Person:John Low (13)

John Lowe was involved in a "border skirmish" between Pennsylvania and Maryland, as detailed in the following account: (From the Henthorne family web site: http://members.aol.com/RYouCuz/normaray.htm)

Connections to the Lowe(e), Johnson, and Cresap Families The marriage of John Henthorn to Frances (Fanny) Low established the connection to the Cresaps and Johnsons. Daniel Johnson resided in 1698 in Spesutia Island but soon afterwards removed to the Susquehanna, at Lapidum, the country at the head of the Chesapeake Bay. Daniel and Frances Johnson had six daughters: Sarah married Richard Touchstone; Hannah married Thomas Cresap, the great hero of the border warfare; Elizabeth married John Lowe, whose arrest, together with that of his sons, Daniel and William, was the occasion of one of the worst outbreaks during the boundary troubles; Rachel married Edward Evans; Sophia married Robert Cannon; and Frances married William Cannon, all of whom took a conspicuous part in connection with Cresap in defending the rights of Lord Baltimore on the northern frontier.

Daniel Johnson died, 14 Sep 1715. Frances, his widow, married Edward Harris in 1719 and he died 1723-1724. She then married Hugh Grant and fourth, married Miles Foy. (Source: Lapidum - Aborigines)

Thomas Cresap was on the Susquehanna as early as 1726. He went to Virginia and tried to associate in business with the Washingtons, but failed to do so. He returned to Maryland and married Hannah Johnson, 30 Apr 1727.

About 1730, Cresap got a tract of land from the Governor of Maryland near Wright's Ferry on the Susquehanna River, opposite Columbia. On 26 Nov. 1732 a Pennsylvania sympathizer attacked him. Again in 1733, he was attacked and a child of John Lowe was almost killed. Later, Cresap was captured and held in Philadelphia. He was released in 1737. In 1739, he took out patents on several choice pieces of land in Western Maryland. The first was "Longmeadows," 500 acres located on Antietam, 2 miles from Hagerstown. Henry Munday was with him. He lost his property for debts.

John Low lived on Codorus Creek, just east of present York. Hannah Cresap and children lived with the Lows while Thomas was in prison. Here Elizabeth Cresap was born in January 1737. After the war John Low moved to Prince William County, Va. In 1740, he sold his land "on the wagon road leading from Susquehanna to Potomac" to John Henthorn, his son-in-law. There is no further record of Low.

This is further discussed in the following e-mail:

Subj:Lowe Date:9/28/99 11:03:23 PM Pacific Daylight Time From:FamilyJan1 To:Delijim

James, Don't have answer to your question on MD Lowes, but here's something you might not have seen that might add to your questions - from "Hist. of Lancaster Co. PA" there's 2-pg article about Lowes in skurmish at PA/MD border. "Sometime in 1732 ......... James Patterson informed one or more of his horses had been killed near John Lowe's plantation, and that his two sons Daniel and William had been seen presenting a gun .....his sons were so far from disowning fact that they said they would kill all the horses which came on that land .... assaulted messenger... threatened they would tie and whip all those he should send over ... constable with staff in hand, and in consequence of threats from Thomas Cressap and associates - "Maryland intruders" - to shoot any officer of Pennsylvania .... went to house of Mr. Lowe, apprehended Daniel and William ..... Lowes were arrested and imprisoned at Lancaster."

Above are excerps. Book library call # is R974.815 if interested in actual article.

21 May 1740, John Lowe, a citizen of Prince William Co., Virginia sold "Providence," a tract of 372 acres to John Henthorn of Baltimore Co., MD. The tract originally surveyed for John Lowe, 7 Aug 1735, lying in the "Reserve," as laid for Lord Baltimore on the W. side of the Susquehanna, north of a line extended west from that part of the said river which is opposite to and over against the mouth of Conestoga Creek, beginning at a bounded white oak standing on a hill near the wagon road leading from Susquehanna towards Potomak. Now lies in York Co., PA. (Parts of 1740 Baltimore Co., MD now are in Lancaster Co., PA) (Source: Provincial Court Deeds, Liber E. I No. 3, folio 135)

More from Genforum.com post:

Desparately Seeking Frances (MNU) m.x 4 Posted by: George H. Stevens Date: October 17, 2000 at 14:56:29 In Reply to: John Lowe, Frederick Cty, MD abt. 1742 by James A. Veregge of 2747

James: In answer to your question: "Is this the same John Lowe . . . who had a son Daniel Johnson Lowe, born between 1710-1726?" I would respond, "Yes. The same." John Lowe and his sons Daniel and William Lowe were arrested, with Captain (later Colonel) Thomas Cresap and Miles Foy in a series of violent incidents along the hotly disputed MD-PA border, where Cresap and Foy lived on the Susquehanna River, circa 1736. Cresap & Miles Foy were taken to Philadelphia Prison in irons and spent about a year in jail, before being released by the King in 1737. The Governor of Maryland, Samuel Ogle, and others prominent in Maryland (Dulaney) had encouraged Cresap (supplying them with money, arms, and munitions) to form a patriotic association with the aim of driving out the Germans (invited into PA by Wm Penn and settling in the disputed area) or forcing them to acknowledge proprietary rights of Maryland's Lords Baltimore, The Calverts. Daniel Sullivan (for whom John Lowe's son Daniel Sullivan Lowe) was named was the 1st husband and Miles Foy was the 4th husband of Frances (maiden name unknown; possibly Lowe?) and Thomas Cresap married Hannah Johnson, who was one of seven daughters of Daniel & Frances Johnson. So you see, there is a connection. Thomas Cresap was a friend of Daniel Dulany who worked to lay out Frederick MD as a town and to establish Frederick MD as a separate county ca 1745-48. After the border fiasco Cresap left northeastern MD and moved first to the area of Antietam MD and later to OldTown out in wht is today Alegany County, MD. The family of John Lowe was closely tied up with Cresap in the border conflict and may to have moved out to west MD, after 1737. Can you tell me anything about the maiden name or place of origin of this Frances who married Daniel Johnson? I really would like to know more about who she was and where she came from. Regards, George H. Stevens GHStevens3@@AOL.COM

Query: 24 Nov 1997 - B.J.Gilmore (BGilm59432@@aol.com) is researching the Lowe family line. My line comes from John Lowe, brother of Wm. Lowe, Jr. father of the girls who married the Greer boys. John married Elizabeth Johnson d/o Daniel Johnson and they had son Daniel Johnson Lowe. This Lowe family and the Greers went to Va. I have found them in Bedford, Franklin and Grayson Co.s. After the Rev. War they were in Ga. The Lowes in Jones Co. and I think the Greers were in Greene Co. "Over the Mountain Men" compiled by Anne Lowery Worrell, Genealogical Pub. Co. and Barnes' "Baltimore Co. Families 1659-1759" reprinted by the Clearfield Co. are my sources of info plus family data from my family. Good hunting. B.J.Gilmore BGilm59432@@aol.com

1. ↑ Barnes, Robert W. Baltimore County Families, 1659-1759. (Genealogical Publishing Co., 1982)
   pg. 413.