Author: joelowry1982

(Not So) Wordless Wednesday – Tennis in Spring

joelowry1982 Lowry, Paternal, Wordless Wednesday
I don’t support it’s too much to ask for some warm spring weather so we can get a friendly game of tennis going? Even in Virginia, which as an Ohioan I will say is firmly in the South, we are expected snow again this week. Regardless, in the early 1940’s, I wouldn’t have wanted to go up against this guy. My grandpa Chuck was a tennis phenom, winning the City Series doubles tournament in 1941. This photo is part of a series that appear to have been taken professionally, or at least for a specific purpose such as a yearbook or newspaper. They capture Chuck and his doubles partner on the court in very staged poses. 

Mystery Monday – Whose House Is This?

joelowry1982 Lowry, Mystery Monday, Paternal
The problem with scanning thousands of Lowry and Pepperney family photos at once is that I was sloppy with my record keeping. I was eager to just the photos scanned and returned to my aunt. As a result, I don’t know if anything is written on the back of this photo. Namely, whose house is this? Perhaps nothing was written on the back. Does anyone out there know whose house this was and where it was located?

Update: My aunt Mary found this photo in the stacks and reported back that this is the birthplace of my great grandmother Margaret Pepperney and her brother James. This house is located in Charleroi, Pennsylvania. That is consistent with other information I have. Thanks Aunt Mary! (2/31/2014)

Treasure Chest Thursday – Marriage Certificate of Ralph Lowry and Gladys Waller

joelowry1982 Lowry, Paternal, Treasure Chest Thursday, Waller
I never met Ralph Lowry but because of his involvement in several significant dam building projects as an employee of the Bureau of Reclamation, I have a curious interest in his life. On June 4, 1917, Ralph (my first cousin, three times removed or put another way, my great grandfather’s first cousin) applied for a license or ‘Marriage Return’ to married Gladys Brown Waller. The next day, they were “joined in Lawful Wedlock” in a ceremony in her father’s home by a clergyman.
How Ralph and Gladys met is unknown, but they were married in Pullman, Washington, which is the location Washington State University, from which Ralph graduated. Perhaps they were college sweethearts?
Transcription
Marriage Return
1. Date of license: June 4 – 17
2. Full name of groom: Ralph Lowry
3. Age last birthday: 28
4. Color [a]: White
5. No. of groom’s marriages: First
6. Residence: Sunnyside, WA
7. Birthplace [b]: Bevior, Mo
8. Occupation: Civil Engineer
9. Father’s Name: Edward Lowry
10: Mother’s maiden name: Sarah Humphrey
11: Full name of bride: Gladys Brown Waller
12: Age last birthday: 26
13: Color [a]: White
14. No. of bride’s marriages: First
15. Residence: Pullman
16. Birthplace [b]: Colfax, Wa
17. Occupation: Teacher
18:  Father’s name: O.H. Waller (?)
19: Mother’s maiden name: Billie (?) Brown
20: Date of marriage: June 5 – 17
21. Place of marriage: Pullman
22. By whom married, and official station: C. ?. Harrison, clergy man
23: Name of witnesses and their residences:
No. 1: Anna Waller
No. 2: Graves S McDougall

Source:

(Not So) Wordless Wednesday – Four Generations of Witts

joelowry1982 Four Generations, Maternal, Ostein, Roolf, Witt, Wordless Wednesday
This photo was provided to me by the spouse of a distant relative, specifically a great nephew of my 1st cousin, 3x removed. How’s that for some genealogical reach? This fantastic image was taken around 1920 and shows four generations of Witts.

 

Click to enlarge.

Seated L-R: Joseph C. Roolf, with son Norman Roolf, Mary K. Ostien, Martin Witt, Elizabeth Witt, Lenora C. Witt holding Dorothy (baby).
Standing Back Row L-R: John A. Roolf, Margaret M. Ostien Roolf, Johanna Thaner Witt and John A. Witt.

Martin  and Elizabeth Kreher Witt are my 3rd great grandparents. Their son John Albert Witt and his wife Johanna Thaner were featured elsewhere on the blog looking into John’s murder. Lenora Clara (alternatively, Clara Lenora) Witt is John’s daughter, married to Joseph Roolf. She is holding her daughter Dorothy while her husband stands with their other child Norman. Joseph Roolf’s parents John and Margaret Ostien Roolf are behind him, while his grandmother Mary Ostien sits next to him.
 

The Death of William Pepperney

joelowry1982 Paternal, Pepperney
My 2nd great grand uncle William Pepperney spent a career as a Pittsburgh fireman before retiring around 1940. He no doubt spent countless hours at the Troy Hill fire station from which he retired, located just two blocks from his home at 1954 Ley Street. As a firefighter myself, I know that most retirees enjoy catching up on the latest fire department gossip, chatting with the men you once served with, and drinking the free coffee. It is only fitting that it is just outside the firehouse doors that William died, albeit so tragically. While just feet from both the firehouse and his home, William was struck by a car making a right turn at Lowrie and Ley Streets. The report in the Coroner’s Case Files indicate that William died of a skull fracture. He was 71 years old.
This case file was provided by the University of Pittsburgh Archives, which maintains the Allegheny County Coroner’s Case Files through 1971. It includes multiple documents that tell how William died, including:
  • Proof of Identity – This form provides a statement by William’s wife Mary. It provides a positive identification of William’s body and includes such details as her home address, his birthday (just the day prior), and information on the incident.
  • Statement of Doctor Robert R. Clark, M.D. – Doctor Clark operated a medical practice just 50 feet from the accident scene and was summoned by the firefighters. This report documents what he found and actually replaces the autopsy record.
  • Coroner’s Jury Verdict – This legal record would indicate if the Coroner’s Jury was in agreement with the medical findings and if there was any criminal intent. In this case, the death was ruled accidental.
  • Press Report – The Press Report provides details on the coroner’s jury, the deceased, who handled the mortuary affairs, and related details.
  • Disposition of Case – Interestingly, this document provides the full name and address of the driver who struck William and the name of the investigating officer. It has a place on the paper for a sketch of the accident, but that area remains blank.
  • Memorandum to Col. Geo. E. A. Fairley from Captain Joseph David, Captain, Engine Company 51. Captain David was the first on the scene of the accident and provided information on what he saw and did. He also corroborates basic information about William’s job as a retired Hoseman for the Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire.

    • Source:
    “Autopsy of William Pepperney,” Allegheny County, Pennsylvania Coroner’s Office Records, collection AIS.1982.07, box 506, record #194701-246, University of Pittsburgh Archives Service Center, Pittsburgh.

Sunday’s Obituary – Michael Lowry

joelowry1982 Lowry, Obituary, Paternal

I have a ton of photos of the Lowry family in the 1920s through 1940s and have been struck that only two of them feature my great great grandfather Michael Lowry. Since he died in 1949, I figured he would appear in more than that. I finally got my hands on his obituary and it appears to solve this mystery, at least in part. It states that he had been sick for 12 years. If that illness was severe enough to incapacitate him, it may explain why he was not seen in photos, especially those from the 1940’s.

Click to enlarge

     Michael Lowry, 81, of 355 W Eight st., died at 4:30 p.m. Monday in the Mayhew nursing home, Benton rd. He had been in failing health for 12 years.
     A son of Mrs. and Mrs. Michael Lowry, he was born Aug. 21, 1858, at Holiday, Pa. He had lived in this vicinity for 26 years. He was a member of St. Paul’s Catholic Church.
     Surviving are two daughters, Mrs. Carl Heim of Detroit and Mrs. Lawrence Murphy of Salem; three sons, Edward of Warren, Charles of Youngstown and Raymond of Salem, and 10 grandchildren and two great grandchildren. His wife died several years ago.
     Funeral service at 9:30 a. m. Thursday will be in St. Paul’s Catholic Church in charge of Rev. Fr. J. Richard Gaffney. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery, Leetonia.
     Friends may call this evening and Wednesday evening at the Stark Memorial.

Source:
Michael Lowry obituary. Salem, Ohio. Salem News. 20 Dec 1949. (index at: http://www.salem.lib.oh.us/index.php?q=node/79&ID=65572)

Sunday’s Obituary – Edward M. Lowry (1896 – 1978)

joelowry1982 Lowry, Obituary, Paternal
My great grand uncle Edward M. Lowry, the brother of my great grandfather Charles, died in Canton, Ohio on May 17, 1978. This obituary appeared the next day in the Salem News from Columbiana County.
Edward M. Lowry
CANTON – Edward M. Lowry, 81, formerly of 200 High Street SW, died at 5 p.m. Wednesday at the Windsor Nursing Home.

He was born Dec. 8, 1898, in Leetonia, a son of the late Michael and Anna Lottman Lowry.
He was a former employee of Van Huffel Tube Co. in Warren. He was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Warren and the Knights of Columbus in Leetonia.
His wife, Helen E. Lowry, preceded him in death in 1973.
He is survived by a daughter, Mrs. Bernie A. (Dona) McConnell of Canton; two sons, Edward M. Lowry Jr. of North Canton and Dr. Francis J. Lowry of Cincinnati; two sisters, Mrs. Helen Murphy of Salem and Mrs. Margaret Heim of Detroit, Mich., and three grandchildren.
Two brothers, Charles Lowry and Raymond Lowry, both of Salem, preceded him in death.
Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Arnold Funeral Home in Canton.
Buriel will be in Grandview Cemetery in Salem.
There will be no calling hours.
Source:

Edward M. Lowry obituary. Salem, Ohio. Salem News. 18 May 1978. (index at: http://www.salem.lib.oh.us/index.php?q=node/79&ID=30828)

Travel Tuesday – Calvary Cemetery, Leetonia, Ohio

joelowry1982 Cemetery, Lottman, Lowry, McSweeney, Paternal, Pepperney, Travel Tuesday
May 25, 2012 was a beautiful spring day. I was in Ohio to attend the wedding of my cousin Michelle and decided to spent a few hours on the road in Columbiana County, Ohio. Thanks to my iPhone, doubling as my camera and GPS, I was quick to locate Calvary Cemetery in Leetonia. Calvary is the final resting place of any number of paternal ancestors, namely Lottmans, Lowrys, and Pepperneys. I was able to locate these graves after 20 minutes of wandering, followed by several questions of a groundskeeper, and then just one minute of walking. This old grizzled cemetery veteran knew the location of their graves down to the row number.
An unknown Lowry family stone. There are no flat markers around it and no other names on the stone. Because of this, it’s hard to confirm who is buried here. There is no records office for this cemetery. I believe either or perhaps both Michael Lowry (1868 – 1949) and his father Michael (1830? – 1928) and their wives are buried here.
This is the grave of Anastasia Lowry McSweeney. She was a daughter of Michael Lowry Jr. and Anna Lottman Lowry. At the age of 24, she died of sarcoma of the hip. She left behind a 1-year-old son Joseph and an estranged husband.

Martin and Margaret Lottman are my 3rd great grandparents. They are buried just feet from the Lowry marker and their granddaughter Anastasia McSweeney. 

The only markers for individuals known to those still living (in this case, a few aunts and uncles) are the next three. My great great grandfather George Peter Pepperney died on Christmas day 1962.

Eleanor J. Pepperney and her sister Katherine E. are buried next to each and next to their parents. Neither married. My aunts and uncles have many memories of aunt Katherine.

All of these graves are in a single area very close to one another just inside the cemetery entrance. The yellow dot is the approximate location as I can best remember two years after visiting the cemetery.