Columbia County PA Archives Biographies.....LOW, Elisha W. M. 1829 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@gmail.com August 6, 2005, 5:00 pm Author: Biographical Publishing Co. DR. ELISHA W. M. LOW,* who, with his brother, George L. Low, forms the firm of Low Bros., which is extensively engaged in the lime business at Lime Ridge, Center township, Columbia County, Pa., is also the owner of large landed interests and is one of the prominent business men of the county. He is a son of Isaac and Maria (Miller) Low, and was born in Briar-creek township, Columbia County, Pa., September 9, 1829. The Low family was established in America by three brothers, who came from Holland, the land of their nativity, one locating in New Jersey, another in New York State, and the third, the direct ancestor of our subject, near Muncy, Pa., on the West Branch of the Susquehanna River. It is not certain as to whether he was the great-great-grandfather of our subject or the great-grandfather. John Low, the grandfather of our subject, followed the trade of a weaver, and throughout life resided on Muncy Hills, near Muncy, Pa. He was a soldier of the Revolutionary-War and held the rank of a captain. He was twice married and was the progenitor of a large family of children. Isaac Low, our subject's father, was born near Muncy, Pa., April 2, 1802, and was the youngest child born to his parents. At an early age he moved to Columbia County, and for the first two years was employed by Jesse and John Bowman, two very prominent business men of that section at that time. He later became a partner with them, purchasing a team, with which he hauled produce to Philadelphia and New York City and store goods on the return trip. He continued at that line of work for two years. He married Maria Miller, a daughter of Abraham Miller, a farmer and a large land-owner in Briarcreek and Center townships. He then moved upon a farm near Berwick, and a short time after he and the Bowman brothers purchased the entire estate of Abraham Miller from the lat-ter's heirs. This property consisted of a large farm and mill property near Berwick and a farm of 308 acres at Lime Ridge. They conducted their business jointly for some years, but as the Bowmans were well advanced in years they wished to reduce their business responsibilities and asked for a division of the property, allowing Mr. Low the choice of estates. He selected the 308 acres at Lime Ridge, part of which was cleared, and a tract of timber land on which the well-known limestone quarries are now situated. He devoted the remainder of his life to agricultural pursuits, dying on the old homestead, May 27, 1847. He was a man of great industry, and through his own unaided efforts he attained great success. He was originally a Jacksonian Democrat in his political belief, but later in life became a Whig, being a candidate on the ticket of that party for the Legislature. Religiously he was a consistent Methodist, being one of the pioneers of that faith in Columbia County. His marriage was blessed by the birth of ten children, namely: Thomas, who died in boyhood; Eliza, deceased, who was the wife of H. E. Freace; Elisha W. M.; Charles, deceased, who was a merchant of Orangeville; Mary F., the wife of H. C. Barcon, a farmer on the old Low homestead at Lime Ridge; George L., deceased, who was a member of the firm of Low Bros., lime merchants of Lime Ridge; Maria Emily, deceased, who married John Nicely of Shickshinny, Pa.; Alice, deceased, who was the wife of Dr. Rittenhouse of Williamsport, Pa.; and Thomas B., who died at Army Square Hospital, Washington, D. C., March 8, 1864, as a result of a combination of diseases which he contracted while in the service. He was a member of the 84th Reg., Pa. Vol. Inf., and actively participated in many important battles. At the battle of Chancellorsville he was captured by the enemy, but fortunately made his escape a short time after. He was a member of the Invalid Corps at Gettysburg, and as a result of exposure and poor treatment he contracted typhoid fever, from which he never recovered, dying at the age of twenty years and thirteen days. Dr. Elisha W. M. Low was reared on the farm and received his education in the public schools and in Dickinson Seminary, from which he graduated in 1854. He soon after took up the study of medicine with Dr. F. C. Harrison, a practicing physician of Bloomsburg, and graduated from the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania March 6, 1857. It was his intention to go to South America and there take up the practice of his profession, but he did not, as he had made financial investments in Columbia County which required attention. He and his brother, George L., established the firm of Low Bros., lime merchants of Lime Ridge, and they soon commanded a large business, shipping lime extensively all over the country. George L. Low has since died, but our subject carries on the business under the old name. He is a large landowner, having two good farms in Center township, one in Bloomsburg, and owns considerable farm land in Kansas and Nebraska. He is identified with many thriving enterprises in different sections of Columbia County; has been a director of the First National Bank of Bloomsburg for the past twenty-five years, and has served as its president since 1893. He has also been a trustee of the Danville Asylum for the Insane for a number of years. He has been an energetic and untiring worker and has forced his way to a prominent place among the influential citizens of the county, acquiring the esteem and respect of all with whom he is acquainted. In June, 1861, he was joined in hymeneal bonds with Rebecca Hill, who also comes of a very prominent family of the county, by whom he has had nine children: Elmer E., a member of the firm of Low Bros.; Banks, who died at the age of six months; Helen May, at home; Elizabeth, who is at home; George L., a bookkeeper of Bloomsburg; Mary, who died in early womanhood; Alice; Thomas Hill; and John Vincent, who resides at home. Socially our subject is a 32nd Degree Mason. In religious attachments he is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and is a director and ex-president of the Mountain Grove Methodist Camp Meeting Association. Politically he is a stanch supporter of the principles of the Republican party. He belongs to Washington Lodge, No. 265, F. & A. M., of Bloomsburg. Additional Comments: * The information contained in this biography was supplied by the subject of this sketch. A type-set copy of the biography was sent to the subject to be proof-read, but the subject did not edit and return the copy, so this biography may contain typographical errors. Extracted from: Book of Biographies of the Seventeenth Congressional District Published by Biographical Publishing Company of Chicago, Ill. and Buffalo, NY (1899) This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/pafiles/ File size: 7.2 Kb