He was appointed Rouge Croix Pursuivant in place of John Bradshaw on 28 February 1626, and was promoted to the post of York herald by signet in December 1633, and by patent 3 January following.
[1] Owen attended the Earl of Arundel in the First Bishops' War of 1639, and, according to Anthony Wood, was despatched on a mission in the king's service to Wales in following year.
He was with the retinue of Charles I at Oxford in 1643, where, on 12 April, he was created D.C.L., and he subsequently accompanied the king when the royal forces moved to invest Gloucester on 10 August.
[1] At some point after early 1645, Owen was asked to act as deputy to the Clarenceux King of Arms, William Le Neve, who had been sent abroad.
[2] In 1660 Owen was reappointed York herald, and held the office until he resigned it in 1663, when he was succeeded by his son-in-law, John Wingfield.