Biographies
For
Muscatine County Iowa
1889



Source: Portrait and Biographical Album, Muscatine County, Iowa, 1889, page 221

WILLIAM E. LOWRY, a prominent farmer of Montpelier Township, residing on section 15, was born on the 5th of May, 1827, in St. Louis, Mo., and is a son of David and Catherine ( O' Rokue ) Lowry, the former a native of Dayton Ohio, and the latter of Ireland. The death of the father occurred Feb. 19, 1860, and the mother departed this life the month of September, 1874. Of their family but two are now living: William E., of this sketch; and Sarah E., widow of Thomas Hughes, who died March 9, 1860.

The days of his boyhood and youth our subject passed in his native city, and there received a liberal education in the public schools. When about twenty years of age he accompanied the family to Muscatine County, where he remained until 1849, when he went to California with a number of others, the company being under the management of Col. W.H.Russell, who was Secretary under John C. Fremont. He remained in California about seven years engaged in mining, and in 1857 returned to Muscatine County, where he has since continued to reside, his only absence from the county for any length of time being while in the service as a soldier in the late war.

On the 4th of July, 1860, Mr. Lowry married Miss Virginia, daughter of James and Mary A. ( Milligan ) Wagner, the former a native of Pennsylvania, and the latter of Alabama. They settled in Scott County, Iowa, in 1842, where the father died. Her mother is yet living on the old homestead where they first settled. Mrs. Lowry has two brothers yet living, Namely: Joseph, who married Josephine Wiley, and now resides in Mitchellville, Iowa; and James, husband of Minnie Robinson, and engaged in farming in Scott County. Mrs. Wagner was again married after the death of her first husband, becoming the wife of Henry Morehead, of Zanesville, Ohio, and by the second union five children were born---Moses, William, Samuel, Ella and Anna.

After his marriage Mr. Lowry engaged in farming in Montpelier Township, and is now the owner of 360 acres of land, which comprises one of the best farms in the county, it being highly improved and under a high state of cultivation. He has served his township as Road Supervisor for several years, and is numbered among the leading citizens, having the best interests of the community at heart. By his union with Miss Wagner an interesting family of eight children have been born, six of whom are now living---Sarah H., Catherine M., Mary Louise, Fred D., Charles D., and William D. Joseph and Samuel are both now deceased, and Mary Louise became the wife of Marshall W. Dodge, Dec. 2, 1885, and now resides in Buffalo Township, Scott County, where her husband is engaged in farming. They are the parents of one daughter, Alice, born Dec. 2, 1886. The other members of the family are all at home.

On the 24th of August, 1862, Mr. Lowry enlisted in the 35th Iowa Infantry, and served three years, participating in all the engagements in which the regiment took part, but never receiving an injury. He is now a member of Buffalo Post, G.A.R., and politically, is a Democrat.


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