| Notes |
- Chesterville VR for marriage reads as follows: “This is to certify that John F. Lowell and Miss Viola P. Furbush, both of Chesterville in the county of Franklin and State of Maine were joined in marriage at Chesterville on the 14th Day of September 1863 by me W. F. Lowell, Justice of the Peace.”
Matrimony notice from the Portland Weekly Advertiser (Portland, Maine), Saturday, September 26, 1863:
"In Chesterville, 14th inst, Mr. John F Lowell to Miss Viola P Furbish, both of Chesterville."
Matrimony Notice from the Daily Eastern Argus (Portland, Maine) Tuesday, Septemer 22, 1863:
"In Chesterville, 14th inst., Mr. John F. Lowell to Miss Viola P. Furbish, both of C."
Probate record dated December 21, 1853 requests a complete estate inventory of Harriet J. and John F. Lowell, whose guardian is Hiram Lowell.
"Went to sea for a year or so during the sailing times. But I don't remember much then. [Flora knew much more about John Fairfield because she was twelve years older than me.
"John Fairfield had a girlfriend back in New England. He went back to get her and she had married someone else so he ended up marrying Viola Furbish.
"His father died at a very young age and left lots of young kids. I remember John Fairfield saying that he was on his own from the age of fourteen.
"My grandfather was one of the first persons buried in Woodlawn."
Paid $800.00 in order to buy a substitute for him so that he would not have to fight in the Civil War. Flora talked about this as though it were a status symbol, in that John Fairfield had enough money to do this. [NOTE: Have not been able to verify this.]
"His father died when he was very young and he had to take over the support of the family. He spent 2-3 years in the Merchant Marines. When he came out to Wisconsin, he run lumber camps. My grandmother done the cooking."
"I can remember his beard. He wasn't overly tall and he was heavy-set."
"John Fairfield came from Wisconsin with his wife and kids and horses and oxen and farm machinery in a immigrant car. At that time you could rent this box car and you and your whole worldly goods would travel in there. And they brought all the lumber for Cliff's house from Wisconsin. The animals came in the boxcar also. They came to South Dakota in 1884. It was still Dakota Territory at that time. John Fairfield made seven trips in a covered wagon to homestead up by Salem. After he got that and it was his, he liked it down here by Sioux Falls better and he sold the place in Salem and bought Cliff's place on a preemption. Preemption is when some guy starts to homestead a place and doesn't finish the job but has equity in a place, you could buy the place on a preemption--taking somebody else's claim from them. He had the place (Cliff's) before 1884. On one trip this one guy when they camped at night pulled a shotgun out of the covered wagon and killed himself. They buried him in the prairie. When they came out there were Indians around coming through. There were no bridges across the Sioux River going west. You had to forge the river. From Sioux Falls you just angled off to the Southwest toward Yankton. It was called the Yankton Trail. [NOTE: This was the road that went through our farm]. It went through Cliff's and Jack's place. Went right through Cliff's house and barn."
Miller Funeral Home and cemetery records indicate birthdate of May 17, 1837. Family bible lists birthdate as May 16, 1837. Historic Genealogy of the Lowells of America indicates May 10, 1837. May 17 has been used here.
Death certificate indicates age as 70 years, 10 months, and 7 days and that he died of "cerebral congestion, chronic" and that the duration of his fatal illness was 7 days.
BIOGRAPHY OF JOHN FAIRFIELD LOWELL as told by his grandaughter Flora Georgia McCartney Luker [information given to George & Hazel Lowell by Flora Luker in approximately 1970]--
"John Fairfield Lowell, born May 17, 1837 in Chesterfield, Maine. Parents Samuel and Hannah Lowell (her maiden name was Lowell but was no relation). [NOTE: incorrect, they were first cousins]. They died rather young, Frank a brother of John F. bought him up. John F. had an inheritance of $20 from his folks but he gave it to his brother.
As a young man he (John F.) sailed to the West Indies. He said that the Negroes there were huge and ugly looking, with huge noses and huge lips. This was his first and last experience with the sea.
He then went to Wisconsin, took crews into the forest to cut trees. It was a business as he had to provide clothing, food, etc., for his crew. He was an expert at log rolling.
Later he went back to Maine to marry his youthful sweetheart, (M---- Jane Peterson) (there was also a Wealthy Peterson but she was married). Then he married Wealthy Viola Furbush on Sept. 14, 1863.
He never went to War (Civil War) he bought a substitute for $800 to go in his place.
They moved to Ostrander, Wisc, on the bank of the Little Wolf River. This was 5 miles from Royalton.
He contined taking crews into the timber. They (John F. and Viola) lived in a house with sky lights as the trees were so thick, windows were not too practical.
When the Civil War was over there was a severe depression and he couldn't get his logs to market, and no sale for them when he did get them there. One year he raised hops but this wasn't successful either.
After this he started taking trips overland to South Dakota, seven in all. In South Dakota he hauled supplies for C. K. Howard, also merchandise and groceries from Yankton, S.D., that was where the railroad ended.
Viola took in boarders and roomers during the depression, (this was in Wisconsin). She said she got fresh meat twice a week from Royalton, Wisconsin.
During his trips from Wisc. to S.D. John F. bought the land where Cliff lived (and Hazel's Dad) also the land which George now has, he later bought the land where Jack and Flora lived. He brought samples of the soil back to Wisc. in a handkerchief and had it checked, everyone agreed that it was good land.
John F. brought the family to S. Dak. in 1884--June 1--He had a carload on an immigrant train, brought all his animals, tools, machinery, lumber (for the house where Cliff lives). He and his son John R. who was 15 years old at that time, built the house before Viola and Minnie came.
They had hard times in 1888. They had a terrible blizzard and a very bad winter. Had to burn hay to keep warm (they had a way of twisting it into solid bunches). Minnie taught the country school which was just one mile north of them. She taught for several years.
John R. married Freda Volsch on Dec. 12th, 1900. They had three sons, George J., John Franklin, and Charles Edward.
Minnie married George A. McCartney in 1888 (the year I think is right). She had one daughter, Flora G. Wealthy Viola Furbush was born Feb. 8, 1844 in Rockland Maine. Brothers Charles and Abram (twins), sister Augusta Ann, and brothers Will and Frank. Father Abram Furbush, Mother Nancy Peterson, died at age 40. Father remarried and had two children. Viola's sister Ann married a man named Whitney who died. She then married a man named Sargent, who was quite wealthy.
Abe Furbush moved to Ostrander Wisc. He had 2 children. Brother Will Furbush also moved to Wisconsin (Ostrander). He had 3 or 4 children. He had a chair factory in Ostrander. Viola's brother Frank lived near Lowell, Mass. He was 4 years old when Viola was married. Sister Ann's son Reginal Whitney is dead."
In a conversation with George J. Lowell, he indicated that "according to my dad, John F. was an expert log roller, wearing clamps on his shoes."
From History of Minnehaha County, by Dana R. Bailey, Brown & Saenger, Sioux Falls, 1899: (Under Wall Lake Township Biographical Sketches):
"LOWELL, JOHN, has lived in the town of Wall Lake since 1884. He owns about 240 acres of land in sections 35 and 36 in that town, and has a good farm with substantial buildings. He is a native of Maine, and was born May 17, 1838. He also resided in Wisconsin and Illinois before he settled here. He is an industrious farmer, and a good citizen."
Served as Supervisor, Wall Lake Township Board, in 1897.
[1860 census record below is unconfirmed]
1860 Census: 3rd Ward Oshkosh City, Winnebago Cty, Wisconsin:
John Lowell, 25, male, Lumberman, born in Maine.
[is living in a boarding house run by James McCurdy, born in Maine.]
1870 Census: Wisconsin: Waupaca County: Mukwa Township: Town of Mukwa:
Lowell, John, age 33, laborer, born in Maine;
Viola, age 26, keeping house, born in Maine;
Minny, age 5, born in Wisconsin;
John, age 1, born in Wisconsin.
1875 State Census: State of Wisconsin, Waupaca County, Town of Mukwa:
Lowell John
2 white males
2 white femalies
1880 Census: Wisconsin: Waupaca County: Mukwa Township; Town of Mukwa:
Lowell, John F., age 42, farmer
Viola, age 36, wife, keeping house
Minnie, age 15, daughter, at school
John (middle initial illegible), age 11, son, at school.
Notes on Mukwa and Ostrander: Post office for Ostrander was established in 1883 in Mukwa Township and discontinued in 1898. The Post Office for Mukwa was established in 1854 in Mukwa Township and discontinued in 1860.
1900 Census: SD, Minnehaha County, Wall Lake Township:
“Lowell, John; Head; born May 1837; age 63, married 38 years, born in Maine, father and mother born in Maine;
Viola, his wife, born Feb 1844; age 56; married 38 years; 2 children, 2 living
John R., his son, born April 1869, age 31, single.”, , , ,
Zeigler, Henry, born Feb 1877, age 23, single, born in Iowa, father and mother born in Germany, farm laborer.
Sioux Falls City Directory 1907 lists Lowell, John (Viola) r924 W. 9th. [1, 2]
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1837 - 1908 (70 years)
= Link to Google Maps 
