriage, the couple moved onto a 320-acre tract of land which Hill purchased on credit, a few miles from Owen's family home. The couple began to build a home together on their land; however, it was never fully completed. Hill reportedly spent his time hunting or reading, rather than prioritizing the construction of the home. Although skilled in carpentry, Hill never settled into a career. This led the couple into financial difficulty, with Hill eventually selling all of Owen's dowry, excluding the horse. The Owens sold their property and incomplete cabin to the previous owner, and at the request of Hills’ parents, the couple moved to Yreka, California in 1856, where they purchased a small property so Hill could mine for gold.On April 17, 1856, Owens gave birth to her first child, George Owens, at the age of 16. A family member in California, Aunt Kelly, offered to adopt the boy and raise him as her own, but Owens refused. It was around this time that Owens and Hill's relationship began to show evidence of decline. On multiple occasions, Legrande Hill physically abused their son, and purportedly choked Owens, leading Owens to seek a divorce. Owens’ mother supported her decision, while her father wished her try to save her marriage. Faced with possible social dishonor caused by divorce and her father's advice, she agreed and returned to Hill. Owens' father offered to support their return to Oregon, in addition to giving them an acre of land, so they could be closer to family. Owens and Hill accepted the help and agreed to move back.
The two moved back to Oregon, and Hill went into business with a bricklayer, against the advice of the Owens. The venture was unsuccessful, and Owens and her son were forced to live in a tent. The poor living conditions led her to contract typhoid fever. Her parents took her and George back into their home and helped nurse Owens back to health. This incident resulted in an argument between Owens’ parents and Hill. Tom Owens wanted to write the deed for the acre in his daughter's name, rather than Hill's, which created tension in the relationship. Not long after, another incident of abuse occurred between Hill and his son, which resulted in Owens returning to her parents’ home. This decision was supported by her parents. Hill attempted to reconcile the relationship on multiple occasions, but Owens refused him and the two were officially divorced in 1859. Bethenia was 18 years old at the time.