Person:Heman Lowry (1)

Biographies

History of Jericho, Vermont

The Lowrey Family, by L. F. Wilbur^[2]
Heman Lowrey was one of the active and leading men of Vermont. He was b. in September, 1778, in the town of North East, Dutchess County, N. Y., and was of Scotch-Irish descent. His father was a farmer in moderate circumstances but highly respected. His mother was Phoebe Benedict, a dau. of a Presbyterian clergyman. Heman Lowrey moved with his father to Jericho, VT, in March, 1789. He spent his boyhood on the farm in Jericho. His father d. while Heman was young but he had the training of an excellent mother. He m. Miss Lucy Lee in the year 1800. She d. the following year, and in 1803 he m. 2 Margaret Campbell. Early in life he became a resident of Burlington. He d. in 1848 in the 70th year of his age. He was much in public life; was sheriff of Chittenden county for 19 years; and 11 years United States marshal for the district of Vermont. He was a democrat and influential in his party. He was said to be strong and unyielding in his disposition; but when friendly was a strong friend. He said, “I never doubt a friend till he has stolen a sheep.”

Vermont Historical Magazine

HEMAN LOWRY. BY HON. DAVID A. SMALLEY. (p. 601)^[8]
The class of men, who, a generation since, were the active and leading men of Vermont, (p. 602) were, certainly, in many respect, of marked and peculiar character; and it is matter of regret that they have so nearly all disappeared from our midst. In some respects they were rude, perhaps; for the times in which they lived were rude, and the state itself was yet in the rudeness and roughness of a new and unsettled country. But they were men of strong will, of determined and unyielding purpose, of manly courage, of unquestioned integrity, and of high toned honor. They were the men for the day in which they lived; and Vermont owes to them the high reputation for sturdy manhood in her sons, which she holds abroad, and the large measure of thrift and prosperity which she enjoys at home. To this class of men belonged the subject of our present memoir, Heman Lowry; and he may himself be said to have been a good and marked specimen of his class. His native place was the town of North East, Dutchess county, N. Y., where he was born on the 4th of September, 1778. He is said to have been of Scotch-Irish descent, and his father is spoken of as having been a farmer "in moderate circumstances, but highly respected for his industry, honesty, and probity." His mother was a "Miss Phebe Benedict, the daughter of a Presbyterian clergyman."

Mr. Lowry, the father, removed with his family from Dutchess county to Jericho, Vt., in the month of March, 1789. That part of the state was then but "and unbroken wilderness;" and it was in aiding his father and an elder brother to clear up their new farm, and to make for themselves a thrifty homestead, that young Lowry passed the period of his boyhood. The opportunities, of course, for education, were but scanty. His father, moreover, died while he was yet young; and it was left for an excellent mother to impart, to him the instructions, and give him the early training, which so largely aided him in after life to become the man of character, position, and influence he did. In accordance with the custom of that day, Mr. Lowry commenced business and married-life together; having married, in the year 1800, for his first wife, Miss Lucy Lee. She died, however, in the following year, 1801; and two years afterwards, in 1803, he married Miss Margaret Campbell, who died but a few years since, subsequently to the death of her husband, and who is well remembered as a lady of much excellence and of "high moral worth," bearing with her to the grave the love and esteem of all who knew her.

Mr. Lowry, we believe, early became a resident of Burlington, where he died on the 5th of January, 1848, in the 70th year of his age. During the larger part of his life — for 10 years or more — he was almost constantly in public place and employment. In 1809 he became high sheriff of Chittenden county, and continued to hold that honorable and very responsible office for 19 years — a long period, and one indicative of the great confidence reposed in him by his fellow citizens and the state authorities. Subsequently he became United states marshal for the district of Vermont, which post he held for the period of 11 years. So well did he fulfill the duties of the offices imposed upon him, and so large a measure of respect and esteem did he earn from the men of all parties, that all alike, whether political friends or opponents, concurred in the propriety and fitness of retaining him in place.

Mr. Lowry was, throughout his life, a democrat in politics, and at all times held prominent place and exercised large influence with his party. But he never permitted his political opinions to interfere with his personal feelings and friendships; and many of his warmest and steadiest friends were from among those opposed to him in party politics. While a man, it is said, of strong and unyielding antipathies in many instances, yet he was singularly strong in the tenacity of his personal confidences and friendships. An anecdote told of him will, perhaps, best illustrate this. Some evil reports were, on a certain occasion, brought to him, respecting an old friend, whom it was desired to lower in his estimation. After listening patiently to what was told him, he replied, with his accustomed gravity and deliberation: "I have known him a great while; he has been my friend; I will inquire about the matter; what you say may be true; I don't believe it now; I never doubt a friend till he has stolen a sheep."

The general character of Mr. Lowry may be summed up as that of strong common sense, of sound judgment, of unbending integrity, and of a truthfulness that nothing could turn aside. To know him was but to esteem and confide in him. Alas! that the class of men to which he belonged should have so nearly all passed away, and that their mantles should have fallen upon so few of the generation succeeding them!

Politics

From the Vermont Patriot^[9]
WOLVES IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING

Why have the old Federalists, who formerly held the term Democrat, and Democrats themselves, in derision and contempt, condescended to put on the garb and name of Democracy? -- Have they changed or do they pretended [sic] that they have changed their principles? Why did they change their names to Federal Republican, No-party men, Adams's men, National Republicans, Whigs? Was it because they had abandoned their political views? And does anybody doubt that the old Federalists are now in the Ascendant in the administration of the Government. . . . .
But to come nearer home. Colonel Barron, of Bradford, is appointed Marshal for the District of Vermont, in place of Heman Lowry, Esq. of Burlington. Mr. L. stood by his country, its rights and its honor, "in times that tried men's souls"--a firm democrat during Mr. Madison's war, who was persecuted and turned out of office by the federalists of Chittenden count for refusing, as sheriff of that county, to arrest, on civil process sued out by some embittered and virulent Federalist of Burlington, the body of the brave McDonough, immediately (and we believe the day) after the brilliant achievement upon Lake Champlain, covered with the fresh laurels of victory, and for threatening his deputies with instant dismissal if they lent themselves to the unspeakably base design to disgrace and embarrass the hero of Champlain and gallant defender of our soil, our property, and firesides. Ask of the Democrats, and the people of Orange county, what were the politics of Colonel B. at that trying period, and they will tell you that he was, of the strictest sect, a Federalist. . . .

1. ↑ Lowry/Kedrowski Tree, in RootsWeb's WorldConnect Project
   Accessed 27 Dec 2011.

   Updated: 2004-08-23, Contact: Shani Kedrowski
   Heman LOWRY
   Birth: SEP 1779
   Death: 5 JAN 1848
   Father: Thomas LOWRY b: 17 AUG 1734 in Philidelphia,Pennsylvania
   Mother: Phoebe BENEDICT b: 5 DEC 1742 in Ridgefield,Connecticut

2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4} Hayden, Chauncey H. (Chauncey Hoyt), and Elinor I. (Elinor Irene) Merle. The history of Jericho, Vermont. (Burlington, Vermont: Free Press Printing, 1916-1963)
   p. 560.
3. ↑ Jericho, Chittenden, Vermont, in United States. 1810 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M252).

   Heman Lowry, 2 males >10 [Thomas, George], 1 m 26-44 [Heman], 2 f>10 [Julia, Ann], 1 f 26-44 [Margaret]
   Oliver Lowry [brother], 1 m >10, 2 m 10-15, 1 m 26-44, 1 f >10, 1 f 26-44, 2 f 45 & over
   Joel Lowry [brother], 1 m 10-15, 2 m 26-44, 1 m 45 & over, 1 f 10-15, 1 f 16-25, 1 f 26-44, 1 f 45 & over

4. ↑ Burlington, Chittenden, Vermont, in United States. 1820 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M33).

   Heman Lowry, 2 males under 10 [Heman Jr., Francis], 2 males 10-15 [Thomas, George], 1 male 26-44 [Heman], 2 females under 10 [Mary, Fanny], 2 females 10-15 [Ann, Julia], 1 female 26-44 [Margaret]

5. ↑ Burlington, Chittenden, Vermont, in United States. 1830 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M19).

   Heman Lowry, 1 m 10-14 [Heman Jr.], 1 m 15-19 [Francis], 2 m 20-29 [Thomas, George], 1 m 50-59 [Heman], 1 f 10-14 [Lucy], 2 f 15-19 [Mary, Fanny], 2 f 20-29 [Ann, Julia], 1 f 50-59 [Margaret]

6. ↑ Burlington, Chittenden, Vermont, in United States. 1840 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M704).

   Heman Lowry, 1 m 20-29 [Heman Jr.], 2 m 30-39 [Thomas, George], 1 m 40-49 [unknown], 1 m 60-69 [Heman], 1 f 15-19 [Lucy], 2 f 20-29 [Mary, Fanny], 1 f 30-39 [Ann], 1 f 60-69 [Margaret]

7. ↑ Chittenden County, Lowry, Heman, in Vermont, United States. Vermont Probate Files, 1791-1919. (FamilySearch Record Search)
   (Original: 1848, Box 13 File 1342).

   10 Jan 1848 - Petition of widow Margaret Lowry declining to act as Administrator of deceased husband Heman Lowry’s estate and asking that David A. Smalley be appointed instead
   11 Jan 1848 – Inventory of estate ordered
   24 Jul 1849 – widow Margaret signed petition asking for her dower share
   Nov 1849 – Administrator’s Accounts: Cash paid to Doct Geo W. Ward for Attend’an on Mrs. Lowry - $23.96
   1 April 1852 – Administrator’s Accounts: paid to heirs:
   - Anne Lowry - $131.31
   - Fanny Lowry - $131.31
   - Mary Lowry - $131.31
   - Mrs. Julia (Lowry) Skinner - $131.31
   - George Lowry - $125.07
   - Thomas Lowry - $125.07
   - Heman Lowry - $125.07
   - Francis Lowry - $125.07
   - Guardian [Francis Lowry] of Mrs. Lucy Freeman - $125.07

8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4} Hemenway, Abby Maria. The Vermont historical gazetteer: a magazine embracing a history of each town, civil, ecclesiastical, biographical and military. (Salt Lake City, Utah, United States: Photocopied by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 19--)
   Accessed 25 Dec 2011.

   VERMONT HISTORICAL MAGAZINE

9. ↑ ^9.0 9.1 Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
   26 April 1841 (page information unavailable), Accessed 25 Dec 2011.
10. ↑ Vermont, United States. Vermont, Vital Records, 1760-1954: Database with images. (FamilySearch. Citing Secretary of State. State Capitol Building, Montpelier.).

    Death
    Heman Lowry, Esq, age 69
    husband of Margaret C. Lowry
    d. 5 Jan 1848, buried Elmwood
    Burlington