Zadock Lowe (abt. 1749 - abt. 1839)

Born about 1749 in Marlboro, Prince Georges County, Maryland

Descendants

Died about 1839 at about age 90 in Red Sulphur Springs, Monroe County, West Virginia, USA

Biography

Zadock Lowe born abt 1749 in Prince Georges County, Maryland. His parents may have been William and Eleanor Lowe. Zadock married Sarah (last name unknown) abt 1766 in Prince Georges County, Maryland and they raised ten children. They were in Monroe County, West Virginia before 1792 and settled atop Swopes Knob near Union. Later they moved north of Peterstown and settled near Red Sulphur Springs. We believe Zadock and Sarah are buried on the Lowe farm near his son Thomas Lowe and Grandson Joshua Lowe. There is an area in this area called Zadock's Orchard.

• ID: I0001 • Name: Zadock Lowe 1 • Sex: M • Birth: ABT 1748 in near Upper Marlboro, Prince Georges County, Maryland • Death: BEF AUG 1839 in Monroe County, West Virginia • Event: Event 1 Gave 4 sons land in Monroe County, West Virginia • Event: Event 2 23 APR 1803 Zadock "stood bound" for Brother Levi Lowe on Indenture • Event: Source Person Marguerite Givens of West Virginia • Burial: ABT AUG 1839 Lowe farm 3 miles north of Red Sulphur Springs, Monroe County, West Virginia ? • Occupation: Farmer • PROP: Owned about 600 acres in Monroe County, West Virginia • Event: Event 1788 Took Maryland Oath of Allegiance before Joshua Beall, Jr. • Census: 1790 Greenbrier County, Virginia (now WV) • Census: BET 1783 AND 1786 Tax list Greenbrier County, Virginia (now WV) • Census: 1810 pp. 586, Monroe County, Virginia (now WV) • Census: 1820 pp. 175, Monroe County, Virginia (now WV) • Will: No recorded will...sold land to four sons for $1 each... • Event: Comment 1 16 APR 1881 Zadock and Sarah deeded land to four sonsc • Note:

The birthplace and age of Zadock (Zedok, Zedock) Lowe of Monroe County, West Virginia is not known. I believe that Zadock was born, raised, and married in St. Johns Parish, Prince Georges County, Maryland. From other records, his birth date has been extrapolated to be approximately 1748-1750. Three early records from Prince Georges County have led me to the conclusion that this Zadock Lowe in Maryland was the same Zadock Lowe of Monroe County, West Virginia who was my gggg-grandfather. Zadock may have been the son of Samuel and Sopheniah (Sephina) Lowe, or William and Eleanor Lowe, both of whom were from St. Johns Parish, or Piscataway Parish, Prince Georges County, Maryland, or to an unknown set of parents yet to be discovered.

The first Prince Georges County record indicated that Zadock Lowe and his wife Sarah "Polly" (maiden name unknown) had a son, Neamiah Lowe, who was christened on November 6, 1769 in the Upper Chapel, Broad Creek Parish. The second record was the announcement of their second son, Samuel Lowe christened on October 31, 1772 also at Upper Chapel. Note that the Assembly of 1702 required that "entry of vestry proceedings and of all births, marriages, and burials" within two months of the event. And the vestry registery was paid 6 pence for each entry. Note the penalty for not registering was 100 pounds of the curreny of the land (tobacco weed). Both of the sons records are found in the LDS IGI file for the Upper Chapel of Ease established at Seat Pleasant, St. Johns Parish. Today this same Chapel Church is known as St. Matthew's or Addison's Church in Addison Parish which is at the east most corner boundary angle of the District of Columbia. Because several other older sons appeared in West Virginia later, several sons' births in Upper Chapel were apparently never recorded. This reason for this non-registery was unknown.

The third record noting Zadock Lowe was the 1778 Maryland Oath of Allegiance that Zadock swore in Prince Georges County to pledge his loyalty to the "revolutionary" colonial government. This oath was given to all men over 18 years except Quakers, Mennonites, and Dunkards during the Revolutionary War to identify Tory sympathizers. A William, Elias, and Zadock Lowe were recorded taking the oath at the same date and location which is recorded on Volume II, page 251, of Gaius Marcus Brumbaugh's MARYLAND RECORDS COLONIAL, REVOLUTIONARY, COUNTY, and CHURCH FROM ORIGINAL SOURCES. The connection between William, Elias, and Zadock has not been established, but they were probably kin. Also a Henry, Nathan, Zephaniah, Richard and several John Lowes also took the oath at the same time but at different county sites.

Another coincidental record was that Zadock's daughter Amelia (Azelia) later married a Thomas Thorn in Monroe County, West Virginia in 1817. This Thomas might be a relative of the Thomas Thorn who signed the 1778 Maryland Oath and was listed on the same page just above Zadock's name. The same William (and Eleanor) Lowe and Thomas (and Cassandra) Thorn also appear on the page 20 (Brumbaugh, Volume I) in the 1776 Prince Georges County Census listing the resident' names and ages, wives, children, and slaves. This William, and wife Eleanor, had two sons nineteen and ten years of age which may have been Elias and a William Lowe. Four daughters ages 20, 16,14, and 6; and one female 50 years of age. Incidentally a Jos. (Joshua) Beall and a George Beall, 3rd are two households above William Lowe on the same 1776 Census page, was the county representative who administered the 1778 Oath of Allegiance to the three Lowes, Thomas Thorn, and George Beall, 3rd.

This William Lowe was most probably the son of WilIiam Lowe, Sr. who in 1700 purchased a 300 acre tract from Edward Boteler known as "Beall's Benovalence". William was believed to have resided on this same acreage located just north of Upper Marlboro and just east of Forestville on Turkey Branch creek that runs southeast to join the Western Branch of the Patuxent River. This land lay next to the Ninean Beall and Alexander Magruder, both Scottish prisoners-of-war, who had been indentured by the English Courts for 4-7 years to citizens in the Maryland Colony and shipped to the Americas.

From these three early Prince Georges County, Maryland records and the later fact that Zadock Lowe and family did not appear in Maryland after this 1778 date, nor did his name appear in the rolls of the Maryland Militia or the Continental Army Pension Application list, lends credence to the theory that Zadock and Sarah emigrated from Maryland to West Virginia during the Revolutionary Period. This was a troubled time on the Virginia-Kentucky border because the British were supporting the Cherokees in their attempt to drive the "colonists" back into Virginia, and the French were supporting Shawnees in the Ohio Territory to keep the settlers out of this territory.

To strengthen this familial relationship back to Maryland, a Samuel and a Nehemiah Lowe, both 26-44 years of age, were listed later in the 1810 Census of Monroe County with pioneers Zadock and Levi Lowe.

In 1786, a Taxpayers Roll 1782-1787 was published for Greenbrier County, Virginia. On this list were Levi and Zadock Lowe. I believe this to be the same Zadock and Sarah Lowe who traveled the +287 miles down the Wilderness Trail with his family from Maryland to the southeast corner of old Greenbrier County, Virginia which today is in the northwest section of Monroe County, West Virginia. The first homestead site was about three miles southeast of Union on the southwest slopes of Swopes Knobs and between Pepper's Run to the West. Here Zadock patented a land grant for 220 acres of land on March 26, 1785 near the lands of John Kincaid and James Brynsides. Other land grands by Nehemiah and Zedekiah Lowe in the same area of the Knobs noted that they were other Lowes, possibly sons, nearby. A Frederich and Mail (Mial) Lowe were also noted in the county.

In the 1790 Census, Levi and Zedok Lowe were the only two Lowes reported in Greenbrier County, Virginia that became Monroe County, West Virginia in 1863. However, there were other Lowes present in Greenbrier County as noted from land grand records who may have been "levy free" at this time.

Zadock and Sarah "Polly" settled near Swope's Knob sometime after 1778 and before 1782.

Joshua Lowe was additionally reported as Joshua Lewis in Monroe County marriage records which would be contradictory to our note above. Note that Thomas Thorn married a second time to a Nancy Taylor on September 17, 1837 in Monroe County which may have been Amelia's husband, or perhaps their own son, or another Thorn family member. Note that but two of Zadock's children remained in Monroe County, except Sally and Samuel whose fate was unknown.

Zadock, assigned of Robert Scarbrough, also patented another land grant of 100 acres on the headwaters of Bradshaws Run on November 13, 1797. Bradshaws Run between Indian Mills and the community of Forest Hill was reportedly named for a British "pirate" or "free booter" who in 1758 settled this creek bottom with tomahawk or corn right" according to The HISTORY OF FOREST HILL COMMUNITY by George Cottle, Sr. (page 4). This land unlike Swopes Knobs had rich bottom land suitable for crops, livestock grazing, and had ample supply of fresh water all year. Some of this acreage just north of Red Sulphur Springs was presumably passed to son Thomas Lowe and then to grandson Joshua Lowe because these two descendants raised large families here until the late 1800's. George Cottle, Sr. also noted on page 8 "that land now owned by G.E. Cottle and J.W. Lilly's heirs, on top of the mountain at what is called Zeddock orchard" might have referred to Zadock Lowe.

In 1799, the southern part of Greenbrier County was split off from the "Old Dominion" to form the newest county in Virginia which was the "frontier" Monroe County. At this time a Taxpayer List recorded Levi, Thomas, Zadock, Zachariah, and Samuel Lowe as county taxpayers which was documented in Oren Morton's THE HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.

On February 19, 1799, son Nehemiah/Neamiah Lowe married Christy/Christina Elkins. Nehemiah died about 1816 and widow Christina and the children went west down the Kanawha, Ohio and Mississippi Rivers by boat to Alton, Madison County, Illinois just across the Mississippi River from Saint Louis. Here, Zadock's grandchildren proposed in this small frontier town and Lowe dececendants still reside in Alton today.

Zedoc (Zadock) Lowe was also called to serve on a Greenbrier County Grand Jury on March 26, 1799 as noted in the Greenbrier County Early Court Minutes (1780-1801). No record of the actual court sessions is noted here.

During the summer of 1799, the county officials directed county residents to be responsible for a "newly built" county road from Aldersons Ferry through Union and onto Peterstown. Oren Morton stated, pages 212-213. that Zadok Lowe, James Alexander, and Francis Best had "the view" from Swopes Knob to the courthouse in Union. Later that summer a Frederick Lowe was appointed "road overseer" on this same section of road whom I presume this to be Zadock or perhaps one of his kin. Morton's also had a map in the frontpiece of his volume that demarcates the first ridge west of Union that ran for several miles in a northeasterly region as Swope's (Swobes) Knob . This northwest running ridge was reportedly named after Joseph Swope who pioneered a land grant near Conner Spring in Wolf Creek area just west of this ridge. Actually a John Swope lived on this peak near Zadock which bears the name Swope's, or Calder's Knob or Gobblers Knob, three miles up Budd Ridge Road southwest of Union.

On April 23, 1807, Levi indebted himself to Hugh Caperton Junior for $37.25 and Zadock Lowe stood "bound" to cover this debt. Levi put up as his collateral two horned cattle, one cow eight or nine years old with calf, one steer, one year old rifle gun, beds with furniture and "all other" household furniture which would go to Zadock Lowe and his heirs if he defaulted on the loan. This indenture was found in Monroe County Deed Book B on page 459. It is not clear if these Lowes were related; but I believe that Levi (b 1760) may have been a younger brother of Zadock and sister Nancy (Lowe) Canterbury.

In 1810 Monroe County Census, Zadock's household was listed with five people: one man 16-25 years old, one girl 16-26 years of age, one girl 26-45 years of age, one woman +45 years of age (Sarah?), and Zadock at +45 years of age.

In 1811, Zadock Lowe served as a "surety bondsman" for his daughter Sally on her planned betrothal to "reported" Revolutionary War veteran John Lowe Sr. of Monroe County. The Reverend John Wisemand officiated at the wedding on October 1, 1811. John Lowe Sr. parents names were unknown, but this couples children later became pioneers in Roane County, West Virginia as noted in the HISTORY OF ROANE COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.

On April 16, 1811 in Monroe County Deed Book B, pages 322 to 326, Zadock Lowe and Sally, his wife, bestowed the "gift of deed" with "consideration of the natural love and affection they bear" for their four sons. Sons Thomas, John W., Nathan, and Zachariah for a consideration of $1.00 each received acreage that were part of Zadock's early land grant holdings. Thomas was granted 60 acres "more or less" joining Lewis Forlander and John Spar Junior. John W. was granted 70 acres "more or less" joining Erwin Benson, Mial Lowe, and Banks on the land which "John has cut a set of house loggs on". Zachariah was granted 100 acres "more or less" with appurtenances joining the land of Andrew Beirne and John Sparr Jr. "on the land he now lives on". Nathan received 70 acres "more or less" joining Henry Banks and "said" Zadock Lowe "between Peppers Run and the Nobb lick". These four boys were the youngest sons of Zadock's family. Nehemiah, one of the older sons, had apparently patented his own land grant nearby in 1793. In the deed sale to Thomas his mother Sally was referred to as "Polly" Lowe which was the only place I have found her called by this name. Incidentally, son Samuel Lowe (b. 1772) listed in the 1800 Tax List was never mentioned inconnection with his father Zadock, so his fate was unknown.

On September 18, 1817, Zadock Lowe and his wife Sally of the first part, Isaac Estill and Trestram Patton of the second part, and Andrew and George Beirne of the third part entered into an real estate sale agreement which was recorded in Deed Book F page 381. Zadock in consideration for $1.00 sold Estill and Patton "one tract of land" 220 acres from the 1785 (March 25th) Survey near Swopes Knob near the land of James Brynsides and John Kincaid. Zadock apparently owed "one and twenty pounds goods" to the Beirnes. This Swopes Knobs acreage was very hilly and rocky and not suitable for large farming.

In the 1820 Monroe Census, Zadock's household is listed with five members: one man 16-25 years old, one man 26-45 years of age, one girl 10-15 years of age, one woman +26-45 years of age, a woman +45 years of age, and Zadock at +45 years of age. The young girl may have been a grand-daughter of their son's that was still living at home because two members of the house were involved in agriculture. The sons at home might have been William and Joshua, and the young woman might have been their daughter Amelia (Azelia).

After the 1820 Monroe County Census, Zadock and Sally did not appear in any other census. I believe that this couple moved in with son William Lowe Sr., but Zadock continued to be a dominant member of the Lowe family in Monroe County for another nineteen years. Matriarch Sally probably died between the 1820 census date and early 1823 because Zadock was mentioned as the sole grantor on many land and property conveyances in the years ahead. She might have beens laid to rest on Swope's Knob with a simple native rock headstone.

On February 11, 1823, Zadock was indentured to Andrew and George Beirne 20 acres of land and he empowered Isaac Estill and Tristram Patton to consummate the deal for $354.28 and $422.33 which was recorded in Monroe County Deed Book G, page 503. Later on October 1, 1823, Zadock Lowe was released by Andrew and George Beirne against a Deed of Trust executed by Isaac Estill and Tristram Patton. This release was found in Deed Book H, page 43.

On August 2, 1823, Zadock Lowe accepted $1000.00 from Alexander Calder to sell him 312 acres more or less on Swope's Knobs where "said" Lowe now resided. This land adjoined that of sons Nathan and Neamiah (Nehemiah) Lowe, William Vap?, and Andrew Beirne. This land cornered on son John Lowe's land. It was recorded in Deed Book H, page 20. Alexander Calder, a native of South Carolina, built his home just below the peak which was later named Calder's or Gobblers Knob. Calder reportedly built a 100 foot tower atop this peak with a base perimeter of forty feet. He was said to have climbed this tower to be able to see his native state of South Carolina. When Fort Sumpter was "fired upon" at the start of the Civil War, Calder took a torch and burned the tower which had deteriorated badly over the years. Today, Mrs. Jean Miller owns this land and Calder's home still stands at the base of this peak. This property can be reached by driving about three miles up Budd Ridge Road located on the south side of Union off State Route 219 to near the Knob's highest elevation.

Zadock Lowe of the first part, James Trucks and Hugh P. Caperton of the second part, and Alexander H? of the third part entered into a land indenture which is in Deed Book H, page 467, dated January 21, 1826. Zadock indebted himself to Alexander H? for $139.52 and conveyed to Trucks and Capterton one tract of land that "said" Zadock did live, supposed to contain 100 acres. This land was the balance of two tracts which contained 220 acres surveyed on March 26, 1785 and held by patent on April 3, 1788; and 217 acres surveyed January 27, 1797 and held by patent March 25, 1801. The tracts will "fully appear" on said patent and land office Treasury Warrant No 11244 issued the 6th of March 1782. The other on a Warrant No 590 which issued the 24th of April 1794 and one other tract of land office Treasury Warrant No 389 issued the 6th day of August 1789. Three tracts were included in this indenture.

On December 31, 1831, Zadock for $1.00 consideration sold Henry Arnot two certain tracts or parcels of land on the "head waters" of Bradshaw's Run containing 100 acres held by patent November 13, 1797, and the second on Swopes Knob of 22 acres held by patent November 13, 1800, which adjoined John Bickell and others. This conveyance was listed in Deed Book K, page 13.

Zadock Lowe was included in his son William Sr.'s estate and his last will and testament dated 17th of July, 1838 where the dying son bequeathed his father "my black mare". In William's testament, his brother Joshua Sr. was left some personal items, and sister Sally was asked to take care of his funeral arrangements. There were also no burial or death records or cemeteries listed for any of the other early Lowes who lived in Monroe County, Virginia which became West Virginia in 1863.

On April 10, 1839, Nathan Lowe gave his father Zadock $1.00 in consideration for 59.75 acres and 3 poles of land on the south side of Swope's Knobs and "Knobb Lick" which was recorded in Deed Book M, page 144.

Twelve days later on April 22, 1839, Sarah Lowe and her son Wilson Lowe along with Zadock, filed a document of "support" in Monroe County Deed Book M, page 164, for the family patriarch. Zadock conveyed 100 acres of land "on which we live", one black mare (deceased son William's Sr.'s animal), and household and other personal property for $500.00 if his daughter will support him in his "life" and pay his debts upon his death. On page 165 of the same volume, Zadoc (Zadock) for $1.00 consideration from Sarah and Wilson sold and conveyed the real and personal property listed above to the latter two. And grandchildren Bennet, George, and Betsy Lowe would receive $5.00 and $100.00 would go to Isabella Lowe, infant and orphan of Polly (and Zachariah) Lowe and granddaughter after Zadock's death.

On June 3, 1839, Zadock filed another "release document" in Deed Book M page 184 reducing the payment to granddaughter Isabella Lowe. Instead Zadock proposed to grant only $50.00 after his death for schooling and clothing for this orphan grandchild.

Sarah and Wilson Lowe for $1.00 consideration on August 20, 1839 sold Brice Miller the 100 acres of land on the south side of Swopes Knob that "said" Lowes live on and which was conveyed to them by Zadock Lowe "deceased". This record was in Deed Book M, page 202, and is the last record for this pioneer. His death occurred between June and August 1839.

In 1840, Zadock was again not listed in the 1840 Census of Monroe County, West Virginia because he was deceased.

The final resting sites for Zadock and Sarah (Sallie) are unknown, but I believe them to be near the top of Swope's or Calder's Knob, Another possible grave site was the acreage on Thomas and Joshua Lowe's land north of Red Sulphur Springs on Bradshaw's Run.

Father: ? Lowe b: ABT 1715 in Scotland or England or Maryland

Marriage 1 Sally ???? b: BET 1849 AND 1853 in St. Johns Parish ?, Prince Georges County, Maryland • Married: BET 1766 AND 1769 in Prince Georges County?, Maryland Children 1. Nehemiah Lowe b: BEF 6 NOV 1769 in Upper Marlboro, Prince Georges County, Maryland 2. Samuel Lowe b: BEF 31 OCT 1772 in near Upper Marlboro, Prince Georges County, Maryland 3. Mary "Polly" Lowe b: ABT 1777 4. Thomas Lowe b: ABT 1778 in near Upper Marlboro ?, Prince George County, Maryland 5. Nathan Lowe b: ABT 1781 in near Swopes Knobs?, Monroe Co., W. Va. 6. William Lowe , Sr. b: ABT 1784 in Monroe County, West Virginia 7. John W. Lowe b: ABT 1787 in Monroe County, West Virginia 8. Joshua Lowe , Sr. b: ABT 1787 in Monroe County, West Virginia 9. Sarah "Sally" Lowe b: ABT 1790 in Monroe County, West Virginia 10. Amelia or Azalia Lowe b: ABT 1791 in near Swopes Knobs, Monroe Co., West Va.

Sources: 1. Title: LEVILOWE.FTW Repository: Media: Other Text: Date of Import: Jan 24, 2003

Sources

• Zadock Lowe (1749-1839) - Find a Grave Memorial on Find A Grave: Memorial #145575672 retrieved 11 August 2022
• "Family Tree," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : modified 09 February 2019, 03:32), entry for Zaddock Lowe(PID https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:G9MW-4YR); contributed by various users.
• Roots Web ID 0001