John J. Lowe

JOHN J. LOWE was born in the town of Elizabeth, Harrison county, Ind., March 24, 1833, and is a son of Nathan M. and Mary (Stephaus) Lowe; the former a native of Albany, N.Y., and the other a daughter of John Stephaus of this county. The elder Lowe was brought up in his native city, and was liberally educated, graduating from the best schools. He read medicine, attended lectures, graduated, and received a diploma from the best college in New York. He came West in 1825 and located in Harrison county, where he practiced his profession until his death, April 29, 1865. His wife, Mary Stephaus, was a native of this county, but her parents came from Rhode Island.

John J. Lowe, the subject of this sketch, was the fourth in a family of ten children. He was brought up and educated in his native town of Elizabeth, and graduated from Friendship academy of that place, an institution of learning that had a high reputation in its day. Hundreds of students attended it from all parts of the State, and at the time Mr. Lowe was a pupil, it was under the superintendence of Prof. John S. Samback, a very highly-educated and cultured gentleman. After completing his education Mr. Lowe entered the office of his father for the study of medicine, but after reading for a time, he gave up the study and turned his attention to mechanical pursuits. He became a skillful carpenter and plasterer, and also farmed to a large extent.

For a time during the war he served the Government as a teamster, but in April, 1865, he enlisted in Co. D. of the Forty-ninth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, in which he served until the expiration of his term of enlistment, September 5, 1865, when he was honorably discharged.

Mr. Lowe was married September 14, 1854, to Miss Mary A. Gillmore, a daughter of Benjamin and Millie Gillmore. To them were born ten children, as follows: Laura B. and Flora V. (twins), August 16, 1857; Nathan, March 15, 1860; Fanny A., January 18, 1862; Margaret A., April 24, 1865; Harriet, August 3, 1867; Clara T., February 4, 1871; Eva G., April 7, 1875; Charles H., October 21, 1877; Benjamin K., November 16, 1879; all of whom are living except three, viz: Nathan died February 3, 1861; Charles died August 27, 1878, and Benjamin died March 24, 1881. He settled on a farm of fifty acres, which is highly cultivated and well set in fine fruit trees and grapes. He has two grape vines of the Fox variety that are sixty-five years old, and rarely fail to bear fruit. Mr. Lowe is an enterprising citizen, and a prosperous, well to-do farmer.

Source: Biographical and Historical Souvenir for the Counties of Clark, Crawford, Harrison, Floyd, Jefferson, Jennings, Scott and Washington, Indiana by John M. Gresham & Co., 1889. Part 2, page 166.