Person:Miranda Lowell (1)

Miranda was the fourth of nine siblings. She was found in the 1850 census at Whitneyville, Washington Co, ME as age 15 and living with her parents. She was listed as age 25 in the 1860 census for Trenton, Hancock Co, ME living with her first husband, Irving Wardwell, and son. She was a resident of Whitneyville, ME at the time of her marriage to Irving Wardwell. After their marriage, Irving and Miranda appeared to live a nomadic life, as their children were born in different places, Somesville and Orrington Center, ME. This was probably due to Irving taking different preaching jobs. After Irving's untimely death in the Civil War, she resided at Whitneyville, ME again. Irving Wardwell began recording in a Ministers Log Book about 20 May 1861 until he left for Civil War service in October 1862. Miranda made entries in it after his death. This log book is still extant and makes for interesting reading. Miranda made an application to the Government for a widow's Civil War pension on 8 October 1863. Per file number 30975, she was approved on 20 September 1864 retroactively to 25 July 1863, to receive $20 per month until she remarried. On 30 August 1873, she applied for an increase to her pension for her children. The increase of $2 per child was granted on 10 March 1874, retroactive to 25 July 1866. The children would be covered until their 16th birthday. Miranda had moved to Minneapolis, Hennepin Co, MN by 8 September 1865, when she applied to have her address changed with the pension bureau. Her address was at 1000 4th Street in Minneapolis. Living in Minneapolis at 1880 census where she was a public school principal. Her sister, Melvina Lowell Campbell signed one document as a witness (living at the same address), as did her father and brother, John Lowell. Miranda was on the list of Pensioners Roll on 1 January 1883 in Minnesota, receiving $20 as a widow. Miranda was dropped from the pension rolls due to her marriage on 13 December 1885, to George Couch. She wrote a letter to her granddaughter, Alice Mercy Wardwell, on 5 June 1900, from Los Angeles, signing herself as "your Grandma Wardwell Couch." She was writing about the death of her son Irving Wardwell, Alice's father. Miranda was listed in the 1900 census at Los Angeles, CA living with her second husband, George Couch, at 500 Adams Street. She was shown as being married for 13 years, the mother of two children, with one still living. Miranda's death certificate said that her last residence was at 1600 Orange Street in Los Angeles, that her death was caused by myocarditis due to a heart attack and that she was buried at Rosedale cemetery. She was a widow, being 72 years, 1 month and 21 days old at death. Her death notice in the Los Angeles newspaper said she died on 27 January 1908 at her residence.

1. ↑ Colehour/Kreger Ancestry (www.colehour.com).
2. ↑ Colehour/Kreger Ancestry (www.colehour.com).