Biographical Sketch of

John F. Lowe

Transcribed by Sandra Boudrou for the Marquette Co WI Pages


Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Green Lake, Marquette and Waushara Counties, Wisconsin, 
published 1890 by Acme Publishing Co., Chicago, Pages 733 - 734 


John F. Lowe of Montello, is numbered among the early settlers of Wisconsin, and ranks among the highly respected citizens 
of the community in which he has now made his home for almost a third of a century.  His birth occurred on the 24th day of 
March, 1823, in the Kingdom of Hanover, Germany, and is one of a family of five children, three sons and two daughters.  
The father of our subject died when John was a mere lad, so upon the mother devolved the care and support of her little 
ones.  John remained at home until sixteen years of age and worked at various employments by which he might earn an honest 
dollar and assist his widowed mother in providing for her family, but at that age he entered upon a seafaring life.  He 
embarked on board a vessel as cook's boy and for about five years followed the sea, but was one of the crew when he abandoned 
that life.  He visited many ports of the world and therefore greatly supplemented his early educational advantages which were 
of a very limited character.  In the course of his travels he had several times landed in the port of New York where he had 
a half brother living who persuaded him to take up his residence in America.  When he had determined to do so, he returned 
to his old home in Germany and brought back with him his eldest sister.  For some years he continued to reside in New York 
City, but afterward went to Buffalo in search of employment, but finding nothing to suit him he at last decided to accept a 
situation on a steamer on the Great Lakes, where the succeeding four or five years of his life were passed.  He then determined 
to devote his attention to other pursuits and settled in Green Lake County on a farm but afterward became a resident of Marquette.
 
While in Buffalo, Mr. Lowe was united in marriage with Miss Rachel A. Crandall, who was born in Erie County, N. Y., and with 
his family he removed from Marquette to Ceresco, Fond du Lac County.  During his residence in that village, however, he purchased 
a farm near Marquette and returned to the neighborhood of his old home where he resided until his removal to Montello thirty 
years ago.  He may truly be called a self-made man, for since the age of sixteen years he has made his own way in the world and 
even previous to that time contributed largely to his support, and to some extent aided in providing for the wants of the other 
members of the family.  Endowed by nature with a robust constitution, energy and industry, he determined to succeed and has 
steadily worked his way upward step by step until he is now numbered among the substantial citizens of Marquette County.  He 
certainly deserves great credit for his success and his example of determined energy and zeal is truly worthy of emulation.  Mr. 
Lowe has a pleasant home in Montello, the abode of hospitality, and he is numbered among its respected and esteemed citizens.  
It is with pleasure that we record this brief sketch of his life, knowing that it will be read with interest by his many friends.
 
Mrs. Lowe's death occurred Feb. 1, 1890, after many years of happy wedded life, and her remains were interred in Montello Cemetery.






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