Individual Details
Grover Cleveland Lowe
(20 Oct 1892 - 13 Sep 1991)
Grover Cleveland Lowe was born at home on October 20,1892 to Willia m S. Lowe
and Hester Speer Lowe. He grew up adjacent to his Grandfather Speer's
plantation where his father farmed. His favorite activies as a boy w ere
hunting and fishing and his carved initials in a cottonwood tree
adjacent to a stream where he fished for eels and fish with his siste r,Essie
are still present. He left school at sixth grade to help on the far m and
spent most of his time hunting and fishing for food for the family. A bout
1905,the family moved to East Texas. After a time around Marshall,hi s father
moved to farm next to the Red River in Mead, Oklahoma. Grover was dra fted in
into the Army in World War I and served with the 90th Division in th e Trench Mortar Battalion. This division saw little combat arrivin g almost at the end
of the war. It was employed in the Army of Occupation. After WWI, h e was a
guard at the state prison farm in Aylesworth, Oklahoma. In later yea rs,
stories of escaping prisoners and other prison stories were part of h is story
telling reportoire. He married Jessie Ray and their daughter, Hele n was born
adjacent to the prison. Subsequently,he used skills learned at this p osition
to obtain a job as road supervisor. Upon the death of Jessie in child birth,
he was unable to attend to his daughter, Helen. Subsequently, he lef t her
with his parents in Marshall until he remarried. He continued to move
frequently, due to his job building roads. He settled in Lawton, Okl ahoma
until his retirement. Subsequently, he began a small company perform ing
individual grading jobs which he maintained for about twelve years . He was
active in the American Legion and spent numerous hours fishing. Unti l his
death, he continued to own and supervise three duplex apartments perf orming
the maintenance until about age 94. After the death of Myrtle Mae, h is
health began to decline. He had mild Diabetes Mellitus and Chronic
Lymphocytic Leukemia. He sustained several small strokes and died a t home September 13, 1991 attended by his daughter. He is buried i n Lawton, Ok.
I remember my Grandfather as a man with a strict moral code. Hi s word
was his absolute bond. He was tall and slender, six foot about 165 p ounds.
He had a soft southern accent and loved to tell stories of his Army
experiences, prison tales and family stories. He loved to laugh an d had a
tremendous sense of humor. He had a deep baritone with almost perfec t pitch
and loved to sing and listen to gospel hymns. His passion was fishi ng and
many hours were spent with him fishing on different lakes. Even in h is 80s
he still loved to go to the fair and examine the farm equipment and r ead The Progressive Farmer. I thinkhe still thought of himself as a f armer until his death.
References:
1. National Census of 1900 Coosa Co Al,Vol15 Ed26 Sh 11 Ln 45.
2. National Census of 1920 Bryan Co Ok,Vol 7 Ed 20 Sh 6 Ln 50.
3. Lowe Family Bible in possession Nora Forbes.
4. Death Certificate of Grover Lowe Comanche Co. Ok 1991 # 4479.
5. Veterans Administration Discharge Papers in possession Ray Forbes.
and Hester Speer Lowe. He grew up adjacent to his Grandfather Speer's
plantation where his father farmed. His favorite activies as a boy w ere
hunting and fishing and his carved initials in a cottonwood tree
adjacent to a stream where he fished for eels and fish with his siste r,Essie
are still present. He left school at sixth grade to help on the far m and
spent most of his time hunting and fishing for food for the family. A bout
1905,the family moved to East Texas. After a time around Marshall,hi s father
moved to farm next to the Red River in Mead, Oklahoma. Grover was dra fted in
into the Army in World War I and served with the 90th Division in th e Trench Mortar Battalion. This division saw little combat arrivin g almost at the end
of the war. It was employed in the Army of Occupation. After WWI, h e was a
guard at the state prison farm in Aylesworth, Oklahoma. In later yea rs,
stories of escaping prisoners and other prison stories were part of h is story
telling reportoire. He married Jessie Ray and their daughter, Hele n was born
adjacent to the prison. Subsequently,he used skills learned at this p osition
to obtain a job as road supervisor. Upon the death of Jessie in child birth,
he was unable to attend to his daughter, Helen. Subsequently, he lef t her
with his parents in Marshall until he remarried. He continued to move
frequently, due to his job building roads. He settled in Lawton, Okl ahoma
until his retirement. Subsequently, he began a small company perform ing
individual grading jobs which he maintained for about twelve years . He was
active in the American Legion and spent numerous hours fishing. Unti l his
death, he continued to own and supervise three duplex apartments perf orming
the maintenance until about age 94. After the death of Myrtle Mae, h is
health began to decline. He had mild Diabetes Mellitus and Chronic
Lymphocytic Leukemia. He sustained several small strokes and died a t home September 13, 1991 attended by his daughter. He is buried i n Lawton, Ok.
I remember my Grandfather as a man with a strict moral code. Hi s word
was his absolute bond. He was tall and slender, six foot about 165 p ounds.
He had a soft southern accent and loved to tell stories of his Army
experiences, prison tales and family stories. He loved to laugh an d had a
tremendous sense of humor. He had a deep baritone with almost perfec t pitch
and loved to sing and listen to gospel hymns. His passion was fishi ng and
many hours were spent with him fishing on different lakes. Even in h is 80s
he still loved to go to the fair and examine the farm equipment and r ead The Progressive Farmer. I thinkhe still thought of himself as a f armer until his death.
References:
1. National Census of 1900 Coosa Co Al,Vol15 Ed26 Sh 11 Ln 45.
2. National Census of 1920 Bryan Co Ok,Vol 7 Ed 20 Sh 6 Ln 50.
3. Lowe Family Bible in possession Nora Forbes.
4. Death Certificate of Grover Lowe Comanche Co. Ok 1991 # 4479.
5. Veterans Administration Discharge Papers in possession Ray Forbes.
Events
| Birth | 20 Oct 1892 | Vincent, Shelby Co., Ala | |||
| Marriage | 1919 | Jessie Florence RAY | |||
| Marriage | 24 Dec 1934 | Lawton, Comanche Co., OK - Myrtle Mae HOWARD | |||
| Death | 13 Sep 1991 | Lawton, Comanche Co., OK | |||
| Burial | 15 Sep 1991 | Highland Cemetery, Lawton, Comanche Co., OK | |||
| Reference No | 6 |
Families
| Spouse | Jessie Florence RAY (1899 - 1927) |
| Child | Living |
| Spouse | Myrtle Mae HOWARD ( - 1988) |
| Father | William Smiley Lowe (1868 - 1952) |
| Mother | Mary Hester SPEER (1870 - 1953) |
| Sibling | Essie Dell Lowe (1890 - 1972) |
| Sibling | Elbert Hudson Lowe (1895 - 1896) |
| Sibling | Living |
| Sibling | Willie Mae Lowe (1902 - 1996) |
| Sibling | J. Homer Lowe (1904 - 1985) |
| Sibling | Elmer Lowe (1905 - 1905) |
| Sibling | J. D. Lowe (1906 - 1937) |
| Sibling | Annee Bell LOWE (1909 - 1909) |