Her efforts began in the early history of Nevada with the founding of the small church at Gold Hill, and later at Oakland, California in the Old Ladies Home and in the Fabiola Hospital.

After Mr. Mower died in Maine of consumption, Mrs. Mower and her four daughters, shipped from Belfast, Maine to California by way of Cape Horn, dropping anchor inside the Golden Gate in the early 1850s, when the harbor was filled with vessels from all over the world, and San Francisco was but a village of huts and tents.

[3] Mr. Requa was associated with the Floods, Fairs, and Huntingtons in the Comstock Lode bonanza of Virginia City, out of which, when the big vein was struck, they made millions of dollars.

He opened the Chollar-Potosi bonanza, on the Consolidated Virginia property, which was accredited with leading to the production of nearly US$14,000,000 worth of ore.[3][2] While in Nevada, Mrs. Requa founded the church at Gold Hill.

She was the pioneer organizer in Oakland, California of the Ladies' Relief Society which for two generations provided homes and comfort for young children and old women in need.

Through her efforts, the Convalescent Home for sick soldiers returning from the Philippines to California to San Francisco during the Spanish–American War was established in Oakland.

Thousands of soldiers benefited from her ministrations in providing food and sleeping quarters when the Government moved too slowly to take care of them.

During the Spanish–American War, she gained national note for the work done in relieving thousands of soldiers encamped in Oakland and San Francisco.

[2] Sarah and Isaac had two children: a son, Mark L. Requa, and a daughter, Amy, whose husband was Brigadier General Oscar Fitzalan Long.