This is the last of the “Great American Family” Life magazines that I have. This edition is from March 18, 1957 and covers the Lowells of Massachusetts focusing on the sixth through the tenth generations.The Lowells of Massachusetts came to America over two centuries ago. The most notable of the Lowells started with the sixth generation and the Reverend John Lowell. The Lowell family has produced notable poets, federal judges, a famous college president, and has had a strong role in the shaping of Harvard and MIT.
The family really began to flourish under the guidance of Reverend John Lowell’s son John Lowell. Known as the “Old Judge,” John Lowell made his fortune as a lawyer sorting out prize claims in the 1770s, was a member of Continental Congress, and founded the first U.S bank in Boston. The Old Judge married three times and had three children. The most notable of these children is Francis Cabot who went to England, studied cotton mills, and brought these techniques back to New England making it the industrial power that it became.
Starting with the tenth generation the Lowells began to venture into the arts, science and education. Amy Lowell (1874-1925) never attended college because her family did not believe that it was proper for a young woman. However, she did not let this stop her from becoming a famous poet and a leader of the Imagists poetry movement. She died at the age of 51 from a cerebral hemorrhage and was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry for her book of poetry Whats O’Clock a year later.
Percival Lowell (1855-1916) Amy’s brother was a businessman, author, and mathematician, but is best known for his efforts as astronomer. He traveled to the Far East and wrote several books on the Orient pertaining to Japanese behavior, psychology, and religion. He founded the Flagstaff observatory and contributed to the discovery of Pluto which was discovered 14 years after his death The name Pluto was influenced by his initials PL.
Abbot Lawrence Lowell (1856-1943), brother to Percival and Amy followed in the footsteps of the Old Judge choosing a career in letters and law. Abbot became president of Harvard at 52. He was the first Lowell to hold this position, although Harvard had been without a Lowell on its faculty or board in only one out of the 13 decades before him. A. Lawrence Lowell served Harvard for 24 years and raised the endowment from $22.5 to $128 million. However, his tenure was not served without its controversies due to his his views surrounding race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation.
Other Notable Lowells (below)
The Lowells of today often trace their family line back to one of three loyalties. First, the are he descendants of the Rebel who later married an Amory are known as the Higginson-Amory. Second, are those who trace their roots back to Francis Cabot and are referred to as the Cabot-Jackson’s, as he married a Jackson. The third line is that of Reverend Charles, who married a Spence, and are called the Russell-Spence line. All three of these line are descendants of the Old Judge. Ralph Lowell explained that the descendants of the Old Judge had remained so prominent by marrying very carefully, although they often kept to themselves and married cousins. The Lowells are not as concentrated as they used to be, but still have a strong representation in the New England area sticking to professions in the arts, education, banking, law and other general good work.