The Lowrys came to the US from Canada - I think my father was born in Ontario but family moved to Buffalo around 1900 - the year of the Pan American Exposition. He was born in 1879 and came to Buffalo with his Dad. The others followed a year later. All born in Canada except John, around 1900. I think Grandpa Lowry (now that I think of it I'm not even sure of his name - but I believe he was Robert -) sold band instruments - maybe even uniforms. He became bedridden I suppose when he was around 50 -+ I never ever remember seeing him out of bed.
I doubt very much if Grandpa L. was much of a business man. The Lowrys were all dremers (the Irish in them?) ... Grandpa Lowry knew the other big theatre owner in Buffalo - a man named Shea - and was offered a partnership but it never came off. Don't know why. [Living] says Grandpa L. lost the use of his legs - he thinks perhaps GOUT might have played a part. I'm right - both he and [living]'s father were Robert James.
By 1906 - all the family were together and living at 356 Front Street, Buffalo. That was long before I knew anything about them. I only remember a rather dingy old place on 14th street in Buff. - later to become all Italian + who knows what now (1980's) - probably black, because Even in my old neighborhood - blacks were encroaching within a few blocks from the west side. They destroyed the area whenever they moved in, it seems - but that's a problem for society + not to be digressed upon here.
There's a note about Grandpa L. being a bandmaster + even featured Mdm. Schuman-Heink + Jenny Lind. These were outstanding Opera + concert stars in the early 1900's. You would find them written up in encyclopedias. We had records on Granda Foller's old wind-up "victrola" from both, as well as Caruso - and "The Two Black Crows" who sang "Whistler + his Dog".
R. W. Lodge has an old Lowry family bible showing Robert's children:
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