Dade County History Book

Back Row: Dulceria “Aunt Dull” (Lowe) & Burtis Robinson, Jim and Emma Daniel. Seated: Mattie Lowe and Sebron Daniel and James Polk Lowe

JAMES KNOX POLK LOWE

 

James Knox Polk Lowe (Dec 22, 1843-Mar 17, 1932) was known to many of his neighbors as Uncle Jim. He was born in Dade County, Georgia to Jefferson and Louize Lowe of Dade County, Georgia. He was the 3rd child of nine children. He was the grandson of Aaron and Mary Lowe who came to Georgia from North Carolina. March of 1862 he enlisted in the Confederate Army in Trenton, Georgia. He was a private in Company D, 39th Georgia Infantry, Cimming’s Brigade, Stevenson’s Division, Harden’s Army in Tennessee.

His first battle was in Baker’s Creek, Mississippi; then Vicksburg, surrendered in this battle in July 1863. Next battle was Missionary Ridge. He was in the campaign from Dalton to Jonesboro and from Georgia to Tennessee, both battles of Franklin and his last battle was in Jonesboro.

He came home and later married Betty Wilkinson, the daughter of Mr. a Mrs. Ben Wilkinson. They had a son, John Andrew, (May 1869-May 28, 1940). While John was a very small baby they packed up their belongings and joined several other families and came west to the Grapevine area. Some of the families were those of Bill Wilkinson, Ben Wilkinson, Perm Cross, and Bill Buckner. The Austin family was friends of the Lowes in Dade County, Georgia and heard of this beautiful land came in 1871.

While coming through Arkansas Bob Jones joined the wagon train and they all came to the Grapevine area together. Bob Jones met and married Meady Chisum, settled on Benton Creek and raised a family.

They remained the best of friends for the rest of their lives and so the children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

After arriving in Grapevine (now Southlake), James and John Bailey teamed up and had a cotton gin that was run by horse power and was located North Whites Chapel Rd. where Bill Miller’s store is now on the northeast o the George Mills place. Jim Lowe later had his own gin, which was the first cotton gin run by steam in this part of the country. This gin was located in the southwest corner of his home place on FM 1709. He not only ginned cotton but ground meal and flour. The payment was a percent of the grain or cotton that was milled.

October 19, 1872, James and Betty Lowe had another son, Louis Jefferson (Luke). When Luke was three weeks old, Betty died of pneumonia. James married Columbia Lee Garrett (November 1872. They had a daughter born dead Oct 15, 1875; then four more daughters: Mary Louize “Mollie” Jan. 23, 1877, Willie L Oct 10, 1880, Martha Ann “Mattie” Jan 23, 1883 and Margaret Missionare “Missie” May 10, 1887.

Mollie married Joe F. Cross and had two daughters: both are buried in Whites Chapel Cemetery. Willie married Noah Guess and had two sons and two daughters: both are buried in Whites Chapel Cemetery. John Married Mary Emma Martin, and had two sons and one daughter: both are buried in Whites Chapel Cemetery. Luke married Areminta Grimes and had eleven children: both are buried Whites Chapel Cemetery. Mattie and Missie never married and are buried in the family plot with their father and mother and baby sister in Lonesome Dove Cemetery.

From these children are 20 grandchildren, 66 great-grandchildren and numerous great-great-grandchildren, many of whom are still living in this area. (GRAPEVINE AREA HISTORY, 1979. Submitted by Normanleene Mills Muir. Used by written permission, Grapevine Area Historical Society, Grapevine, Texas)