| Notes |
- When John and Viola Lowell left Mukwa Township, Waupaca County, Wisconsin, to head to Dakota Territory, women friends quilted a “friendship” quilt for Viola. The background was cream and each square was red, with the signature of the friend stitched in the center of the quilt. The following women stitched squares in the quilt [Note: names in brackets are from the 1880 Federal Census]:
Mrs. H. Thompson
Mrs. S. A. Thompson [Sarah A. Thompson, Mukwa]
J. L. Wirham (sp.?)
K. A. Klinghert [Catharine Klingert, Mukwa]
M. Gifford
J. H. Dillon
E. J. Elmore [Eliza J. Elmore, Mukwa]
Jessie Thompson [Mukwa]
M. A. Faskel [Mary Faskel, Mukwa]
Lucia Crowns [Mukwa]
S. Smith
B. Ballheim
L. Lindsley [Lucy Lindsley, New London, Waupaca Cty]
Mrs. Will Thompson
L. M. Moezer
S. Broullette [Susan Broullette, Fremont, Waupaca Cty]]
M. Carter
M. L. Feathers [Mary Feathers, Little Wolf, Waupaca Cty]]
D. Mayo [Delphine Mayo, Mukwa]
Mrs. John Shaw
S. Henry
E. A. Delano [Elizabeth A. Delano, Mukwa]
Mrs. Amelia Shaw [Mukwa]
M. Straub [Mary E. Straub, Mukwa]
A. Koezer (sp.?)
M. Johnson
S. Winans
Agnes Reed
E. Kelley [Eizabeth Kelly, Mukwa]
Mrs. J Nims [Jeannette E. Nims, Mukwa]
"My grandmother, after having lived in S. Dakota all those years, still talked quite "New England". I can remember her saying: “Geowge, take off your hat when you come in the house. Remember, you are a Lowell.”
"Dad has visions of her sitting in the rocking chair with a shawl around her and a dickey around her neck. She was a very stately person. One of the last things before she passed away she had Flora get her a new dickey that she wanted to be buried in.
"She died of old age.
"My grandmother would go out to the farm where her daughter, Minnie, lived, and Flora would be coming home from school. Grandma Lowell would go out there to clean the house up from dirt and cats. One time, Grandma was chasing them out the back door and the hired man Jones was shooting them. Granma was the matriarch and called the shots.
1900 Census, listed with John Lowell in Wall Lake Township, Minnehaha Cty, South Dakota.
News article, Argus Leader (Sioux Falls, South Dakota) 19 Nov 1924, Wed. under Twenty Years Ago Today (i.e. 1904):
“Mrs. John Lowell takes exception to a recent item in the Argus Leader regarding the price of turkeys. She claims that the farmers are not the ones to keep up the prices. She says that the local market men will not pay the farmers a proper price which accounts for the shortage of the Thanksgiving bird on the local market.” (I am assuming that the Mrs. John Lowell is Viola but it could also be Freda, John Russell Lowell’s wife.).
Sioux Falls SD City Directory 1909 lists Lowell, Viola (wid John) r.1024 W. 9th.
1910 Census: SD: Minnehaha: Sioux Falls, 1024 9th Street:
Lowell, Violet, head, 64, wid., has had 2 children, both living, born in ME, father’s birthplace listed as un, mother’s birthplace listed as un, own income;
McCartney, Minnie, daughter, 45, wid., has had 1 child, still living, born in WI, father’s birthplace listed as Un, mother born in ME, own income;
Flora G., granddaughter, 19, single, born in SD, father’s birthplace listed as un, mother born in WI.
News Article: Argus Leader (Sioux Falls, South Dakota) 30 Jul 1910, Sat.:
"C. C. Clason has purchased the C. O. Bailey house at 745 South Phillip avenue and B. Landers and family will remove from this number to the Mrs. Lovell house [sic], 926 West Ninth street, Mrs. Lovell will go to California to spend the winter."
News Article: Argus Leader (Sioux Falls, South Dakota) 11 Aug 1916, Fri:
"Miss Flora McCartney of this city, who, with her grandmother, Mrs. John Lowell, are spending the summer in the east, has entered Columbia university where she is doing some advanced work."
1920 Census for Fort Scott City, Kansas, Bourbon County, lists:
Viola Lowell, head of household, rents, age 75, widowed
[Flora taught at Fort Scott City, but couldn’t find any record for Flora. Viola accompanied Flora at her various teaching positions.]
1930 Census: is listed as living with her granddaughter, Flora Luker, in Gainesville. See Luker entry for census information.
Newspaper Article The Argus Leader (Sioux Falls, South Dakota) 10 Feb 1929, Sun:
"Grandma Lowell Observes Birthday Anniversary-
At the John R. Lowell home, North Lincoln avenue, a group of elderly women gathered Friday to help Mrs. Viola Lowell celebrate her 85th birthday.
The afternoon was passed recalling reminiscences by the many who had lived here in pioneer days.
In the dining room where refreshments were served a beautiful pyramid cake was the centerpiece and was lighted with 15 candles.
After serving the table was cleared and Grandma Lowell was presented with many gifts and greetings which she opened and read, also acknowledging the gifts as they were passed to her by the donors."
Death certificate lists age at time of death as 89 years, 8 months, and 23 days and name of father as Abraham Furdesh born in Canada and name of mother as Nancy Peterson born in Maine.
Obituary from Sioux Falls newspaper--
"AGED WEST SIOUX WOMAN SUCCUMBS
Mrs. Viola Lowell, Resident of Community 49 Years, Dies at Her Home
Mrs. Viola Lowell, 89 years old, 1201 North Lincoln Ave., West Sioux Falls, died today at her home as a result of complications resulting from the infirmities of age. Mrs. Lowell had been a resident of this vicinity for 49 years and was the widow of John F. Lowell.
She was born, February 8, 1844 in Maine, and came to this section of the country when she was 40 years old. The body is at the Miller Funeral home pending the completion of plans for final rites. Present arrangements include the services of Dr. John F. Robertson, pastor of the First Methodist Episcopal Church, as the officiating clergyman, with interment in Woodlawn Cemetery.
Surviving are a daughter, Mrs. Minnie L. McArtney, Tea, a son, John R. Lowell, West Sioux Falls; a brother, Frank L. Furdesh, Massachusetts; four grandchildren, and two great grandchildren."
Obituary from Sioux Falls newspaper--
MRS. V. LOWELL'S FUNERAL FRIDAY
Rites for Pioneer to Take Place at Miller Chapel--Interment in Woodlawn
Funeral services for Mrs. Viola Lowell, 89 years old, a resident of this vicinity for nearly 50 years, will be held at 2.30 o'clock Friday afternoon at the Miller chapel. Rev. John F. Robertson, pastor of the First Methodist Episcopal church, will officiate.
The funeral hymns will be sung by Norman Mathers, accompanied by Mrs. C.B. Van Ausdall at the pipe organ. The pallbearers will be A. Erskine, Grant Bartram, S. Munson, S. Smith, Edward Shotwell, and Matt Krell. Interment will be in Woodlawn Cemetery, beside the grave of her husband, who preceded her in death 25 years ago.
Death Occurred Tuesday
Mrs. Lowell died Tuesday morning at 4.15 o'clock after an illness of six weeks, at the home of her son, J.R. Lowell, 1201 North Lincoln ave.
She was born February 8, 1844, at Rockland, Maine, the daughter of Abraham and Nancy Furbish, the fourth of a family of seven children. In 1863 she married John P. Lowell [sic], at Farmington, Maine, and immediately thereafter the couple took up their residence in Wisconsin, where Mr. Lowell was engaged in the lumbering business.
Moved to Vicinity in '84
In 1884 the family moved to this vicinity and lived for 15 years on a farm situated 12 miles west of the city. Then the Lowells took up their residence in Sioux Falls. In the latter part of her life, Mrs. Lowell spent considerable time in the milder climates of California and Florida, as well as various other parts of the United States.
She is survived by a son, John R. Lowell of North Lincoln avenue, and a daughter, Mrs. M. L. McCartney of near Tea; four grandchildren, Mrs. Flora G. Luker, George, John, and Charles Lowell; two great-grandchildren, Jimmie and John Lowell, all of this vicinity, and a brother, Frank Furbish, Graniteville, Mass."
Obituary in Sioux Falls newspaper--
MRS. LOWELL'S RITES HELD THIS AFTERNOON
Funeral services for Mrs. Viola Lowell, 89 years old, a resident of this vicinity for nearly 50 years, were held this afternoon at Miller chapel. Mrs. Lowell died Tuesday morning after an illness of six weeks, at the home of her son, J. R. Lowell, 1201 North Lincoln ave.
Dr. John R. Robertson, pastor of the First Methodist Episcopal church, conducted the rites. The pallbearers were A. Erskine, Grant Bartram, S. Munson, S. Smith, Edward Shotwell, and Matt Krell. Funeral hymns were sung by Norman Mathers, accompanied by Mrs. C. B. Van Ausdall at the pipe organ. Interment was made at Woodlawn cemetery."
|
Connected Bloodlines
1844 - 1933 (89 years)
