Cemeteries and Tombstones

Cemeteries and tombstones provide a reliable source of information on past family members. To help support Lowry family genealogy, I will include information from cemeteries on this and other pages.  Unless stated otherwise, I have gone to the cemetery listed and personally collected the information.

The tombstones are listed alphabetically to make it easier to look up the names of the ancestors buried in the cemetery.

Old Mt. Harmony Cemetery

The Old Mt. Harmony Cemetery is located in McMinn County, Tennessee. If you take McMinn County Road 703 six miles north of Athens, Tennessee, or go about 3 miles (by road) east from Niota, you’ll find the cemetery just off the east side of the road. More than 25 Lowry’s, many of whom are descendants of James Lowry (1771-1849) are buried at this cemetery.

On October 24, 1998, I had the opportunity to go to the Old Mt. Harmony Cemetery. The weather was excellent and it was a great outing. While at the cemetery I copied the Lowry tombstone inscriptions, and photographed each of the stones. I have made the pictures of the cemetery and tombstones available for you to look at after you finish reading this page.  Unfortunately, I found that the cemetery is not well maintained and many of the stones are broken and laying on the ground. Also, some of the stones are badly weathered and almost impossible to read. I have done my best to accurately copy the information from the stones and provide it to you here.

Note: Several web sites and at least one publication imply that the tombstone for James Lowry (1771-1849) says he was born in Ireland; and the tombstone of his son, James Lowry, Jr. (1806-1877), say he was born three months after coming to America. This is not true. Neither one of the tombstones says anything about Ireland or coming to America. Someone may have deduced the origins of James Lowry from their research, but they didn’t find it at Old Mt. Harmony Cemetery.

The following are the inscriptions as best as I could read them.

Rebecca Jane, wife of John Cunningham, Born Sept. 10, 1813, Died Oct. 27, 1854. (Located inside iron fence.)

In Memory of Rebekah J. Davis, Aged 95 years. (Located inside iron fence.)

Mother Clarissa wife of T. J. Lowry, June 3, 1830, Nov 19, 1916.

Corrinna M. A. wife of James Lowry Sr., Born Sept 14, 1809, Died Feb 2, 1885.

To Memory of Daniel Lowry, born March 15, 1797, died March 1, 1861.

AT LAST Dornllia C. Lowry, Born ???, 1841 (Unable to read the rest of stone. The stone was located next to Corrinna M. A.)

Ella C, "daughter of J.D. & S.L. Lowry", Born Nov 17, 1873, Died May 21, 1874.

Farewell Ellen Lowry, Born March 13, 1812, Died April 30, 1865.

Esther I Lowry, Born Sept. 19, 1840, Died Jan. 5, 1859.

In Memory of James Lowry, born Nov 28, 1771, departed this life Oct 1, 1849. (Located inside iron fence.)

Father James Lowry, Born Nov 19, 1806, Died Nov 10, 1877.

John Lowry, son of J.L. & M.E. McCarty, Born Aug 5, 1887, Died Aug 5, 1887.

Capt. John D. Lowry, June 15, 1810-Jan. 15, 1897, "I have fought a good fight."

John L. Lowry, Died Apr 27, 1891, Aged 53 years. (Masonic Emblem)

Lodusky C. Lowry, Daughter of J.H. and M.C. Lowry, Born Sept. 25, 1874, Died Oct 29, 1874.

Lillie daughter of W.B. & M.J. Lowry, Born Sep 13, 1871, Died Aug 4, 1872 (There was more, but the stone is unreadable.)

Margaret E. Lowry, Mar 21, 1835, Sept. 30, 1913, "A sleep in Jesus".

At Rest, Mary Ellen Lowry, Nov 25, 1848, Mar 2, 1902.

Mattie Lowry, 1866-1936.

In Memory of Nancy Lowry, born Jan 15, 1773, departed this life Oct 19, 1851. (Located inside iron fence.)

Nancy B. Lowry, Born Nov 23, 1823, Died Apr 20, 1857. (T. J. Lowry is listed on the same stone.)

Robert P. Lowry, Born Nov 19, 1806, Died Nov 10, 1877.

In Memory of Sarah C. Lowry, Consort of John D. Lowry, Jr., Born May 21, 1831, Died July 24, 1857, Aged 26 years 2 months & 3 days, "Death may the bonds of life unloose but can not dessolve my love millions of infant souls comfort the family above."

Samuel N. Lowry, Born Oct 9, 1862, Died Dec 23, 1890, "Gone but not forgotten."

Our Mother Susan Lowry, wife of Daniel Lowry, Born Sept 26, 1805, died Nov 23, 1878, Aged 73 yrs 1 mo 28 days.

T. J. Lowry, Born May 3, 1817, Died June 15, 1869. (Nancy B. Lowry is listed on the same stone.)

To Memory of James McGill, Born Oct 22, 1836, Died August 11, 1865.

Notes:

1.  J. Walker Lowry (son of James D. Lowry, Jr.) and his wife Mira Love Lowry (the parents of Lodusky C. Lowry) report the following tombstones in the Old Mr. Harmony Cemetery, but I did not find them.

Cornelia Lowry, February 13, 1844 – December 20, 1887. (This could be the illegible stone which I have listed as Dornllia C. Lowry.)

James C. Lowery, September 23, 1844 – October 20, 1879. (Masonic Emblem)  

2.  The graves of James Lowry (1771-1849), Nancy Lowry, Rebekah J. Davis, and Rebecca J. Cunningham are inside a fenced burial plot.  These are the only fenced graves in Old Mt. Harmony Cemetery.

3.  Isaac Lowry is buried in Old Mt. Harmony Cemetery, but his grave is not marked.

New Mt. Harmony Cemetery

Located a quarter of a mile farther east of the Old Mt. Harmony Cemetery and adjacent to the Mt. Harmony Baptist Church is the New Mt. Harmony Cemetery. A number of Lowry’s who are descendants of James Lowry (1771-1849) are buried in this cemetery. All of the Lowry’s I found in the cemetery have been listed. Since husbands and wives are listed on the same stone, my list maintains the pairing of names.

Cecil Herman Lowry, Oct 6, 1898-Sept 9, 1925. (and) Cecil H. Lowry, Jr., Mar 27, 1925-Feb 6, 1930.

Lowry, Charlie Evertt, Sept 20, 1895-Sept 1, 1983. (and) Catherine Rebecca Ratledge, May 4, 1921- (I assume she is still alive as of October 24, 1998.)

Emma Lowry, wife of Charlie L. Hudson, May 2, 1868-Aug 13, 1935.

Lowry, Everett A., June 16, 1864-June 19, 1937. (and) Mary I., June 13, 1865-June 8, 1946.

Floyd A. Lowry, Sr., Dec 17, 1897-June 27, 1986. (and) Rossie Torbett, wife of Floyd A. Lowry, Sr., Apr 13, 1900-Jan 9, 1971.

Lowry, Herbert L., Aug 15, 1899-Jan 30, 1963. (and) Beulah W., July 5, 1901-Mar 13, 1962. (Parents of Herbert Lee Jr.)

Herbert Lee Jr., son of Mr. & Mrs. H.L. Lowry, Sr., Mar 11, 1925-Nov 28, 1928.

INAS Hudson IGOU, Daughter of Charles L. and Emma Lowry Hudson, Aug 13, 1890-June 23, 1944. (I do not know what "INAS" or "IGOU" stand for.) (stone 1 of 3) (and) Infant Dau of C.L. & M.E. Hudson, April 9, 1905-June 6, 1905. (stone 2 of 3) (and) Charles Maymond, Son of C.L. & Emma Hudson, Aug 2, 1901-Nov 18, 1908. (stone 3 of 3)

John D. Lowry, Dec 14, 1828-Jan 28, 1916. (and) Sarah L. Lowry, Dec 24, 1839-Aug 29, 1928.

Laura E., wife of R.A. Lowry, Sept 22, 1868-Apr 14, 1901.

Laura Mae Lowry, wife of Eddie Masen, Aug 14, 1905-Dec 24, 1971.

Lowry (Sisters) Lela S., Feb 21, 1872-Feb 19, 1961. (and) Cora A., Mar 14, 1870-May 17, 1954.

Oscar Rhea Lowry, June 15, 1878-May 13, 1926.