Alexander (Lowry) Lowrey (1725 - 1805)

Born Dec 1725 in County Donegal, Ireland

Ancestors

Husband of Mary (Waters) Lowry — married 26 Sep 1752 in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Colony

Husband of Ann (West) Lowrey — married about 1774 in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania

Descendants

Died 31 Jan 1805 at age 79 in Donegal, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA

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Biography

Colonel Alexander Lowrey, born in County Donegal, Ireland, in 1725, who came to America with his parents when about four years of age and was reared at Donegal, Pennsylvania. ^[1]

His father was an Indian Trader and large land owner.

Alexander traded extensively with the Indians of the locality and he became one of the seventeen largest land owners in the colony. In 1758 he was one of General Forbes' guides on that officer's march to Fort Duquesne and was also the guide of Colonel Bouquet's force five years later.

He narrowly escaped death in the massacre at Bushy Run, in 1762, living a most strenuous life during Revolutionary times because of his activity in behalf of the American cause, and on September 10, 1777, was in command of the Lancaster county militia at the battle of Brandywine.

He was a member of the convention which in 1776 framed the first constitution of the state of Pennsylvania, and for several years was a member of the general assembly, serving as senator for one term. In 1790 he was appointed a justice of the peace by Governor Mifflin, filling that position until his death, January 30, 1805.

About the middle of the eighteenth century Colonel Lowrey built a stone house upon his three hundred and ninety-one acre estate near Marietta, in Lancaster county, which was known as Locust Grove and which is still in the possession of his descendants.^[2]

Alexander was married three times.

On, 01 or 26 Sep 1752, he first married Mary Waters. (1732-1767)

Children:

1. Alexander Lowrey, b. 21 Apr 1756 d. before 1795. He settled near Frankstown, Pennsylvania. His child was John G. Lowery b. 1787 (of Centre Co)
2. Elizabeth, b. 21 Oct 1757 d. several years before 1794 m. Daniel Elliot of Cumberland County Pennsylvania. He removed to St. Calir Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania and he died in 1794,. ch: John Elliot, West Elliot, Mary Elliot. Mary married James Hamilton of Middletown. The last child was William.
3. David Lowry died in infancy
4. Mary, b. 21 May 1761 m/1 John Hays; m/2 Joseph West. She also went to Allegheny County, Pennsylvania and she died there.
5. Lazarus, b. 27 Jan 1764 d. 16 Apr 1813 married Miss Holliday, daughter of Capt. John Holliday. also it seems he married in 1783 Mary Fleming b. 1769 d. 05 Sep 1827. He went with brother Alexander and settled in what is now Bair County, Pennsylvania.
6. Margaret, b. 08 Sep 1765 d. 24 Jun 1818 m. Aug 1784 George Plumer at Fort Pitt m. George Plumer b. 05 Dec 1762 at Port Pitt and he died 08 Jun 1843 near West Newton, Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania. George served in the Legislature from 1812 to 1818; he represented the Westmoreland district in the Seventeenth, Eighteenth and Ninteenth Congresses. Their children were (surname Plumer): Jonathan d. umn.; Alexander, m. Susan Robinson; John Campbell, Lazarus-Lowrey, Mary, Nancy, Sarah, William, Elizabeth and Rebecca.

In 1774 he married secondly, Ann West (relict of Hermans Alricks). Ann was b. 1733 and passed away 21 Nov 1791.^[3]

Children:

1. Frances 'Fannie', b. 01 Feb 1775 m. Samuel Evans of Chester county, Pennsylvania., b. 1758; d. April 21, 1805, at Col. Lowrey's homestead in Donegal ; Samuel was the son of Evan Evans and Margaret Nevin ; and had Alexander, Evan-Reese, Ann, Margaret, Jane-H., and Elizabeth. Mr. Evans had served in the Legislature, and was also an associate judge of Chester county.

Thirdly, in 1793, Col. Alexander Lowry married Sarah Cochran of York Springs.^[4]

No Issue.

Colonel Alexander Lowrey commanded a battalion of Pennsylvania Militia during the Revolutionary War. Colonel Lowrey was in the Battles of Germantown and Brandywine and the New Jersey campaigns. He served in many important committees in addition to his military duties. He was one of the first in the county or State who advocated independence, and was a delegate to Carpenter's Hall, in Philadelphia, where was passed the resolution in favor of independence, on June 16, 1776, instructing our members of Congress to vote for that measure.

He passed away on his plantation near Marietta, PA.

Alexander was interred in the Donegal Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Mount Joy, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, USA^[5]Confirmed with Church Cemetery on 03 Feb 2020. Grave 30.

In memory of ANN LOWREY wife of Alexander Lowrey, Esq. who departed this life Nov:21st,1792 in her 58th year of her age also in memory of ALEXANDER LOWREY, ESQ. who departed this life January 31, 1805 in the 79th year of his age. Church records recorded the writing. Grave stone is difficult to read.

Sources

1. ↑ Pennsylvania genealogies; chiefly Scotch-Irish and German by Egle, William Henry, 1830-1901 Publication date 1896(https://archive.org/details/cu31924028856900/page/18/mode/2up?view=theater)
2. ↑ Genealogical and personal history of western Pennsylvania Vol II (1915) by Jordan, John W. (John Woolf), 1840-1921, ed New York, Lewis historical publishing company (https://archive.org/details/genealogicalpers02injord)
3. ↑ https://archive.org/stream/cu31924028856900#page/n29/mode/2up Pennsylvania genealogies; chiefly Scotch-Irish and German] Author: William Henry Egle, Publisher: Harrisburg, Pa. : Harrisburg Publishing Company 1896. Page(s): 17 & 18.
4. ↑ https://archive.org/details/cu31924028856900/page/n31/mode/2up/search/ann+west Pennsylvania genealogies; chiefly Scotch-Irish and German by Egle, William Henry, 1830-1901 Publication date 1896
5. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (accessed 25 August 2021), memorial page for Col Alexander Lowry Sr. (Jan 1726–31 May 1805), Find A Grave: Memorial #140642957, citing Donegal Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Mount Joy, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, USA ; Maintained by 47117651 (contributor 47117651).

• "Pennsylvania Cemetery Records, ca. 1700-ca. 1950", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:8TX5-HX3Z : 16 September 2021), Mary Waters Lowry in entry for 3rd Lazarus Lowry, .

• Nice review at Geni.com