From A Biographical History of Central Kansas, Vol. II, p. 1293
published by The Lewis Publishing Co, Chicago & New York, 1902

L. G. LOWREY

   One of the leading and representative farmers and stock-raisers of Rice county, Kansas, is L G Lowrey, whose grandfather, David Lowrey, emigrated from Ireland to America at an early day and settled in Pennsylvania, where he remained until his death.  He was a fuller by trade and a most worthy and respected citizen.  He was the father of five children, namely:  William F, the father of our subject; John; and three daughters who died in childhood.  After his death his widow married Joseph Stewart, and they moved to Marshall county, West Virginia, where they both died.  By their union there were two sons, Joseph C and Robert.  William F Lowrey, the father of our subject, was reared partly by his step-father and partly by an uncle, remaining in West Virginia until grown and married, when he moved to Logan county, Ohio, in 1863, and there bought a farm on credit and continued its cultivation for thirteen years.  He then sold out and moved to Kansas in 1876, locating on a tract of school land on section 36, in Rice county, where he built a small house, hired some of the prairie broken and engaged in farming and improving his land.  He placed the whole section under fence and a large portion of it under a high state of cultivation.  At one time he and his family owned over nine hundred acres, and, though they have sold off some of it, the estate yet contains seven hundred and twenty acres, located three and a half miles west of Lyons.  It is a valuable and beautiful tract and a fine farm.  The father remodeled and enlarged the house, making it a commodious two-story frame residence, and he also built large barns and other necessary outbuildings.  The well tilled fields yielded rich harvests and the good pastures enabled him to raise fine grades of stock.  He was also engaged in surveying, as there was at that time a great demand for fixing corners and locating lands.  The town of Lyons was just started and he platted several additions to it.  He was afterwards elected county surveyor, filling the position with great credit.  He was a man of large stature, strong and athletic, broad-minded, intelligent, energetic and enterprising, a good financier and successful in all that he undertook.  He was of a very social and genial nature, benevolent and kind to the poor, a good neighbor and friend and much respected and beloved by all who knew him.  Politically he was a Democrat and filled several minor township and county offices, although he did not aspire to public life.  Religiously he was an active and consistent member of the Presbyterian church, contributed liberally to its support, helped to erect the church at Lyons and was for many years an elder in the church.  He died suddenly of paralysis on the 23^rd of April, 1893.  His wife survives him and is hale and hearty at the ripe old age of seventy-five years.  She makes her home at Topeka, Kansas.  She is a daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth (Askew) Stewart, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of Maryland.  Her paternal grandfather, Leonard Stewart, was a Pennsylvania farmer who moved to Marshall county, West Virginia, where he died in 1873, at the ripe old age of ninety-eight years.  He was twice married, and by his first wife he had one daughter, Hester, now Mrs A Dennison.  By his second wife he had six children, namely:  Thomas, Hugh, Joseph, Alexander, Press and Robert.  Thomas Stewart, the father of Mrs Lowrey, was a prominent farmer of Marshall county, West Virginia, where he died in 1871.  He was twice married.  His first union was blessed with one daughter, Emily, now Mrs Finley, and the children of his second union were:  Thomas, deceased; Cyrus, also deceased; Frank, now a resident of Ohio; Hezron, who makes his home in Rice county; Elizabeth, the wife of Mr Davis; Jane, who married a Mr Kimmons; Mary, deceased; and Amanda, the mother of our subject.  Unto William F and Amanda (Stewart) Lowrey were born three children:  L G, the subject of this review; David S, now living in Texas; and Ida B, the wife of Professor H W Jones, of Topeka, Kansas, professor of music there.  The parents of this family were consistent members of the Presbyterian church.

     L G Lowrey, whose name introduces this record, was born in Logan county, Ohio, August 2, 1864.  He came to Kansas with his parents when eleven years of age and here grew to manhood, assisting his father in the work of cultivating and improving his homestead farm in the summer months and in the winter months he acquired a common and high school education.  After arriving at years of maturity he married and engaged in farming for himself, while later and before the death of his father he virtually had charge of the homestead farm and stock.  In 1894 he settled on one of the farms, where he remained until 1897, when he moved to the homestead and took full charge of everything.  He still makes his home there and engages in general farming and stock-raising.  He also runs a corn sheller and utilizes his engine for grinding feed for the stock.  He is one of the prominent, enterprising and public spirited young farmers of Rice county, was at one time a working member of the Farmers’ Alliance, was secretary of the local Alliance, and was much interested in the co-operative store and all Alliance work of the county.

   On the 18^th of October, 1893, he was united in marriage to Miss Eva Alexander, a lady of intelligence and culture, born in Mercer county, Illinois, October 19, 1864, and a daughter of William P and Elizabeth (Stewart) Alexander, the former a native of Ohio and the latter of West Virginia.  They were married in Illinois and settled in Mercer county, where he engaged in farming for a number of years.  He then bought a farm in Knox county, near Galesburg, where he yet lives and is prominently identified with the farming interests of that county.  He is a man of sterling integrity and honor, commanding the respect and confidence of all who know him.  Unto him and his wife have been born the following children:  Eva, the wife of our subject; Harry, who is living on the home farm; Ina, who died at the age of four years; John and Floyd, at home.  The mother of this family was a worthy member of the Presbyterian church.

   Mr Lowrey, of this review, and his wife have one child, Isal, born September 7, 1899.  They have a delightful home, are actively interested in everything pertaining to the progress and improvement of the community in which they live and both are active members of the Presbyterian church, contributing liberally to its support, and are also active in all charitable work.  He is a member of the Ancient Order of the United Workmen.  Both he and his wife by their genial and kindly dispositions and many excellencies of character have gained many warm friends.