from Thomas Lowden (1797-1881)

Conesus Center Feb 23 AD 1855

Dear Cousin rec'd a letter from Brother John a few days since Informing me that he had been at your place and that you desired that I should visit which I would cheerfully comply with if it were not that there are obstacles in they way. My health failed me and I was unable to labor but little together with some other circumstances that brought me here last fall. I visited Brother and sister in Waterloo and returned here where Maria is her health is quite feeble and mine also feeble yet I think my health is better than when I left Michigan. My nerves are quite unsteady as you will perceive from my writing the weather has been intensely cold and my means that I brought with me is quite limited are the reasons I have not visited your place one other reason is the Lord has been pleased to visit this place in Mercy. God's people have been revived and some have been brought form darkness to light our meetings have been quite interesting but the interest at present appears to be on the decline. I have often thought of you since I have been here thought over the scenes and circumstances of Youth where we passed our days together while we were preparing for other scenes in the after life and thought if it was God's will we should meet again on earth and have the privilege of talking over former times would it give us pleasure or pain.

John writes me you wished to see me to ascertain if I knew anything about your husband being in the service who were his officers and co. I am as well satisfied of it as I am of anything else that transpired at that time although I did not see him in the service. if my memory serves me it was as late as the fall of 1814 I think the Captain that he left home under was Wm. Ireland it might however have been John Alexander this probably you have already learned and perhaps want to know why he was not discharged by them. A part of this company crossed over to Fort Erie and a part remained and William told me he was sick at the time his company crossed consequently he was attached to a different command and who became his captain. I do not know If you have his discharge can ascertain another circumstance which may lead to a discovery as he was sick and when his time had about half expired, His father took his place and William returned home and his father served the remainder of the term and the discharge may have been found among Uncle's papers. I am always happy to anything for any that it will benefit after receiving this and it is not sufficient you will know whether anything else from me will be necessary I do not at present recollect anything more about this matter than what I have related it is a long time since I saw you a great many with whom we used to be acquainted have passed away and you and I are on the confines of eternity the privilege we now enjoy we shall be permitted a few days longer since I was at your place Uncle Jacob Uncle Stephen Cousin Nancy and how many more that we were related to and acquainted with I do not know I have thought a great deal about Aunt Anna and family Her remembrance I shall ever cherish her kindness to me when young I shall never forget were it in my power to render her any assistance in her widowhood it would cheerfully be done. May God's blessing rest upon her old age and gray hair communicate this to her Maria desires me to say to you that she sends her love to you and wishes you to come and make her a visit with which I should be highly pleased myself accept my best wishes for your health and prosperity in this life and a happy admittance through the merits of our Blessed Saviour into the paradise of God.

Yours ??

Thos Lowden

A letter written to Jane July 14 1872

Waterloo Seneca County NY

Dear friend

I attended church this forenoon and I think of leaving here soon. I came to visit and got here on the 6th and have been over some of the ground my feet pressed when I was young, and have stood as it were in the city of the dead. I have not changed a word with any person since i came here that I used to know (but my brother and his wife).

I have visited the places of burial., stood by and read on the monuments the names of my former associates, and friends, but all was silent, all was solitary, no response, my feet have again wandered along the banks of that once beautiful gushing Seneca outlet. I stood and enquiringly asked, is this all that is left of it, once it was large now a rill, myself and brother took a ride yesterday, we passed by where we used to live, to the shore of the beautiful Lake, but not a drop of water runs there, the water has receded 50 or 60 rods from where the shore once was, leaving a large space of dry land, we then started south as far as what we used to call the cove, the water has left it also; the lake once so full is now sunk down like a pond, the country around looks beautiful, everything is flourishing even the Canada thistles, the wheat in places is poor, well from the cove we took east and before getting three miles we broke our forward axel, and had to get another put in, and got to Waterloo about 6 o'clock P.M. Well what I wish to say and the friends in your place, is that I am now an old man, and have a desire to visit the scenes of my early manhood at your place, and I thought if you wished to see me and have a visit from me bad enough to meet me at Rochester on Friday 19th of this inst. between 10 and 11 o'clock A.M. of that day (as I shall take the 8 o'clock train from here) if I do not miss it. I have about one week more to spare, and I could spend it with you, but if I should get there and not find any of you then I should conclude you were not very anxious to see me and go on to Michigan again. I have nothing with me but a satchel my health is not very good I am failing or I could walk to your place but I am past that.

Your friend and Well wisher

Thomas Lowden

June 3, 1856

From: William Lowden (1806-?) in prison

To: Father - Thomas Lowden (1774-1858)

Once more I am permitted to write a few lines to inform you that I am enjoying good health and sincerely hope that you are enjoying the same God's blessing. Six and a half long years have passed slowly away and yet I hear nothing of any consequence from home. I do not wish you to look any longer for assistance from Alonzo Grow as it is my opinion he does not intend to do anything for me. Let Samuel Papen take the business in hand and see if he will make an effort to assist an innocent man as I have left property enough in your hands to pay all expenses. It is desired that I should be tried being incarcerated within four high walls for a crime which the world knows that I am innocent. If my property cannot be converted to my benefit, I think it hard in the first place, it was that property which got me here and I should really like to have it get me out again if it possible. If not I must resign myself to my fate which is a hard one. If this is not landed, my next appeal will be to Isaac Berry and trust he will try to assist me.

From Your Dutiful Son,

William Lowden

July 21, 1856

From: John Grow

To: Nancy Lowden-Lewis

Dear Mother,

I have not heard from you since my last letter. I'm quite well and nearly as fleshy as ever. I am doing pretty good business now in the way of the practice of the law. I am now in better health then I have been in the last three years. Rosa has not got up very rapidly from her confinement. It is now three weeks since her confinement and she is not done flowing. Today we will have something done to stop it. She has just commenced to sit up. Are boy is becoming just as fat as a little rooster. He has a voracious appetite. He is becoming more handsome every day. He has my features, all but my nose. In that respect he has his mothers. Mother, it does seem strange and novel to me and it must to you to recur to but a short time ago when I was a boy at home on the farm, and to think and know that I am now, it is my turn to be parent and father. I must confess that the idea of being father banishes all idea of youth and boyhood. I do not know anything of the responsibilities of a parent. That duty will deviate on his mother. I saw W. H. Pill here not long since. The last time you wrote me you said father was very low and that you did expect him to live. And since that I have not heard a word. He must be better I take it for granted. Now you must let me hear from you all. You have undoubtably seen Mr. Bernard since his return. It is very warm weather here. We are having huckleberries, apples, peaches, potatoes, etc. in abundance. Charles keeps a most remarkable silence. Why don't he, Eliphalet or William write me? Where is Charles P.O. address? I am too busy to make a trip home at the present time. Business should demand the sacrifices. Remember me to all the family.

I remain your son,

John A. Grow

Copy of a letter from Julia E. Fish to Mrs. Loren Haskins of Hilton NY. It was found by her daughter and given to Grace Witty. In May 1970

Dear Cousin Libbie,

I received your letter this morning and was very glad to hear from you. I am John Gillett's daughter. My mother was Elizabeth Lowden before she was married. My grandmother was your Father's sister. Her name was Phebe Nash and she married Philip Lowden.

Before my Grandfather and Grandmother moved to Michigan they adopted me as that made me by law their daughter and sister to their children. At that time they had one daughter and two sons living. The daughter's name was Rosetta, but they always called her Rosea. One boy was named George Eli and the other Barzilla. He died in 1877. I think about that time their daughter married Thomas Pickens and they came to Michigan with us but they did not like it and moved back to York State. They had two children and her name was Arabell and a baby boy, just a few months old, named James. We know that Rosea had a baby girl a little while after they went back to NY.

After mother's death we did not hear from Rosea. It was a long time after Rosea's death that George got a letter from Thomas and he said how she had been dead a long time and he was married again. The about 10 years ago, George got a letter from Addie Stowell, saying she was Arabella's sister and that Arabell was dead. George and I answered her by return mail and then she sent some cards and the Rochester newspaper. We wrote and thanked her but did not hear any more from her. The George got your letter telling him that she had been killed in an automobile accident.

Copy of a letter from Julia E. Fish to Mrs. Loren Haskins of Hilton, NY. It was found by her daughter and given to Grace Witty. In May 1970

Lacrosse, Wisconsin, Feb 15 1940

Dear Cousin Libbie,

I received your letter and was very sorry to hear how that you have been sick. I am not very well this winter, I have the neuritis and it is hard for me to work,

Yes, Libbie, I am all alone except for my children and they are very good to me but they can't take their father's place in my heart. My husband died 11 years ago the 27 of last August. We had lived together 42 years. You have my sympathy in the loss of your husband.

I have two children, a son and a daughter, both married. My son is named after Uncle George Lowden. George Lowden and his wife never had children, so my children were very dear to them. His wife died 10 years ago the 8th of last September, I took care of her for a number of years. I thought as much of her as I could if she had been my own sister.

I live with my son and his wife. They have two girls. One is 17, going to school and the other one is married. She was married two years ago and I look to be a great Grandma any day now. My daughter lives in Michigan and has 2 boys and 2 girls, their oldest boy will be 16 the 28th of this month and the youngest is a girl only four months old.

I have not any of my pictures just now but I will have some taken later and will send them to you and I would like yours. Thank you for the addresses. I know the Gil Gillette is my half-brother but what relation are the others? I hope you can get James Pickens and his sisters address if they are living for I would like to write to them. We are getting old and there are not many of the old ones left. I wish I could see you. George and I talked about coming out that last summer but he was taken. He said how he would like to see the old place, where we were born. My son-in-law were going to drive the car till 4 or 5 days before he died. When I go back to Michigan, I will get some pictures of George and me that the children took 2 years ago.

I will close with love and best wishes to you and your family. Write soon
Julia E. Fish