Notes |
- NOTE: There are inconsistencies among the various sources cited regarding the number of children born to Percival and Rebecca and the names of these children. As stated below, Douglas Richardson’s book, Plantagenet Ancestry, states that there were six sons: Richard, John, Thomas, Gerard, Edward, and Peter, and two daughters, Christian and Agnes. In addition, in Plantagenet Ancestry, Richardson states that the Joanna who married as her second husband, William Gerrish, was Percival’s sister, Joanna, and not his daughter. Delmar R. Lowell’s book, The Historic Genealogy of the Lowells of America from 1639 to 1899 states that there were three children born to Percival: John, Richard, and Joan or Joanna. According to Delmar Lowell, Joan or Joanna’s first marriage was to John Oliver. Further research has proven Delmar Lowell’s information incorrect. There was no daughter named Joan or Joanna born to Percival and William Gerrish was not a son-in-law to Percival. For the purposes of this genealogy, Joanna Lowle has been added as a daughter of Percival Lowell and Rebecca ?.
"He was therefore 68 years of age when he came to New England, and 93 when he d.
In England he res. at Kingston-Seymour, Clevedon, Portbury, Weston-in -Gardano, all of Somersetshire, also Bristol of Gloucestershire. He came to Newbury, Mass., New England, from Bristol, Gloucester, England 1639 in the ship "Jonathan."
In 1597 he was assessor in Kingston-Seymour, England.
The early parish records covering his early life in England unfortunately are lost, leaving much unknown that would have been of great interest.
Percival and family must have been well conditioned people in England. They had their well authenticated coat of arms with other evidence of their high position.
They had in Bristol, Gloucester, England, a large mercantile establishment under the firm name of "Percival Lowle and Co."
This firm was composed of the father Percival, the son John, and perhaps the son Richard, and possibly William Gerrish, who came over with the Lowles and subsequently m. Percival's sister Mrs. Joanna Oliver, widow of John Oliver.
Newbury, Mass. was organized 1642 with 90 proprietors, of whom were Percival and John Lowle. At that time, March 17, 1742, he was a freeholder.
1678 all citizens of Mass. above 16 years of age were required to take the oath of allegiance. Among those thus taking it were "Perciphall," "Tho." and "Ben. Lowle. In 1648; in a deed to Mrs. Gerrish he is called "Gent," meaning a person of high station. Percival and sons had means when they arrived in this country and purchased real estate quite extensively in old Newbury, Mass. and vicinity.
On the Town Rate of Newbury 1688, "Mr. Per. Lowle" was placed for--"2 Heads, 1 horse, 5 plowlands, 10 meadows, 1 house, 4 oxen, 4 cows, 1 3 yr old, 1 2 yr old, 1 1 yr old, 10 sheep, 2 hogs."
Percival must have been a man of unusual ability and attainments for his day.
Coffin, in his History of Newbury, Mass., p. 31, says of the arrival of the Lowles-- "The Town also received a valuable addition to its population in the persons of Anthony Somerby, the first schoolmaster, Henry Somerby, Mr. John, Mr. Richard, and Mr. Percival Lowle, who had been merchants of Bristol." []
Again, on p. 287, speaking of John, Richard, and Percival Lowle, and Captain William Gerrish, that they, coming later than some others and being wealthy, had no land grants. They purchased their land, but later shared in the division of town lands.
Percival Lowle was a signer of a petition dated May 15th, 1649, from the town of Newbury to the general court to grant them the whole of Plum Island.
“Percival (1) Lowell (Lowle old style) the ancestor of all the American families of the name was b. in Somersetshire Eng. 1571. Percival Lowell and sons were of large wealth when they came to America and did not receive “land grants” but purchased real estate very extensively.
From “Directory of the Ancestral Heads of New England Families 1620-1700,” compiled by Frank R. Holmes, Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., Baltimore, 1984:
“LOWELL--Percival, merchant, son of Richard L., and of the ninth generation from Walter L. of Yardley, Worcestershire, Eng. Percival L., b. Somersetshire, Eng., 1571, came from Bristol, Eng., to Newbury, Mass., 1639.”
”Percival Lowell (or Lowle), Gent., merchant, of Kingston Seymour and Portbury, Somerset, younger son by his father’s 2nd marriage. He married about 1620 Rebecca ______. They had six sons, Richard, John, Thomas, Gerard, Edward, and Peter, and two daughters, Christian and Agnes. He served as a churchwarden in Portbury, Somerset in 1613. They immigrated to New England in 1639, where they settled at Newbury, Massachusetts 8 Jan. 1664/5., , , , [1, 2, 3, 4]
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