MARION COUNTY, GA - BIOS James M. Lowe

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Memoirs of Georgia, Vol. II, Atlanta, Ga., page 488
Published by The Southern Historical Association in 1895


James M. Lowe, merchant and capitalist, Buena Vista, Marion
Co., Ga., son of William H. and Carrie (Boswell) Lowe, was born
in Crawford county, Ga., in 1839.  His paternal grandparents,
John and Patience Lowe, were native North Carolinians, migrated
to Georgia in 1780, and settled for life in what is now Jones
county.  He was a planter, owned a great many slaves, and
during the revolutionary war was a soldier in the patriot army.
Mr. Lowe’s father was born in 1803 in what is now Jones county
(organized in 1807).  He was reared a farmer, and early in life
removed to what is now Taylor county.  He was a large slave
owner, and for a number of years was a justice of the inferior
court.  Politically he was an uncompromising democrat, and in
religion a devoted Baptist.  Mr. Lowe was reared on the farm,
and received a good common school education.  In 1860 he read
law and was admitted to the bar, but he practiced only a short
time.  In 1861 he enlisted in Company I, Capt. E.M. Butt,
Second Georgia regiment.  On the reorganization of the regiment
Capt. Butt was promoted to the colonelcy and Mr. Lowe was made
orderly sergeant.  He participated in the battles of Yorktown,
Richmond and Second Manassas.  He was wounded at the battle of
Richmond, and was sent home on a furlough, remaining forty
days.  At the battle of Second Manassas he had a limb shot off,
and returned home.  In 1864 he was elected ordinary of the
county, and by re-election held the office for twenty-five
years.  Were other evidence lacking this would settle the
question of Mr. Lowe’s ability, capacity and popularity.  Under
the firm name of Lowe & Rushin, in 1866, he engaged in a
general merchandise business in Buena Vista, in which, as in
everything else he had undertaken, he has been eminently
successful.  He was the projector and principal promoter of the
Buena Vista & Ellaville railway, was elected president, and
continued as such until it was sold to the Central Railway
company.  In 1890 he organized the Buena Vista Loan and Savings
bank, of which he was president until 1894, sustaining to it
now the relation of vice-president.  His uniform phenomenal
success in these several various public and private offices and
businesses evinces great capacity and unusual planning,
financial and executive ability.  In 1859 Mr. Lowe was married
to Miss Eva Rushin, born in Marion county in 1841, daughter of
Joel F. and Elizabeth (Brooks) Rushin.  Mr. Rushin was born in
Bibb county, Ga., was a farmer, and moved to Marion county in
1835.  He represented the county in the general assembly
several times.  Of the offspring of this marriage five are
living: Gussie, who married R.H. Stokes; Blanche, who married
R.H. Peacock; Clifford, married W.H. Lowe; Carrie who married
V.L. McMichael, and Lucille.  Mrs. Lowe, who was a member of
the Methodist Episcopal church, died in 1885.  In 1886 Mr. Lowe
contracted a second marriage with Mrs. Carrie (nee Evans)
Smith, born in Alabama in 1840, daughter of Thomas Evans.  Mr.
Evans was an early settler in Muscogee county, Ga., but moved
to LaGrange, Troup county, Ga.  He was a general of militia in
the Indian war of 1836.  His life occupation was farming.  Mr.
Lowe is a master Mason, and himself and wife are exemplary and
useful members of the Methodist church.  Mr. Lowe is a public-
spirited and progressive citizen, and one of the foremost in
all movements promising to add to the general advancement of
the community.  Politically, financially and socially himself
and family rank with the first.