Known as F.A.B. Lowe, Frederick was a traveling dry goods salesman after his stint as a Union soldier. Born in Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts, on December 28, 1843, he was the son of Daniel Lowe and Bertha G. Lowe. He first appeared on the census of Boston, Ward 5, in 1860, as he and his parents lived with John and Eliza Casey. Daniel Lowe, 44, carpenter, and Abby, 41, and Frederick, 17, boarded with the family.
At 18, Frederick enlisted in the Union Army in Gloucester, MA. His enlistment on June 26, 1861, was as a private in Company K of the 12th Massachusetts Infantry. The group was formed in Boston by Col. Fletcher Webster, the son of Daniel Webster. They trained in Boston Harbor and set out for the front in July, 1861.
For awhile, they were assigned to picket duty, but things soon changed. In February, 1862, they moved into Virginia for their first meeting with Confederates. And then it was the second battle of Bull Run and the Battle of Antietam, where the regiment lost 224 men of 334. Somehow Frederick made it through alive and was discharged on March 16, 1863. He reported his discharge papers lost on the 1890 Veteran's Census, and it is not known if he suffered any disability.
On June 29, 1864, Frederick married Jennie Prescott in Boston, Massachusetts. She was born in New Hampshire, the daughter of James and Marie Prescott. In 1870, the couple resided in Boston with the family of Henry Lord, a manufacturer of pants. Frederick, 28, gave his occupation as "drummer," an older word for traveling salesman. Jennie, 27, was with him.
It was in the 1880 census that Frederick and Jennie were found in Defiance, Ohio, living on Jefferson Street. F.A.B. Lowe, age 38, merchant, born Massachusetts, and Jennie 38, born New Hampshire, were settled in with their son, F.H.P. Lowe (Frederick Hudson Prescott Lowe). Sometime during his stay in Defiance, he joined the G.A.R. and became a part of their group photo. The couple was still here twenty years later for the 1900 census, married 35 years, and Frederick was still a traveling salesman. That census noted that Jennie had two children with only one living. The second child was Charles A. Lowe, born back in Boston on September 4, 1876, but who died at the age of one month, fourteen days.
On March 29, 1900, the Defiance Democrat reported that "Frederick A. B. Lowe, a traveling salesman, of the city of Defiance, puts his debts at $8,166.21 and his assets at $75.00." He declared bankruptcy just a few days before. Part of the debt may have been caused by a fire reported on February 15, 1883 -"A fire last night damaged Flickinger & Blair and F.A.B. Lowe to the amount of $20,000.
This notice of the purchase of a house in Melrose, Massachusetts, appeared in The Boston Globe on October 7, 1905.
"MELROSE APARTMENTS SOLD. Fred E. Everett of the Ames building has sold for Anita B. Clark of Melrose a new modern house of eight rooms with 8000 square feet of land, located on Faxon st. to Frederick A.B. Lowe of Gloucester,for $4100, who will occupy. Agreements have been signed through."
Apparently, Frederick was planning to or had moved back to Massachusetts at some point. But, what about the bankruptcy?
So Frederick and Jennie hit the road and were actually captured twice by the 1910 census. First, they were in Indianapolis where they lived as boarders in the home of Charles and Virginia Harris. Frederick, at 68, was still a traveling salesman in dry goods. Here he had an accident while trying to jump off a streetcar. From the Brazil Daily Times, Brazil, Indiana, August 8, 1910, p. 1:
While attempting to alight from the west bound interurban car, due at the station at 2:28 this afternoon, F. A. B. Lowe, a veteran traveling man, living at 270 Downey Ave., Irvington, Indianapolis, was hurled from the rear of the car and fell heavily to the pavement. Lowe alighted on his left shoulder. He fell with considerable force since the car was moving at a rapid rate and the old gentleman was hurled over in the air.
Mr. Lowe told the conductor that he wanted off at the Davis Hotel and understood that the car stopped here as the old locals formerly did. However, the regular stop is a Sherfey street a few rods west and the car sailed past the Davis entrance. Mr. Lowe attempted to alight from the car while it was still in motion, believing that it was stopping for the hotel. He lay or a moment, stunned by the blow and was helped up by Robert Kidd who witnessed the accident. The old gentlemen was taken in the David Hotel. His injuries seemed principally to be from the nervous shock."
Later that year, the Lowes were also enumerated on Malvern Street, Melrose Ward 7, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, living with their son, Frederick H. Lowe. Perhaps the accident prompted Frederick and Jennie to head back to Massachusetts and their son. The son, Frederick, 37, was married to his wife, Francis, for 16 years, and worked as an automobile salesman. They had one son, William J., 12. Frederick, 69, still identified as a traveling salesman of dry goods.
Ten years later, Frederick and Jennie lived in a boarding house on Lake Avenue in Melrose which seemed primarily for the elderly. Jeanette Campbell, 62, ran the home in which Frederick, 80 and Jennie P., 80 made their final home. Other residents' ages ranged from 65 - 90.
The Boston Post reported Frederick's death on April 5, 1922 -
"DEATHS. LOWE - In Melrose, April 4, Frederick Albert Burnham Lowe, in his 80th year. Private funeral services will be held from 33 South High st., Melrose, Thursday, April 6, at 1 p.m. Interment at Gloucester, Mass."
Jennie lived on until 1928.
(This is
part of a series on Civil War veterans of Defiance County who were part
of the G.A.R., Bishop Post, that headquartered in the city. Formed in
1879, the post was named after a local man, Captain William Bishop,
Company D, 100th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Army who died as a result of
wounds received in battle. The veterans' photos are part of a composite
photo of members that has survived. If you have other information or
corrections to add to the soldiers' stories, please add to the
comments!)
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