Nelson Elisha LOWRY

                   It was said of Nelson E. that he demanded a lot from his sons and slaves.  But he must have had a lot of kindness also.  We read:
Will of Thomas Gregory - - Being of sound mind . . . after
debts are paid, leave all my property to my dear friend
Nelson Elisha Lowry for the many favors bestowed on me for
the last twenty years, all the property I now possess in the
world, even my pocket knife.  Executors were appointed 27 November 1866.  Signed: Thomas Gregory.

Following are exerps from a paper in Virginia 12 February 1979 intitled THE VOICE OF THE NATIVE by Rosewell Page Jr., a news reporter:

       "The day that is deadline for this column to go to press will be recognized officially in many states of the Union as the anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birthday.  Not so in Virginia and most other southern states that made up the Confederate States of America from 1860 to 1865.  We who were southern schoolboys in the early years of the twentieth century were taught that "Old Abe Lincoln" had hoofs and horns, was a desciple of the devil himself and mainly responsible for most of the Southern State's misfortunes during the period of reconstruction and for many years thereafter....  On the day that Abraham Lincoln was assassinated a neighbor of ours, the Late Mr. Elisha Lowry, who lived at Fairfield, where the Parrishes now live and which had been Nelson land originally, came galloping up to the Oakland house while my grandmother, according to the custom of the house, had the members of the family on their knees at midday prayers.  The Major, when he heard the horse's feet and Mr. Lowry's halloo, got up from his knees to go out on the porch to see what was the matter.  Mr. Lowry told him he had just come from Beaverdam where a telegram had been received telling of President Lincoln's death.  Major Page immediately retruned to the parlour where the prayers were still in progress, shouting:  'Stop Betsey Stop Abe Lincoln's been shot  Now go on with your prayers.'  Thus did we hear of that historic event, which my father always said was the greatest blow the prostrate south ever received.

Incidentally Elisha Lowry of Fairfield was the progenitor of the Vaughn, the Parish, the Waldrop, the Coakley and the Terrell families now living in this area."  (By now they considere Lincoln their friend and advocate.)

After the death of his wife Catherine in 1866, Nelson Elisha married Nancy G. Waldrop, an old maid.  Getting older and tired of running the plantation of tabacco and cotton, (slavery was abolished in 1865) he divided his land into parcels, put the description of each tract on a slip of paper, put them all in a hat, held them over his head and each of the children drew a slip which was said to be a very satisfactory division to all.  Nancy G. was left the home and acreage of land.  That land is now owned by Ellis Ira and Elizaberh Parrish, a descendant of Nelson Elisha's daughter Euodia.

To the kindness of Grant W. Lee we owe for the enclosed map of the Nelson Elisha Lowry plantation showing the parcels of land each child received in the drawing.  Grant copied this from the official Plat in the recorder's office in Richmond, Virginia.