John Lowry

Birth Notes

Estimate of DoB based on death notice in Londonderry Journal and Donegal & Tyrone Advertiser which says he died "at an advanced age".

Drumcrow, Taughboyne Parish, Co. Donegal, Ireland

Death Notes

Source: Londonderry Journal and Donegal & Tyrone Advertiser, 22 November 1796/pg 4 "Died at an advanced age, M. John Lowry of Drumcrow, near Raphoe".- www.actofunion.ac.uk

General Notes

Abercorn Letters:
October 6, 1745 "The Tenants have verry few fire arms in proportion to Their Numbers. In somme large farms not one fitt for Service & what they have are generally old & not mutch to be depended on; however when I have finished my acct for his Lordship I shall have a particular answer of them.--Jno McClintock, Abercorn Letters, #1736518

October 12, 1745 Account of Firearms: [ First document we have with mention of JOHN LOWRY] JOHN LOWRY, 1 musket, Drumcrow.- Jno McClintock, Abercorn Letters, #1736518

5 June 1747 "William Douglas, Parish Clerk of Taughboyne has sited for his dues to the Bishop's Court of Raphoe, eight of the tenants of the Manor of Magavelen to witt, Ths Smith, Jno Hindman & Jas Wilson all of Carrickmore, JNO LOWERY & Patrick Porterfield of Drumcroe, Jno Alexander of Kinnekilly & Jas Ellister of Cloghfin.I was with them at the Court of Raphoe yesterday and they were ordered to constitute a Proctor and enter an appearance next court to be held 25th June which is agreed to, however I shall expect Your Lordship's Directions how to proceed in this defence as soon as it is convenient and the the mean time will take care that noe advantage is taken of them for Contempts, which I believe is all can be done here, as I am of opinion Your Lordship won't desire there should be a fugal in this Court..." Jno. McClintock, agent - [Abercorn Letters, # 1736518]

June 30, 1747 I received Your Lordship's letter of 10th June Thursday evening on my returne from Raphoe when the Libels were Exhibited but I could not procure coppys of them till Yesterday, as there is noe Material Difference in them but those whole dues claimed by the clark recited in all of them. I have sent herewith the coppy only of one of them against Patrick Porterfield, & below there is an account? of the persons sited with the Dues Claimed of them serverally. They are all Dissenters and never required any service of the Parish Clark, and have not paid him any of the dues demanded THESE SIX YEARS PAST. Some of them never paid any Clarks Dues, & some others acknowledge that they paid Wm. Douglass his predecessor, but that they think was paid in their own wrong, and are not willing to pay aney but what by law they may be obliged to pay. There was a rule made last Court that the Answers should be put in next Court to be held on 10th July however I expect we will gett indulgence for one Court longer. But as I am pretty confident it will go against the paritioners in the court I would be glad it were removed as soon as possible, and I hope Your Lordship will give instructions for that purpose."--Jno McClintock, agent, [Abercorn Letters, #1736518]
NB - It may be important in dating John Lowry to note that he had probably not paid his dues for six year in 1747. We already believe that his son Andrew was born in 1745 and there may have been earlier children if he was married between 1735 and 1740.

June 30, 1747 Dues owed by JNO LOWERY- Drumcroe- Six Easter Groats 2/ Three Christenings, 2/6 Three Burrials 1/8 in all---6 shill---Jas McClintock, agent - [Abercorn Letters, #1736518]

1747-1751 The letters from Jno McClintock speak of the Clerk's Dues case through May 1751. In particular, John Alexander's case - a sentence was given against him in Oct. 1748 for the Easter Groats but not the Christenings, Marriage or Burials. The agent says in Sept 1749 letter that no steps have been taken to sentence John Alexander. The other plaintiff's cases were moved to another court and evidently only John Alexander wanted to make an argument in his. In a letter of May 7, 1751 Abercorn tells McClintock to" tell the tenants that have not paid the difference of the suit for Clerk's fees, that they have only till the 1st of Aug allowed to make their payments: That after that, they will be doubled: and that those that shall not make before the 1st of Nov., will totally lose their tenant right."--Abercorn Letters, # 1736353

April 24, 1770: "Mr. Brownlow wrote me that he had found that there had been 60 wheels ordered your Lordship's tenants in the year 1766 which must be forfeited if an affidavit was not sent to the Linen Board that they had been bespoke before last February; he let me know that there were 60 more granted last Board; he says that 5s a wheel is what is allowed, and he advises that good wheels should be got made here, and the people who get, to pay the difference; he has I believe procured JOHN LOWRY of Drumcrow some considerable encouragement for carrying on the bleaching business, and got the brown seals for another of your Lordship's tenants." Jas. Hamilton, Agent [Abercorn Letters]

March 19, 1775: "JOHN LOWRY of Drumcrow and some others I think of their tenants were of the Jury, when I asked him, how it was possible he could think, that a road, cutting through peoples' fields was no damage, he said that as the ground had not been then cutt, no damage was done, and he thought the business of the Jury, was to report whither it was a necessary road and that the damages were to be asertained, when the road was made - so that he qauite misaprehended Mr. Cowan. - Jas Hamilton, agent. [Abercorn Letters - #1736679]

Title Deed 31Oct 1777: Between Patrick Porterfield of Drumcrow and the Revd. James Gordon of Raphoe. 49£ 3s 3p paid by the said Revd. James Gordon of Raphoe for the piece or parcel of ground commonly known as the KaVince? of West Drumcrow lying in the manor of Magavelin. Executed by Charles Porterfield & Victor Gordon of Drumcrow and two other gentlemen of Co. Tyrone. Patrick Porterfield has sold a parcel of his land to Revd. James Gordon who is probably the father of Victor Gordon, PP's son in law. There is another Title Deed which I could not locate indicating that Gordon sells the property back to Porterfield - also in 1777.

Abercorn Letter- January 14, 1780: "Patrick Porterfield of Drumcrow is dead, some of his creditors to whom he owed by bond have brought executions and they intend selling the lease the 5th of next month..... I am informed that JOHN LOWRY, who has just as much or more in that town ajoining it would give £200 for it, if they all cleared out, but will not on any terms buy it unless they give up every claim now, and at? the expiration of the lease...Jas. Hamilton, Agent [Abercorn Letters - #1736680]

[ Patrick Porterfield and John Lowry were both tenants in Drumcrow from at least 1745 to 1780- 35 years. At this time it all went to John Lowry as he is the sole tenant on the 1781 Survey Map. In a 1777 Deed that was registered Patrick Porterfield tried to sell part of his to a Revd. James Gordon. Victor Gordon, PP's son in law, ended up in 1780 in Edymore according to the Abercorn agent.

Feb 13, 1780: "The reason why I troubled Your Lordship about the sale of Drumcrow was to prevent Your Lordship hereafter trouble by claimers, but that is quite settled. Victor Gordon sold out and has purchased Jno Neiland's farm in Edimor which Your Lordship had give to John Wood (Ward) of this town and consented afterward to his relinguishing to Nieland." Jas. Hamilton, Agent, [Abercorn Letters - #1736680] The Gordons were then in Edymore until 1957 according to the Mourne book. Between 1838-1858 a Robert Lowry is in Edymore and subsequently in Cavanlee by 1879. Is he somehow related to the Lowrys of Drumcrow?

Abercorn Survey Map: 1781, JOHN LOWRY/Drumcrow:

September 07, 1783: " JOHN LOWRY of Drumcrow wants to buy 2 sycamore trees that grow in John Gilfilans Garden in Woodland. I believe they might be spared as the wood is close to the Garden, but Gilfilan thinks that he should have part of the price of them as he says his father planted them. There are trees as Crachadoes that are quite failing." Jas. Hamilton, Agent [Abercorn Letters- #1736680]

June 09, 1785: "Upon getting Your Lordship's letter I went to Sion, the want of water at other mills had brought great numbers there with their grain, there were some from Drumcrow, and from Legnatraw and from places at a great distance." Jas Hamilton, Agent [Abercorn Letters - #1736680]
NB: The 8th Earl of Abercorn, who took control of the Estate in 1744, died in 1789.

Abercorn 21 yr Lease Book: December 1789, John Lowry/21 Yr Lease signed/Drumcrow[Earliest Lease book I have seen]

Abercorn Rental Book: Bet. 1794 - 1810, John Lowry marked paid through 1809 on June 26, 1810

Click here for details of John's family with Mrs Lowry

¹ Londonderry Journal and Donegal & Tyrone Advertise rNov 22, 1796