Biographical Sketches

EDDA LEE LOWREY

EDDA LEE LOWREY, County Superintendent of Schools of Jefferson county, is a native daughter of Montana, born in Meagher county, near Townsend, May 16, 1867, a daughter of B. F. Lowrey, a Montana pioneer of 1864, and now a miner and stock-raiser in St. Louis.  He was born in Missouri, in 1833, and in 1859 married Miss Jennie Thestle, a native of Maryland.  One son, Charles N., was born in that State.  In 1864 Mr. Lowry [sic] left his family and braved the dangers of crossing the plains to search for gold in Montana, in which he met with fair success, and accordingly sent for his family.  The mother and her little son made the long journey up the Missouri river, and they located on a farm in Meagher county.  While there they had four children, of whom our subject is the only survivor.  Her parents and the eldest brother are still living.

Edda L. Lowrey was raised in Jefferson county, Montana, where she attended the public schools, also the St. Vincent's Academy at Helena.  When only seventeen years of age she began her life-work as a teacher in St. Louis, where she met with so good success that she taught for five terms in succession.  She followed that occupation until 1890, and in that year she was appointed County Superintendent of Schools, to fill a vacancy, serving in that capacity eighteen months.  She was then elected to the office, on the Democratic ticket, and received the flattering majority of 600 votes, running far ahead of her ticket.  She entered on the duties of the office in a sensible and practical way, is enthusiastic in her work, and is putting forth her best endeavors for the advancement of the thirty schools of her county.  In addition to the stated visits to the schools of the county, Miss Lowrey also attends the teachers' conventions, and takes a deep interest in all that pertains to the educational affairs of the county.  She is a member of the Baptist Church, of the Young People's Christian Endeavor and of the Eastern Star.  She has made a number of good investments, and is adding her mite to the building up and improvement of Boulder.  Our subject is widely known in her own and other counties of her State, and has hosts of true friends.

Source: Transcription from the book, An Illustrated History of the State of Montana, by Joaquin Miller, published in 1894; located on the website, Internet Archive (http://archive.org), accessed 12 May 2023.

BACK TO TOP