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50157 CLOVER ROAD <br />HISTORICAL CONTEXT <br />The eldest James Lowry came to the United States from England in the early 1800s with <br />his son, James Lowry. James Lowry, the younger, relocated to St. Joseph County in 1833 <br />where he purchased a farm in Harris Township. Mr. Lowry continued to cultivate this <br />farmland until his death in 1840 at age 49. Upon his death the land transferred to his son, <br />James Lowry, Jr. James Jr. was bon in Delaware in 1820 and accompanied his father to <br />St. Joseph County. James spent most of his life farming the 350 -acre farm in Harris <br />Township as well as other property located in Milton Township, Michigan. During his <br />golden years Mr. Lowry Jr., engaged heavily in loaning money as well as serving as <br />Harris Township-Trustee-for-12-y-ears-It_wasJames-Lowry-Jr-rand-his-Wife-Hester-E. <br />Powell Lowry who constructed this Greek Revival Style farmhouse in the 1850s. James <br />Jr., retained ownership of the old homestead until his death in 1904 when the land was <br />transferred to his wife, Hester, and their children, Franklin, James T., Miriam Lowry and <br />Mary A. Longley: <br />Franklin E. Lowry was a teacher during the winter and a farmer during the summer and <br />Grangers postmaster during his off time. Franklin taught in various schools through out <br />Indiana and Michigan, including Harris Township. His brother, James T. resided and <br />operated the old homestead. James and Franklin decided to pursue other interests and <br />farmland elsewhere, causing them to sell their interest in the Harris township farm to <br />their sister, Miraim Lowry and their niece Mary Runkle and nephews, Horace and Claude <br />Longley for $4,350.00. <br />Horace Longley was born in 1880 to Mary Lowry Longley and T.N. Longley. Horace <br />purchased a farm in Clay Township and sold his interest in the Harris land to his siblings <br />and aunt in 1911 for $2,000.00. Claude N. Longley was born in 1879 to Mary and T.N. <br />Longley and married Ethel Kipka in 1911. Claude helped run the family farm while as <br />well as did odd jobs as a carpenter/contractor. Claude and his relatives owned the family <br />farm until 1927 when it was finally sold out of the family to Jacob E. and Mary Kuntz. <br />Mr. Kuntz was the president of South Bend Dowel Works. Mr. Kuntz sold the house and <br />farm a year later to Charles R. Hawkins a farmer/carpenter. Mr. Hawkins resided at this <br />address until 1937 when he sold the property to his brother, Fred F. Hawkins. Fred was a <br />farmer/carpenter. He married Frances Shimp in 1910 and had a son, Robert. Fred <br />Hawkins only owned the house for four years; he sold it in 1941 to John and Helen <br />Humble. <br />John Rudolph Humble was born in Chicago in 1893 to Lyle and Charlotte Humble. John <br />married Helen Haughton in 1920 and served in the army during World War I. Mr. <br />Humble was an insurance agent for Aetna Life Insurance. He and his wife owned this <br />property until 1956 when it was sold to Richard W. and Janet Scholtes. Mr. Scholtes sold <br />the property to Janet, the current owner, in 1983. <br />4 <br />