Grandfather Thomas Lee Lowe

Thomas Lee Lowe

Thomas Lee Lowe - Othello

My paternal Grandfather, Thomas Lee Lowe, was born September 6, 1887, in North Carolina. I did not have the privilege to meet my Grandfather, as he passed away September 17, 1947, when my own father was 18 years old. Grandfather Lowe holds a special place in my heart as he loved and married my wonderful Grandmother Lillian Lee Taylor, and together they raised a fine man, my father, William Thomas Lowe and a good woman, my aunt, Norma Lee Lowe.

Thomas' Great-grandfather was an important Confederate soldier, Lt. Col. Thomas Lafayette Lowe, July 28, 1831. He was an officer in Company C: 28th Regiment. Thomas Lafayette Lowe married Dorcas Anna Coulter and together they had three children: Thomas Lee (1/9/1855), Ottis L. (2/13/1859) and Willie Ellen (1/11/1861). Lt. Col Thomas Lafayette Lowe died on the battlefield, near Richmond VA, June 11, 1862.
His sketch is listed in the "The Catawba Soldier of the Civil War." p. 173

Ottis L. Lowe, father of Thomas Lee Lowe

Grandfather Lowe's parents were Ottis L. Lowe and Laura Alice Robinson. (Ottis died at the age of 34, 6 weeks after the birth of his daughter Annie, leaving his wife and 4 children.)

Thomas Lee, Annie Laura, Laura Alice, Ottis Augustus and John Coulter

Their children were:
John Coulter -12/28/1884
Thomas Lee - 9/6/1887
Ottis Augustus - 8/5/1891
Annie Laura - 8/12/1893

Thomas Lee Lowe, about 13 years old

Even though Thomas' father had passed away, he had many uncles, cousins, aunts, and grandparents in the tightly knit Lowe and Robinson families. They lived in the area of Hickory, Startown, Newton and Lincolnton, N.C.

Brother John C., Tom Lowe, Brother Gus

Tom Lowe, John C. Lowe, Henry Robinson, O. Gus Lowe - St. Maries Idaho

Fun photo of Grandfather Lowe, his two brothers, John C. and O. Gus and their uncle, Henry Robinson.

Unknown, Tom Lowe, Curley Brinton in St. Marie's ID

Left - Tom Lowe, Unknown, Curley Brinton in St. Maries, ID

                                                        Tom Lowe with friends in St. Maries, ID.

 Thomas Lowe on the right

Grandfather Thomas Lowe served in the Navy based in San Diego, CA, from 1917-1918.  World War I Armistice was declared, November 11, 1918.  Tom Lowe was discharged at Bremerton, WA, December 1918.

 Thomas Lee Lowe - Train Engineer

Tom Lowe, middle row left, Logging Engine - St. Maries, ID, 1910 - 1916

Thomas Lowe - Engineer - Logging Train - center right, leaning on the front of the engine

Thomas Lowe driving

Thomas Lowe - second from left, note that the person far right is a lady

Thomas Lowe - Engineer - center

  

 Thomas Lowe - Engineer

      So how did Thomas Lowe, train engineer based in St. Maries, ID and Lillian Taylor, teacher in Kittitas, WA meet? When Lillian's family moved from the Hyak, WA area to Kittitas WA, Lillian began teaching in the Kittitas Valley. Her younger brother, Dudley, brought Tom to the Taylor family home to meet his family. Tom had fed Dud canned pineapple when they met, so Dud thought, "This man is worth knowing." [based on notes from his daughter Norma Lee Lowe Mathies]
 

     Evidently Grandma Lillian felt the same. Thomas Lee Lowe and Lillian Lee Taylor married July 2, 1927 and their first child (my father, William Thomas) was born, in 1928, in Ellensburg, WA. They moved to St. Maries, ID, where their daughter (Norma Lee) was born, then to Othello, WA, to Kittitas, WA and back to Othello, WA. Each of these towns was on the train road where Grandfather Lowe was an engineer.


     Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad (CMStP&P RR). It was a Class I railroad that operated in the Midwest and Northwest of the United States from 1847 until its merger into the Soo Line Railroad on January 1, 1986. In the 1890s, the Milwaukee's directors felt that they had to extend the railroad to the Pacific in order to remain competitive with other roads. A survey in 1901 estimated costs to build to the Pacific Northwest as $45 million. In 1905, the board approved the Pacific Extension, now estimated at $60 million.   
     Construction began in 1906 and was completed in 1909. The route chosen was to be 18 miles shorter than the shortest competitor's, as well as better grades than some. It was an expensive route, however, since the Milwaukee, receiving few land grants, had to buy most of the land or acquire smaller railroads. In addition, the two main mountain ranges that had to be crossed (the Rockies and the Cascades) required major civil engineering works and the use of additional locomotive power. The completion of 2,300 miles of railroad through some of the most varied topography in the nation in only three years was a major feat.
     The Milwaukee soon found that operation of steam locomotives over the mountain passes was difficult, with winter temperatures that reached -40 °F. Electrification seemed to be the answer, especially with abundant hydroelectric power in the mountains.
     In 1917, the board approved the construction of a separate electrified district between Othello and Tacoma, WA, extended to Seattle in 1927.
     The electrification was successful from an engineering and operational standpoint, but the cost of building increased the debt load and reduced revenues which brought the road to bankruptcy in 1925.
     In 1927, the road launched its second edition of the Olympian as a premier luxury limited passenger train and opened its first railroad-owned tourist hotel, The Gallatin Gateway Inn in Montana. The railroad was re-organized as the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad Company in January 1928 and officially adopted the familiar trade name The Milwaukee Road." http://www.slahs.org/history/railroad/bugline.htm

Three years after World War I Armistice - Marshall Ferdinand Foch visited the USA

Tom Lowe, second from the right, in Navy uniform - 1921 - photo by Gravelle at St. Marie's, Idaho

This photo above was posted in the Seattle Post Intelligencer - November 1, 1921.
Titled - "Service Men in Uniform Drive Foch's Special - Engineer, Conductor, Firemen, Brakemen and Baggageman, All Veterans of World War
     The Foch special drew into the Milwaukee depot on time to the very second, a triumph of trainmanship that seven former service men, making up the crew from St. Maries, Ida, to Seattle, achieved in spite of snow, rain, a rock on the track and some other enforced delays.

     The Milwaukee officials determined upon the handling of the train by former service men as the prettiest kind of a tribute to pay the marshal. The men were collected from the company's service from various points between Spokane and Deer Lodge, Mont.

     All men wore their service uniforms.

     When the steam engine hooked on at Georgetown, the entire crew went back to the marshal's car to be presented.

     The engineer in charge of Engine No. 561, which drew Marshal Foch's train on the last lap of the journey from Black River, was Tom McCaull of Seattle.

     The fireman was Tom Lowe, also a member of the Spokane post of the Legion, and who was in the naval aviation service.

     The baggageman was Joe Healey, a member of the Powell County Post of the Legion at Deer Lodge, Mont., and a fireman, first-class, in the navy during the war, on the U.S.S. Princess Matoka.

     The conductor was Lieut. W.E. Cummins of the Missoula, Mont. post, and was with the Thirty-first Engineers during the war.

     The brakemen were Private J.P. Bevins of Benewah Post, No. 5, St. Maries, with the transportation corps during the war; Private August T. Shirley, with the transportation corps during the war and a member of the Spokane Legion and Private William R. Theiss of the Twenty-eighth Engineers, also a member of the Spokane Legion post.

     Among Milwaukee officials who accompanied the Foch special from Spokane to Seattle in Vice President H.B. Earling's [of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway] private car were James R. Veitch, assistant traffic manager and A.P. Chapman Jr., assistant general passenger agent."

Photo Montage for Post Intelligencer by Walter P. Miller - November 29, 1921

The above photo montage is of Field Marshall Ferdinand Foch of France, later Field Marshall of the UK and Poland, plus the group of American service men who handled the train from Black River to Seattle. Marshall Foch was accompanied by (left to right) Frank D'Olier - the past national commander of the American Legion, Dr. Paul Andre - his physician, Foch, Capt Rene M. l'Hopital - his aide, and General Desticker - chief of staff.

Grandfather Thomas Lowe is on the far right of the seven Americans, in naval uniform.

Grandfather Lowe and me

When I began this blog I stated that some of the puzzle pieces would be difficult to discern the shape  and to find the fit. In starting this page for my Grandfather, Thomas Lee Lowe, I felt uncertain, definitely unsure, searching for a man I did not know. Since reading about Grandpa Lowe, and his family, learning more about the train company he worked for, and asking questions of family, I've come to a peaceful knowledge of who he was and of how much he touched and enriched the lives of family and friends.

Thomas Lowe in the center

For train buffs, I have included every train photo I have in Grandpa's collection. Input on the various engines, trains, stations, etc. would be much appreciated.