Chloe A. Dow (b. Smith) (1825-1906) was born in Verona, New York, and died in Dow City, Iowa. She married Simeon "Judge" E. Dow, a merchant, in Cass, Michigan, in 1846. They moved to Iowa in 1852 and eventually settled in Dow City, named after Simeon, who helped found and commercially develop the area. Their home, known as the Simeon E. Dow House, was built in 1872 and is on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. Dow was president of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union in Crawford County, Iowa. An injury from stepping from a train led her to look into Christian Science for healing. She studied with Jennie B. Fenn, a student of Mary Baker Eddy, in August 1886 before becoming a student of Eddy herself, completing the Primary class in May 1887 and joining the Christian Scientist Association that same year. Dow joined The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Massachusetts, on October 5, 1895. She is listed as a practitioner in The Christian Science Journal in Dow City from 1889 to 1904. The Dows organized a Baptist church in Dow City, where Simeon was a deacon, and they were members upon their deaths.

See more letters.