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The Lowrys Among Us
--by Roger Gephart

La Neil and Roger Gephart attended a Lowry Reunion in McMinnville, TN, 17-19 July. La Neil's great-grandparents were Wash Fulbright (born 1844, Independence Co. AR) and Amanda Barnes. Amanda's mother was Frances C. Lowry (born 1823, Bledsoe Co. TN).

Lowry is one of several honorable surnames associated with Clan MacLaren. Mac or Mc was informally dropped by many Scots over the years for a variety of reasons. The difference between the sound of MacLauren and MacLowry is simply a matter of the final n.

Karen Hogue McClaran, our homepage webmaster, wrote in the summer of 1996 newsletter that her husband's name was Lourie Rod McClaren. So, here is another Lowry among us.

By 1685, a large concentration of Lowry MacLarens could be found in Donnegal, in the North of Ireland. Some 200 years later these Highlanders were to become known as Scotch-Irish.

In the early 1700s, English sponsored persecution of Catholics in Ireland spread to include Presbyterians. Massive evictions from the land took place. A series of droughts devastated farm production. Heavy tariffs were levied against Irish exports and imports.

In 1728, three MacLaren Lowrys: Charles, James and Lazarus, took their families aboard the White Sails and set out for America. The majority of American MacLarens who pronounce their name as some variant of Lowry, are probably descended from these three. They fought Indians on the frontier, served in the French and Indian war, the American Revolution, the War of 1812, the Mexican American War, on both sides of the American Civil War, and in every subsequent conflict involving America. Among the Lowrys were statesmen, pioneers, judges, clergy, doctors and almost every other occupation.