My Genealogy Hound

CYRUS LOWMAN. This plain and unassuming citizen, without perhaps being the hero of any thrilling event, has pursued the even tenor of his way through the years of a long and worthy life, and is looked upon as one of the most reliable men of his community. He is an off-shoot of one of the pioneer families of Clark County, within whose limits he still resides, and has performed no unimportant part in developing a portion of its soil, he was born in Bethel Township, Clark County, wherein he now resides, May 3, 1823, and is the son of David and Sarah (Carney) Lowman, the former of whom was a native of Adams County, Pa. His parents removed with their family to Ohio in the early part of this century and entered a tract of land from the Government when David was a small boy, and thereafter made their home in Bethel Township. His father built the second stone house that was built in Clark County. David was an honest, hard-working man, and succeeded in accumulating a fair share of this world’s goods. For the long period of fifty years he was a member in good standing of the Christian Church, and took an active part in promoting its welfare. Politically, he was a Whig until the abandonment of the old party, and subsequently became one of the strongest advocates of Republican principles. The paternal grandfather of our subject was George Lowman, likewise a native of Pennsylvania, and who spent his last years in this township.

To the parents of our subject there were born the following children: Margaret, Elizabeth, Cyrus and Martin (twins), Hannah, Rebecca, Mary, David, John, Susan and Martha. Five of these are living. Cyrus, our subject, with his brothers and sisters, was reared on the home farm in Bethel Township, and received such education as was afforded by the common school. He, however, made good use of his time with his books, and after reaching his majority taught school during the winter seasons and occupied himself as a house painter in summer. Twelve years were spent in this manner, and he then became interested in the nursery business, acting as agent for various parties, and followed this until after the outbreak of the Civil War.

In September, 1861, Mr. Lowman entered the Union army as a private, becoming a member of the Sixteenth Ohio Battery of Light Artillery, with which he served three years. His regiment operated mostly in Missouri, Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana, being a part of the Thirteenth Army Corps. Mr. Lowman endured the vicissitudes of a soldier’s life with exemplary courage, and at the close of his term of enlistment, after having given a faithful service of three years to his country, received his honorable discharge in September 1864. Returning then to the fruit-tree business, he commenced operations on his own hook, and was the first man to ship trees to Texas. He also built up a good patronage in various other sections of the country, and continued thus employed until the spring of 1872.

Returning now to New Carlisle, Mr. Lowman embarked in the shoe trade, in which he has since been engaged, and in which he has built up an extensive and lucrative patronage. Indeed, he is one of the leading merchants of the place in this line. He has been a prominent man in the community, and after filling various other positions of trust and responsibility, was elected, in 1873, Mayor of New Carlisle. He served his term with so much credit to himself and satisfaction to the people that he was re-elected in the spring of 1875, serving in all four years. In the year last-mentioned he was also elected Justice of the Peace, which office he has since held by successive re-elections.

Mr. Lowman was married, in February, 1845, to Miss Margaret Moses. This lady was born in 1819, in Pennsylvania, and is a daughter of Abram Moses and wife, who were likewise natives of the Keystone State, and who are now deceased. Of this union there were born five children, viz: Laura B., who remains at home with her parents; Alpheus, who died when six months old; Mary S., the wife of J. J. Shoemaker, a manufacturer of New Carlisle; Elizabeth, unmarried, and at home; and Milly, who died in 1864, when eleven years old. Mr. and Mrs. Lowman identified themselves with the Christian Church when mere children, and still hold to the faith which was taught them by their pious parents. Mr. Lowman cast his first Presidential vote for Gen. Scott, and is a Republican “dyed-in-the-wool” — one of the strongest adherents of his party in this section. He has made for himself a good record as a man and a citizen, and is one whose name will beheld in remembrance long after he has been gathered to his fathers.