Yale University Library 39002004866837 glf^^ 1 ^ ^"^ ^^^~ ^^*<^- *- ilJ" ^mi^^^X. YALE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY I I THE Lowrie History AS ACTED IN PART BY Henry Berry . . LOWRIE. . A. W. McLEAN. »^»m^ ^' °- CALDWELL, President ^K^>«KKhi. Vice-Prest C. B. TOWNSEND, H^M^P' '^^ WH ITE, Active Vice- Prest. ma^W^^fSmf Vice- Prest. A. W. PEACE, i^" '^•d?' A, Vv McLEAN, Cashier. "aHte*** Asst. Cashier. The Bank of Lumberton CAPITAL $100,000.00 Assets and Responsibility Over One- ha If Million Dollars .... LUMBERTON, N. CAROLINA. ORGANIZED 1897 If you want your money with a Bank that has stood the test of time — that deals promptiy, squarely and liberally with its patrons; that pays the highest possible rate of interest, within conservative bounds, for your idle money; in fact, if you are seeking the services of an ex perienced, safely managed Bank, caU on us or write for information. We invite small accounts as well as the large ones ..,.,.,.. Yours for service, A. W. PEACE, Cashier. Four per cent, interest paid on Savings Deposits, Com- pounded Every Three ivionths THE LOWRIE HISTORY AS ACTED IN PART BY Henry Berry Lowrie, THE Great North Carolina Bandit, WITH BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF HIS ASSOCIATES. ILLUSTRATEO. Being a Complete History of the Modern Robber Band in the County of Robeson and State of North Carolina. WITH AN APPEINOIX. "A , PUBLISHED BY LuMBEE Publishing Company, LUMBERTON, N. C, COPYWRIGHTED BY E. E. PAGE, 1909. INTRODUCTORY ^^ '^The cool particulari ties and deliberation make the tragedy even more hein ous by the awe which they inspired; it was murder with the appearance of sovereignty and martial right. No crime know^n to modern society presents such dark fea tures as the killing of Sanders, and to this day the peo ple of Robeson turn pale at the bloody reminiscence. This occurrence will frighten the rising generation of Carolina for the century to come. The remains of the unfortunate John Sanders were decently re-interred in a neat coffin by the Sheriff of the county. Peace to his ashes ! KILLING OF ZACH McLAUGHLIN. It being positively ascertained that McLaughlin be longed to the robber clan, and accompanied them in all their predatory visits in the neighborhood, the Sheriff, Roderick McMillan, summoned his posse and went to his house to arrest and carry him before a Justice of the Peace for trial. Zack not being aware that his com plicity with the "gang" was known, generally remained at the house of his mother in the day, and at night- fall THE LOWRIE HISTORY. 107 sallied forth to join his chosen comrades. The Sheriff had no difficulty in finding and arresting him. The premises were searched, but there was nothing found that could be identified; he, however, was carried to Red Banks, tried, and proven guilty of robbing the house of a Mr. Register in the neighborhood; although black ed at the time, he was recognized by a young lady visi tor, who appeared as a witness against him at the time of trial. He was then taken to Lumberton and lodged in jail; he soon made his escape and entered the band in good earnest. He was recognized as one of the party who robbed the house of Mr. Zach. Fulmore. It be coming a certain fact that he really belonged to the band, he was outlawed by the proper authorities, and killed by Henry Biggs under the following circumstan ces : On the night of the 21st of December, 1870, Biggs met McLaughlin at the house of Mr. Noah Duncan. After supper he asked Biggs to walk out with him, which he did; after going some distance from the house, McLaughlin drew a pistol on Biggs and commenced cursr ing him, telling him that he had tried to persuade him long enough to join their band, and that he should compel him that night to go and aid him in robbing some cab ins belonging to turpentine hands in the neighborhood. Biggs being unarmed, had no choice but to accompany him. The negroes were all sleeping soundly, and Zach. had no difficulty in appropriating to himself such arti cles as he thought proper. He left their cabins minus clothing, a watch, carpet-sack, boots, shoes, provisions, &c. He was drunk, and did not go far before he com plained of being sleepy and very much fatigued; he or dered Biggs to kindle a fire, which he proceeded to do, followed up by Zack. with a drawn revolver in his 108 THE LOWRIE HISTORY. hand. As soon as the fire was made, Zach, lay down (making Biggs lie down with him) with his gun under his head, and a belt around his waist with three large sized pistols in it. Soon he was snoring loudly. Biggs con cluded that the time was at hand to put an end to the life of one of the villains of Robeson. Reaching over he gently withdrew a pistol from his belt, and putting the muzzle to the back of the outlaw's head, fired, the ball passing through and coming out near the eye. Biggs leaped over the body and fired again, the ball coming through near the ear. Biggs took his arms and concealed them in the woods, then reported to a Justice of the Peace. A party going out and identifying the body, the reward of two hundred dollars offered by the county was paid over to Biggs. The reader will recollect that McLaughlin was the murderer of Owen C. Norment in March preceding his death. He was considered by all who knew him as more brutal than any of the gang. He was the first to meet his merited fate- THE FATE OF HENDERSON OXENDINE. On Saturday night, February 26th, 1871, the follow ing young men, John S. McNeill, Angus Archie McNeill, William McNeill, John K. McNeill, Alexander McNeill, Daniel McNeill, Hector McNeill, David McNeill, Archie D. McCallum, W. Frierson Buie, Frank McKay, George W. McKay, and Archibald Brown, captured Henderson Oxendine in the house of his brother-in-law, George Applewhite, and formally committed him to jail in Lum berton on Monday morning following, showing th^ir magnanimity in the act of committing him to jail, for he THE LOWRIE HISTORY. 109 was then an outlaw by the laws of his country. A price had been set on his head by the civil authorities on ac count of his many crimes, but these young men were as generous as they were brave, and instead of killing him outright, delivered him up to the civil authorities, and insisted that he should be regularly tried by court and jury ; consequently, on Wednesday week following he was put upon his trial in an open court in Lumberton, before his Honor Daniel L. Russell, Jr., and after a fair and impar tial trial, found guilty of the crimes charged to him. The Judge then sentenced him to be hanged on the 15th of April, which sentence was carried into execution on the day appointed inside the jail yard at Lumberton, Thus passed away another of the Robeson county out laws, in the 28th year of his age. He was a thick-set, but trim, Indian, with straight black hair, and rather an indifferent face. He made a full confession of his crimes before his execution, and died almost stoically, witlicut a sigh. Henderson Oxendine was the only out law that was hanged for being implicated in the mur der of ex-Sheriff King. Steve Lowrie and George Ap plewhite were also found guilty of being implicated in that tragedy, but escaped out of jail before sentence was passed on them, John Dial, also another Indian, outlawed for the same offense, turned State's evidence and thus saved his neck although he was equally as guil ty as the others. BILLY McKOY was an old colored man living on the plantation of Mr. Sandy McKenzie. He had incurred the wrath of the robber clan and their friends, not only by standing aloof 110 THE LOWRIE HISTORY. from them, but also by casting his vote in every election with the whites and avowing his principles to be con servative. They commenced annoying the old man by stealing his chickens, vegetables, &c. They came to his houe early in the spring of 1871, and told him that they heard his house was the headquarters of the colored soldiers. He told them it was not so; they had spent one night there only; that he was from home when they came, and on returning at night, found them snugly quartered beneath his roof; that he had no authority to order them out, and therefore submitted quietly to their company. The robbers then said, "You vote with white men." He replied, "Yes; I have a right to vote as I please, and that is my choice." They accused him of telling falsehoods to Mr. J. M. McNair about them. This he denied- Old Billy was badly frightened, and to set him somewhat at ease, they told him that they would not kill him, but intended giving him a good whipping. A voice in the dark said, "No, don't whip the old man. ' ' Boss Strong said, ' 'Yes, and we will take his clothes off to do it." H. B. Lowrie ordered him whipped with his clothes on, which Boss did, whip ping him severely. He knew four of the crowd to be Steve and H. B. Lowrie and the two Strongs; the other three he did not recognize. He had a near neighbor, a negro, working on the same plantation, by the name of Ben Bethea, who was an avowed enemy of Old Billy, and who also belonged to the robber clan. He was in strumental in having the old fellow whipped. Some time during the following winter, this Bethea was taken from his house by a company of armed men and car ried about three miles off and shot. He justly deserved THE LOWRIE HISTORY. Ill the punishment meted out to him. Not only a co-worker with the clan, but if any one gave him the slightest cause for offence, sought revenge either on their persons or property by^carrying malicious tales to his confederates in crime, thus setting them on to do harm to the offen der. He was a native of South Carolina, and was an accomplice in the robbing and burning of the house of a widow lady in that State soon after the surrender. The authorities attempted to capture him, and he sought refuge in Robeson county, joining the robber band, where he was finally overtaken, and a just punishment for his crimes awarded him. AN AGREEMENT OR COMPACT OF ELEVEN YOUNG MEN IN ROBESON COUNTY. In March, 1871, a plan formed for ridding and free ing entirely Robeson county of the Lowrie outlaws was entered into by F. M. Wishart, Mudoch A. McLean, George L. McKay, Frank McKay, John A. McKay, W. H. McCallum, J. Douglas McCallum, Archie D. McCal lum, Archie J. McFadyen, Malcom McNeill, (Greeley) and Faulk J. Floyd, and persistently carried out. Arm ing themselves with navy revolvers, Spencer, Henry and Winchester guns, they immediately entered on the cam paign, and went forth to hunt the outlaws in their swampy retreats and fastnesses in Scuffletown, deter mined to kill or be killed — determined to vindicate the name and fame of their native county. These brave spirits under all the discouraging circumstances which surrounded them, stood the stalwart braves of our coun ty, like Warsaw's last champion. 112 THE LOWRIE HISTORY. "Oh heavens ! they said, Our bleeding Country save. Is there no hand on high to shield the brave ? What though destruction sweeps these lovely plains. Rise, fellow-men ! Our country yet remains; By that dread name, we wave the sword on high, And swear for her to live, for her to die". This was a "dark and doleful period" in the history of Robeson county. Some of our best citizens had been forced to leave the county simply because they had ta ken a part in ferreting out these outlaws. Our young men and old men had been branded abroad as a set of cowards; we had become a bye-word and a reproach among our sister counties; we had been considered by the outer world as colleagues with them in their mur ders, arsons, treason and rebellion. No people in any country have been so abused and villified as the citizens of Robeson county, simply because they did not rise up and extirpate the Lowrie gang. Few men would have essayed to do what these noble, heroic men attempted; few men would have gone forth voluntarily as they did and encountered the perils to which they were exposed by day and by night; often were they wearied, often did they suffer from hunger, from thirst, from weary limbs, aching heads, wet clothes, cold, frost, heat; yet on they went tramp, tramp, through midnight darkness, through rain, sunshine, through the almost impenetra ble bays and swamps of Scuffletown, encountering the frowns of the Indian, the hisses of the negro race, and sometimes the scowls of a few of the white race who had black hearts ; often they were ridiculed, slurred and censured, yet they braved all with courage and forti tude without being moved. On the Sth of April they saw at a distance the whole of the outlaw gang, who. THE LOWRIE HISTORY. 113 on perceiving them, made off precipitately into the low grounds of Lumber River. On the following Saturday night these brave and intrepid men met again at Plain- view. Owing to sickness and other causes only five of them reported, viz: George L. McKay, Franklin MC'^ Kay, W. H. McCallum, Archie D. McCallum and J; Douglas McCallum; after consultation they determined; however, to go to the house of the notorious outlaw; George Applewhite, dark as the night was, and wait thd dawn of day, which was to be the Sabbath. Stationing themselves near his residence, on a path leading acrosi the Juniper in the direction of the Carolina Central Rail way, they remained there until 4 o'clock p. m., when, to their surprise, they saw George Applewhite proceeding di rectly towards them(all was confusion for a few moments), when W. H. McCa Hum fired upon him from a distance not more than twenty paces, the load taking effect in the neck of the outlaw; he returned the fire simultaneously, "turn ing his back, however. Frank McKay fired on him, his load taking effect in his back. George L. McKay and J. Douglas McCallum, hearing the clash of arms, rose up and also fired on him when near the edge of the swamp. Here he reeled and fell. Fearing that the eu'- tire outlaw gang was near at hand, these young men left the blood-stained spot, not, however, before they picked up a sack containing a hat and a pair of shoes, dropped by the outlaw, also the hat he had on when shot. Send ing a messenger to Lumberton after the Sheriff in order to deliver the body of the outlaw to him, they separated for the night. Returning in the morning with the Sheriff and some other gentlemen, the body of George Apple- 114 THE LOWRIE HISTORY white could nowhere be found, the other outlaws hav ing removed him during the night. He was not killed, as was subsequently learned, but was seriously wounded, and was kept concealed until his wounds healed so that he could travel, when he slipped away from the county, not even his comrades, the outlaws knowing, his intention. But he made good . his escape. Subsisting on fruit and watermelons until beyond Fayetteville, where he was less afraid of being recognized, he began to ask for workandfood. Finally he reached Goldsboro, where he remained for several months — when his whereabouts was discovered. He was again arrested and placed in Whiteville jail, was tried and acquitted under the "Amnesty Act." Thus was the gallows cheated, and he whose hand was stain ed with the blood of the good and honorable and aged citizens of our country, given life and liberty. Alas ! for justice. It will be remembered that George Applewhite was outlawed for killing ex-Sheriff King, for which crime he was twice tried and condemned to be hanged, but his counsel taking an appeal tO the Supreme Court, he es caped from jail and returned to his former haunts and depredation, where he was wounded: and from whence he escaped to Goldsboro. After the wounding of George Applewhite by these young men the bandts became more wary. The hunt for them, however, was still kept up by Geo. L. McKay, Frank McKay, J. D. McCallum, A. D. McCallum, F. M. Wishart, M. McNeill, Archie McFadyen and F. J. Floyd, assisted occasionally by Rod. McMillan and A. M. Mc Lean. From sheer fatigue they became exhausted, and on the last day of June they came out of Scuffletown, THE LOWRIE HISTORY. 115 and the County Commissioners called out ten men in each Township to serve one week by turns, and placed the same men under command of F. M. Wishart, mith headquarters at Buie's Store in the heart of Scuffletown. F. M. Wishart entered on the duty assigned him on the 8lh of July following, and kept up the pursuit of the outlaws unremittedly. On the 10th of July several per sons suspected of harboring and sympathizing with the outlaws were arrested by order of the Sheriff, includ ing the wives of H. B. Lowrie, George Applewhite and Andrew Strong. The party who arrested the wives of the outlaws were fired on from an ambuscade by the outlaws when near Buie's Store, immediately on the rail way, and Archibald A. McMillan was instantly killed, and Archibald Brown and Hector McNeill were mortal ly wounded, from the effects of which they died next morning. Berry Barnes and Alex. Brown were also slightly wounded. Notwithstanding these casualties the other four men returned the fire and caused the outlaws to retreat to the woods. They carried the prisoners in triumph and delivered them to Col. F. M. Wishart. On the same evening the outlaws engaged a company of men under Capt. Charles McRae, at a point on Lumber River known as "Wire-Grass Landing, " about 5 o'clock p. m. ' THE FIGHT AT WIRE GRASS LANDING. On the morning of the 10th of July, 1871, a company of the militia called out by the Sheriff", consisting of four teen men from Alfordsville and Thompson townships, reported to Capt. Wishart for duty at Buie's Store. They were ordered to go to the house of Andrew Strong 116 THE LOWRIE HISTORY. and arrest his wife and carry her to a point on the road leading from Harper's Ferry to Red Banks Bridge, where they were to meet a party that had been sent to arrest the wives of Henry B. Lowrie and others of the outlaws. They arrested Andrew Strong's wife and proceeded with her to the point designated, where they waited several hours for the party that was to convey her to headquarters, which, through a misunderstanding, had gone another way. During the afternoon, as the party did not arrive, the Captain detailed four men from the company to escort her to said destination. The ten men that were left then proceeded to Wire Grass Landing, on Lumber River, below Harper's Fer ry Bridge. A short time after they reached this place they heard talking near by, and soon discovered that it was a party in a boat on the river, and they were com ing towards them. When they reached a point about seventy-five yards above the landing, they stopped. They heard them wading in the water, and knew that some of the party had left the boat. After remaining very quiet for some time, the canoe again started d-own the river, which, on making a short bend, was clearly in view. H. B. Lowrie was the only occupant of the boat, and as he was greeted by a volley from the guns of the inilitia.he sprang into the water, keeping the canoe between him and the enemy as a kind of portable breast-work. His firing was harmless, as was much from the random shooting of those in the bushes. (Those of the party that had gotten out of the boat were con- .cealed in the bushes). There were four mulattoes with the militia ; on opening fire they ran, but when ordered back obeyed and behaved very quietly throughout the fight. The post was held by the militia until their am- THE LOWRIE HISTORY. 117 munition was exhausted and the command given to retire. In this fight Mr. Duncan McCormick and Charles Smith were wounded, though not seriously. The damage done to the outlaws could not be ascertained. On the 14th of July following the Lowrie bandits went to the residence of Mr. John McNair and behaved very insultingly, although Mr. McNair, previous to this feud, had often treated them very kindly, frequently selling them corn and meat on a credit and waiting pa tiently for his pay. On this day, however, they ordered Mr. McNair to write the following note: Mr. James Sinclair ; If our wives are not released and sent home by next Monday morning there will be worse times in Robeson county than there ever has been yet. We will commence and drench the county in blood and ashes. ( H. B. LOWRIE, Signed I STEVE LOWRIE, ( ANDREW STRONG. They then ordered Mr. McNair to hitch his horse to his buggy and proceed with it to Lumberton and deliver it to James Sinclair, which Mr. McNair did, leaving no white person on the place except his wile (Mrs. McNair). Arriving at Lumberton about 10 o'clock a. m., Mr. Mc Nair delivered the note to James Sinclair, who, after reading it, directed him to hand it to the Sheriff, which he' did, and after the Sheriff read it, he told Mr. McNair to inform the outlaws tha.t the people of Robeson county were not to be tampered with in that way, and driven by mere threats into measures by these outlaws, and the white men of Robeson in all time to come branded as cow ards. Mr. McNair returned and met the outlaws about three miles below his residence, on the road to Lumber- 118 THE LOWRIE HISTORY. ton, and delivered the message of the Sheriff" to them, which they received with a dark, ominous scowl, but offered no violence to Mr. McNair. On Monday following, quite a number of the old grey headed citizens of Robeson county went to Lumberton and held a consultation with the Sheriff and County Commissioners, and the conclusion arrived at was, that taking all things into consideration, it was probably best to release the wives of the outlaws and send them home, inasmuch as they (the wives) were not responsible for the acts of their husbands, and also because it was believed at the time that their release would have a good effect on the rest of the Indian race. They were therefore released and sent home next day. The next week following, Adjutant-General Gorman appeared on the scene of action with part of a company of Federal soldiers, asking the county of Robeson for an equal number of volunteers to co-operate with him in capturing the outlaws, when the follovyring named gen tlemen responded to the call: F. M. Wishart, Colonel; James Nicholson McLean, Captain; J. C. McKellar, First Lieutenant; James McBryde, Second Lieutenant; John S. McNeill, Third Lieutenant; and the following privates: Henry McCallum, J. T. McCormic, A. A. McGirt, C. Mc Rae, E. C. McNeill, Gilchrist McGirt, Daniel McKenzie, James McQueen, Archie McDonald, James McGoogan, Alexander McGirt, Malcom McNeill (Greely), Samuel Barnes, John Cobb, Henry Biggs, Frank Currie, Joseph Philhps, Archie Johnson, Duncan Campbell, Daniel Campbell, Thomas Purcell, W. C. Smith. These men remained with Adjutant-General Gorman in Scuffletown two months, and were disbanded without capturing a single outlaw, simply because the outlaws THE LOWRIE HISTORY. 119 evaded them on all occasions. The volunteers gener ally, and the true men of Robeson county believed at the time, and believe to this day, that the Adjutant-Gen eral of the State was in collusion with the outlaws, as was every negro in the county. Thus terminated this campaign of Adjutant-General Gorman, without accom plishing anything; in the mean time, however, the pred atory warfare on the part of the outlaws went on with out any cessation, robbing whom they pleased and when they pleased, depleting the whole country around Scuf fletown of guns and pistols, and whatever else they saw fit to take; turning the heads of the Indians and prompt ing negro imitators; and training up the very children of Scuffletown to be barbarians, with the lust for plun der and rapine. Indeed, after the failure of Gen. Gor man to capture them, the outlaws showed more desper ation than ever; they seemed to fear nothing, whilst they showed a ferocity, premeditation and insolence frightful to behold; spreading terror and dismay wher ever they saw fit to go; no one not an inhabitant of the county at the time can realize the situation; nearly all of our citizens, with here and there an honorable excep tion, seemed terror-stricken and dumb with dismay, for they did not know at what hour the Lowrie bandits would pounce down on them like an eagle on his prey, and murder some male member of the family for some imaginary wrong, or take away from them their hard earnings. HerCjWe will relate an incident that occurred "not a hundred miles" from Ashpole Presbyterian church to J. C. McKellar and the squad of men under him (some twelve in number): Lieutenant J. C, McKellar and his men met on the road a well-to-do farmer and informed 420 THE LOWRIE HISTORY. -him that he and his squad were going to his house for Jtheir dinner; this well-to-do farmer told Mr. McKellar .and his men to go directly to his kitchen and order his cook, a negress, to prepare dinner for them, so that it anight be told to the outlaws that he was forced to feed -the men that were hunting them. J. C. McKellar and -his men were incensed at the conduct of this well-to^do ¦farmer, but concluded, in order to retaliate on him, to -do as he had directed. So they went and ordered this -man's cook to fix up dinner for them, which, after being ^xed up, they ate with a gusto, and even to this day -when this circumstance is referred to, the men who par- itook of that dinner will laugh about the cowardice of -this well-to-do farmer, and say: "Well, he won't do to -tie to in a storm". ^ THE KILLING OF GILES INMAN. On the 21st of April, 1871, the Sheriff of the county, viz: Rod. McMillan, in connection with F. M. Wishart, 'Archie D. McCallum, J. Douglas McPallum, Franklin -McKay, George L. McKay, Archie McFadyen and Mal- "fcom McNeill, surrounded H. B. Lowrie's house, when, ^o their surprise, it was ascertained that the whole out law band were within. After consultation, it was Adeemed prudent and wise that the Sheriff and Frank McKay should go and hunt up recruits to capture the whole outlaw gang. The Sheriff and Mr. McKay im- %iediately set out on their errand, and coming to the %ouse of Mr. Hugh Inman, on Lumber River, about ^:hree miles from H. B. Lowrie's, his two sons, Robert %nd Giles Inman, went back with Mr. McKay to the as sistance of the men left at H. B. Lowrie's house. In the THE LOWRIE HISTORY. 121 meantime, H. B. Lowrie and the other outlaws made their escape through a "trap door and a tunnel", dug some distance from the house of H. B. Lowrie, as was afterwards ascertained; and they (the outlaws) throw ing themselves back on the road which they supposed would be traveled by the Sheriff on his return, ambus caded the recruits as they were crossing the Back Swamp and fired on them, killing instantly Mr. Giles Inman, a youth aged eighteen years, and wounded Mr. Frank McKay. Mr. McKay returned the fire. Thus fell another victim of their relentless fury and vindictive- ness. Mr. Inman was a resolute youth, and was anx ious to apprehend these lawless marauders. His father, Mr. Hugh Inman, was a Republican in politics. Some time after this occurrence. H. B. Lowrie informed Mr. Inman that he was sorry that he had killed his son Giles (and well he might be); but this was only adding insult to injury. It was the sorrow which the lion has for the lamb when in his power. THE MURDER OF MURDOCH A. McLEAN AND HIS BROTHER HUGH McLEAN --ALSO THE WOUNDING OF ARCHIE D. McCALLUM. The murder of the two brothers, Murdoch A. McLean and Hugh McLean, was committed on the morning of July 17th, 1871, on the public road, one mile south of Maxton, on the Carolina Central Railway, near a mill on Black Branch, in full view of the residence of Mrs. Margaret McLean. This feat was achieved after long and cool deliberation on the part of the outlaws. They had often essayed to kill Murdoch A. McLean, and had as often failed in their purpose. Several times they had 122 THE LOWRIE HISTORY. waylaid him; several times they had lurked about the premises of his mother in the darkness of the night, but all to no purpose. Early on the morning of the 17th Hugh McLean carried his sister to the residence of Mr. M. C. McNair in an open buggy. On his return home, Murdoch A. McLean and Archie D. McCallum jumped up into the buggy with Hugh and started off for Maxton to hunt the robber band. As the trio rode along about three hundred yards from the residence of Mrs. Margaret McLean they heard the rough word, "halt!" Almost instantly a gun was snapped at close quarters, from be hind a "blind," by Henry Berry Lowrie. Murdoch A. McLean reached for his arms, but before he could bring his gun to bear, he was riddled with buck-shot, and his brother Hugh mortally wounded, the horse in the buggy galloping off with the lifeless remains of the two brothers. In the killing of Murdoch A. McLean, Henry Berry Lowrie shed the blood of one of the noblest youthful spirits in our country; indeed, he was a superb specimen of the "Bonnie Scotch," "None knew him but to love him, None named him but to praise." He was in his thirty-first year of age when he fell, honored, esteemed and loved by all who knew him for the many noble traits of character. Peace to his ashes ! But what shall we pen in regard to innocent Hugh McLean, who was also killed at the same time? Alas! my pen falters — my hand trembles, when I recall this double murder! Innocent Hugh was in the twentieth year of his age, and bid fair to become as noble and generous a man as his brother Murdoch had been. Archie D. McCallum, who was riding in the buggy with the two brothers, sprang out on the ground, and in THE LOWRIE HISTORY 123 doing so, his pistol fell out of its case; he, however, had the coolness to stoop down and pick it up, and then to run, for he saw the whole outlaw gang were at hand, and knew if he remained that they would murder him also. He had not proceeded far when he was fired on and wounded in his leg, but he made good his escape to Maxton, although pursued by two of the gang to within a few hundred yards of the depot. When the news of the occurrence spread abroad, the wildest consternation seemed to seize many of the good citizens of Robeson county. All was confusion. What to do next was the main question. COL. FRANK M. WISHART. High on the "roll of honor" in the county of Robeson stands the name of Col. Frank M. Wishart — a man that would be noticed in any crowd on account of his showy appearance. He was an old Confederate officer, and served throughout the war between the States with credit to himself and honor to his native county. He was a Republican in politics, and the only Republican in the county of Robeson of any distinction who could or did rise superior to party politics and take the side of bleed ing, suffering huminity. He possessed true nobleness of mind and a lofty magnanimity of character, and through "evil report as well as good," he bore himself with dig nity and disinterestedness, fearless of danger to his per son or reputation. All honor to Frank M. Wishart for his noble example — all honor to his name for his exalted patriotism. True to his natural instincts, he joined the compact of those eleven self-sacrificng men who deter mined to rid Robeson county of the Lowrie outlaws or 124 THE LOWRIE HISTORY. die in the attempt. He entered this compact early in February, in the year 1871, and worked assiduously for the capture of the outlaws until he fell a victim to their treachery on the 16th day of May, A. D. 1872, in the year of his age. He met his sad and melancholy fate on the main road leading from Lumberton to Rock ingham, in Richmond county, about one and a half miles from Lebanon Presbyterian Church, on the south side of Lumber River, and about two miles from Red Banks bridge, whither he had gone alone to have an interview with the oulaws, in accordance with an agreement made with them at Moss Neck on the previous Friday, as the following particulars will delineate, taken fiom the Robe- sonian (newspaper) on May 23rd, 1872: "We are enabled to present some interesting particu lars of the interview of Col. F. M. Wishart with the outlaws at Moss Neck, a few 'days before his assassina tion by them. On Friday before his death. Col. Wish art was aboard the regular through freight train, which arrived at Moss Neck at 3 o'clock p. m., and was at that time occupying a seat in the conductor's cab in rear of the train. Soon after the train halted, the two outlaws, Andrew Strong and Stephen Lowrie, approached the car and recognized Col. Wishart,, and accosted him in a civil and friendly way. Stephen Lowrie inquired whether he had any arms, and went aboard the cab to satisfy himself on that point, Andrew Strong remaining on the piazza of the store, within a few feet of the train. Andrew was in his shirt-sleeves and wore only one pistol in his belt, but Stephen carrie in his hand a Spencer rifle and in his belt five elegant pistols— two Derringers, one Smith & Wesson and two Colt's. On entering the car, Ste phen demanded to see his arms, when Col. Wishart drew THE LOWRIE HISTORY. 125 aside the skirt of his coat and displayed the handle of a repeater, which he assured the outlaw was the only weapon he carried. Stephen at once made a grab at the pistol, as if to snatch it from its place,but Col. Wish art foiled this attempt by dexterously leaping from the car to the piazza of the store, where the other outlaw was standing, and, confronting Stephen, who was stand ing in the door of the car from which he had just escap ed, stood with his hand upon his pistol. Stephen and Andrew both now assured him that they meant him no harm, and only wished a friendly conference, and at Andrew's request, he walked with him behind the store, where they remained for sometime in conversation, while Stephen remained on board the car, and seemed to take no interest in what was passing between his com rade and Col. Wishart. As the train was about to move off. Col. Wishart returned to the car, and meeting Stephen on the platform, the latter was heard to say: 'When I send for, you come. I'll send a friend for you in a few days, and you come and meet us,' and Col. Wishart promised to do so. The rest of this strange, sad story with its melancholy, tragic end, is but too well known. On Thursday morn ing next, after this interview, a messenger — who it was nobody knows, or ever will know, bore to Col. Wishart, at Maxton, the summons which led him away to his death. True to his word, he prepared to obey, and saddling his mule, he rode directly, unarmed and alone, to the spot named by the messenger. What occurred was witnessed by no human eye besides those of the ac tors in the fearful tragedy; but in the afternoon of the same day, a citizen of the neighborhood was horrified by the discovery of the body of the gallant Wishart, all 125 THE LOWRIE HISTORY. stark and stiff and covered with gore, lying by the road side. Two hideous, gaping wounds, one through the body and the other through the head, showed how foully he had been murdered. The mule on which he rode stood fastened to a limb near by, and appearances showed that when shot he was reclining on the earth whittling the end of a small stick and unsuspecting of danger. It is probable that these treacherous and cow ardly fiends had concealed themselves in ambush near the spot, and the first intimation he had of their presence were the two shots that hurled his brave, unsuspecting soul into eternity. JAMES McQueen, alias DONAHOE. Of all the men that have essayed to exterminate the Robeson outlaws, none have been more persevering than James McQueen, or Donahoe, as he is sometimes called. Slim and slender in form; peculiar and eccentric in man ners, so much so that persons unacquainted with him look upon him at times as somewhat wild and romantic, quick in movement, showing agility and determination in every motion, about six feet high, with a small piercing gray eye, without much expression of countenance, he is the very personification of a gawky Scotchman, in his twenty-fifth year of age, a native of Richmond county, N. C. After reaching maturity, or becoming twenty- one years old, he left Mr. Donahoe in Richmond county, the gentleman who raised him, and after working a while in South Carolina, for wages, he purchased first a double-barreled shot gun and ammunition, and wended his way to Robeson county, going from house to house and telling the people that he wished to buy a tract of THE LOWRIE HISTORY. 127 land, and would sometimes examine tracts that were of fered for sale, and then decline purchasing on the ground that the price was too high; sometimes, too, he would of fer to lease from some farmer a one-horse farm, &c. In this way he became acquainted with the people of Rob eson and found out all about the Lowrie outlaws, and v/ho were their friends and who were their enemies — in this way. too, he found out who were the true men of the county, who would do to trust or confide in and not betray him — he found out also the roads and by-paths of Scuffletown — he sometimes would go with one com pany that were hunting the outlaws in Scuffletown, and sometimes with another — his comrades, however, invari ably found him reliable, always at his post, never sleepy or drowsy, very particular where he went, and when and how. At last he took to going into Scuffletown solitary and alone in the dead hours of the night along by-paths and on roads that were not much traveled, and when he arrived at the place where he wished to watch for the passing of the outlaws, he would ensconce himself in some thick undegrowth and remain as quiet as a cat, watching for his prey to come along. In this way he became acquainted with the personal appearance of the outlaws, their arms and accoutrements. After pur suing the above course for some months, he furnished himself with a Henry rifle, and had provisions cooked up to last him three days, and wended his way to the dreary swamps of Scuffletown on the 6th day of March, A. D. 1872, and on the night following he arrived at the house of Andrew Strong, on the south side of Lumber river, about one mile from Harper's Ferry, and about ten miles from Maxton, on the Carolina Central Rail- 128 THE LOWRIE HISTORY. way, and now we will permit him to tell his own state ment of the facts in the case of killing Boss Strong; JAMES MCQUEEN'S, OR DONAHOES' VERSION OF THE KILL ING OF BOSS STRONG. Last Thursday night, March 7th, I reached the house of Andrew Strong, on the edge of Scuffletown, about ten miles from Maxton, at 12 o'clock; I fixed a good blind about a hundred and fifty yards from the house, and lying down I watched the rest of the night and all of the next day, eating some provisions I had brought aloLg. About half-past seven p. m., Friday, Andrew Strong came out of the woods, and after stopping, and looking around him in all directions, he went into the house and directly came out and gave a low call, when Boss Strong came out of the woods to the house; they were each armed with two rifles and two or three re volvers. A little after 8 o'clock, when I thought they would be at supper, I slipped up to the house and look ed in through the cat hole in the door, as I supposed they were eating their supper by the light on the hearth. A Miss Cummings was there, besides Flora, Andrew's wife. I kept watching, until Boss laid down on the floor with his feet to the fire and his head towards me, and commenced playing on a mouth harp; then I saw my chance, and I pushed my rifle (a Henry) through the cat-hole until it was not over three feet from his head, and took a steady aim by the light and shot; when I fired the women screamed and said "he's shot!" "no, he isn't!" "yes, he is!" and I looked in as quick as I could get my gun away. Boss' arms and legs had fallen straight from his body, and there was a little movement 130 THE LOWRIE HISTORY. of the shoulders, as if he was trying to get up. Andrew Strong was then standing in the shadow of the chimney corner, and he stayed there until I left. He said to his wife, "Honey, you go out and see what it was," and opened the door opposite the one I was at and pushed her out, but she did not come around to the side where I was, but went in directly and said there was nobody about. He sent her out again, telling her to look in the corners and jams; but before she got well out, he said, "Come back honey, he was blowing on that thing and it busted and blowed his head off, ' ' and directly after he said, "My God, he's shot in the head, and it must have come from the cat-hole," and sent his wife out again; then I slipped off. When I returned the cat-hole was shut up and the house was all dark. I then came back to Maxton, made up a party and went back to the house of Andrew Strong; arriving there about 10 o'clock a. m. on Saturday, we found Rhoda Lowrie, wife of Henry B. Lowrie and sister to Boss and Andrew Strong, wiping up the blood on the floor that had issued from the wound inflicted on Boss Strong. There were several women present, but the body of Boss Strong was nowhere to be found; upon inquiry, we ascertained from the women present, that Steve Lowrie and Andrew Strong had just removed the remains of Boss Strong to some secluded spot, and had threatened the women present, that if they watched them, in order to see which way they went, that' they would come back and killthem. So I, and the party that accompanied me, returned to Maxton the same evening, without finding the body of Boss Strong. The illustration on page 129 is the house where Boss Strong was killed. He was the trusted comrade of Henry Berry Lowrie. THE LOWRIE HISTORY. 131 The above closes James McQueen's statement in re gard the killing of the outlaw. Boss Strong. Subsequent ly it leaked out through the women present that Boss Strong was shot through the head, and died almost in stantly, and on the oath of these same women, the Leg islature of North Carolina, at its session of 1873-'74, passed a bill authorizing the State Treasurer to pay to James McQueen $5,000 for killing Boss Strong. Boss Strong was the youngest of the gang of the out laws, and was the most trusted and inseperable compan ion of Henry Berry Lowrie, his brother-in-law. He was only in his twentieth year when killed. He was nearly white, with dark, short-cut hair that had somewhat of a reddish tinge, slightly curling. A thick down appeard on his lips, but otherwise he was beardless. He had that dull, bluish eye belonging to all Scuffletonians gen erally, and was generally silent and taciturn, but he had the demon in him, and when aroused, he had a dogged, determined look. He had the courage of a bull-pup, and next to Henry Berry Lowrie, the leader, was re garded as the worst of the party. His hands were dyed deep in the blood of both]old and young. He was about five feet ten inches high, thick set, with a full face and would weigh one hundred and sixty-five pounds. Like his leader, he generally killed at close quarters, seldom at more than five to ten yards. He met up with his match though, when James McQueen fired at him through the cat-hole with his Henry rifle. After James McQueen killed Boss Strong, the other outlaws became very shy and were seldom seen, or heard of, for several months. James McQueen, however, still kept up the hunt for them, and never desisted entirely until the last outlaw was killed. The outlaws dreaded James McQueen more 132 THE LOWRIE HISTORY. than any other man that ever took the field against them, and well they might fear him, for he moved about almost as noiselessly as a cat. THE WISHART COMPANY IN 1872. After the Lowrie outlaws had decoyed and slain in cold blood the noble, and patriotic Col. F. M. Wishart, they sent a message to his two brothers, viz: A Strong Wishart and Robert E. Wishart on the 15th of July, 1872, to leave the county, or they might expect to be killed. Instead of obeying the orders of the outlaws, they armed themselves with Spencer rifles, and getting Mr. James McKay and James Campbell to join them, they set out on the 17th of July for the dreary swamps of Scuffletown, to hunt the outlaws. On the 18th of July they were reliably informed that Tom Lowrie, one of the outlaws, was in the habit of visiting regularly, the house of one Furney Prevatt. They immediately wended their way thither, and arriving there after nightfall, secrected themselves in the woods as near as possible without discovery. Remaining there that night and the whole of the next day until after dark, they ventured up nearer to the house in order to watch the movements inside. They soon discovered Tom Lowrie come out of the house accompanied by a woman and go into a crib near by. They also perceived that they could not kill the outlaw without endangering the life of the woman; so while waiting outside, they heard Tom L. say that he intended to go next day to Union Chapel, to a public speaking that was to come off there. They then withdrew to the woods and concluded that they would THE LOWRIE HISTORY. 133 endeavor to intercept the outlaw on his way to Union Chapel, Taking with them a guide, they halted at a point where the main road crosses the Holly Swamp. Here they stationed themselves, awaiting the dawn of the morning of July 20th. Lying in great suspense and anxiety, until about 8 o'clock a. m., they heard voices approaching them in the direction of the Prevatt house. Sure enough, Tom Lowrie and Furney Prevatt soon made their appearance. Coming to the place on the road where the Wishart company crossed, the outlaw stopped to examine the footprints and Furney Prevatt walked on. After looking at the footprints of A. S. Wishart and associates, the outlaw was heard to say that he "Would go to Union Chapel that day or die in the attempt." These were the last words ever uttered by Tom Lowrie, the outlaw, for just then Mr. James McKay fired on him. Turning to run, Mr. A. S. Wish art fired on him also, with a Spencer rifle, the ball pass ing clear through his body. The outlaw, however, ran some fifty yards and fell with a heavy groan. Mr. A. S. Wishart procuring the assistance of Mr. David Davis, and pressing a wagon that was passing at the time, re moved the body of the dead outlaw out of the swamp, taking off of his person three pistols, a Spencer rifle, a gold watch, which belonged to Mr. John McNair, one hundred and thirty dollars in currency and a Spanish dollar. The company placed the body in a wagon and proceed ed with it to Lumberton, and formally delivered it to the Sheriff of the county, who paid them two hundred dol lars, the amount of the reward offered for his body, dead or alive, by the County Commissioners, placing also in their hands the necessary papers to draw six thousand dollars out of the State Treasury, the 134 THE LOWRIE HISTORY amount offered for his apprehension by the State au thorities, which was promptly paid by the Treasurer of the State, and equally divided between A. S. Wishart, R. E. Wishart, James McKay, James Campbell and David Davis. Thus passed away another of the Lowrie bandits, whose back had been peppered once before by Frank McKay, Archie D. McCallum, J. Douglas McCallum and others, but got off with a bloody shirt sticking to his back. Tom Lowrie was thirty-seven years of age when killed; possessed broad shoulders; a strong and active body; straight black hair; would weigh about 180 lbs., and was five feet ten inches high. A thieving sneak he was, capable of murder or anything else mean. He had a bluish gray eye, and when observed closely, a furtive look that seemed to take in the whole situation at a glance. He had been twice captured and placed in jail, each time making his escape; but this time he went to "that bourne from whence no traveler returns." After Tom Lowrie was killed, the "Wishart" com pany did not cease in their exertions to kill the remain ing outlaws. They remained in Scuffletown all the time, watching the movements of the outlaws. The on ly member that left the company was Mr. James Camp bell, and he left it on account of his health. Mr. Frank Floyd took his place and remained one month. Mr. Alf. Prevatt took Mr. Floyd's place and remained eight months. Mr. James McQueen staid also with the com pany three weeks; the remainder of his time in Scuffle town he was alone. Mr. A. C. Bridgers was also a member of the company for several months in 1872. On the 10th of August A, McE. McCallum joined the Wishart company, word having been sent him to leave THE LOWRIE HISTORY 135 the county by the outlaws, because he had given the Wishart company something to eat; instead of leaving, he joined the company that was hunting them. Mr. McCallum remained with the company until the 10th of December, and on the 17th went to the State of Georgia to please his father and friends. Staying there seven months he returned to Robeson and rejoinedthe sa-ne company. He found the company then composed of A. S. Wishart, R. E. Wishart, James McKay, Ernest Lemon, Buck Hilliard and a negro by the name of Solomon Mor rison, (the only negro, be it said to his credit, that ever voluntarily hunted the outlaws). The hunt for the re- maing outlaw, viz: Steve Lowrie, was still kept up by this company. Two members of the outlaw band had been previously killed viz : Boss Strong by James Mc Queen, and Andrew Strong, by William Wilson, so that Steve Lowrie was the only outlaw that roamed at large, and he became so shy that it was a difficult matter to see or hear of his whereabouts. However, James Mc Kay, Ernest Lemon and the negro Solomon Morrison shot at him a short time before he was killed while con versing with Nat Clark, near Clark's residence, but they were too far off" to hurt the outlaw. These same men, together with A. McE. McCallum, were stationed on the main road not more than half of a mile distant from the place where Steve Lowrie was killed, on . the night pre ceding his killing, waiting for Steve Lowrie to pass. As he did not come along, they dispersed to meet again on Monday night following, but to their joy they learned on Monday that a diff'erent party of men had sent Steve Lowrie to his "long home." Although they did not kill him, they were rejoiced to know that he was out of the way, and that the last one of the outlaws had gone to 136 THE LOWRIE HISTORY. the "spirit land" never to return, and that the good peo ple of Robeson county could once more breathe free and easy. And here the writer would say that Robeson county owes a debt of gratitude to the noble, heroic and self-sacrificing men who composed the Wishart compa ny. When they went into Scffletown to hunt the out laws it might almost be said that the county had been given up to the outlaws; there were few men that could be induced in the^ county to take arms against them. The county. State and United States troops had been so far distanced and "out generalled" by these villains, that it really seemed hopeless to attempt their capture; but the brave men who composed the Wishart company never faltered in their efforts to kill or capture them. Often were they sneered at by those who should have been their friends; often were they turned off from the houses of those who feared the Lowrie bandits, hungry, cold, wet and fatigued, to seek food and shelters as best they could; but there were five well-to-do farmers in striking distance of Scuffletown who never failed to give them the "best cheer" possible. These farmers were Mr. John McNair, Capt. Willis P. Moore, James D. Bridgers, John McCallum, and David Townsend. These five were ready at any hour, day or night, to relieve their physical wants and aid them in every possible way. And now, as the last outlaw has run his race, and finish ed his course, let the good people of Robeson hold in great remembrance "the good" done Robeson county by the men who composed the Wishart company; let their names be handed down to posterity, along with those of Mr. John McNair, Capt. Willis P. Moore, James D. Bridgers, John McCallum and David Townsend, so that the rising generation may know who were the true THE LOWRIE HISTORY. 137 men of Robeson county during the "dark period" in her history, and during the time in which the Lowrie ban dits held a bloody carnival within her borders. STORE AND COURT HOUSE ROBBERY. On the morning oi the 19th of February, 1872, the usual quiet of the town of Lumberton was greatly dis turbed by the announcement that the robber clan had been there the night before and committed robberies, but to what extent remained to be ascertained. Two of the young gentlemen of the place were out early on their way to their places of business, and discovered the iron safe from the Sheriff"'s office in the street, about fifty yards from the Court House. The alarm was given, the citizens aroused, and could be seen hurrying in every direction to learn who were the sufferers, and to what extent. The next thing found to be missing was a horse and dary, from the stebles of Mr. A. W. Fuller. The back door of the store of Messrs. Pope & McLeod was found open, which had beei^ left locked and barred on the inside; on further examination they learned their safe was missing, containing a large amount of money belonging to the firm, as well as that of others which had been deposited with them for safe keeping; all their valuable papers and books were also in the safe; in ad dition to this, they took dry goods, ready made cloth ing, boots, shoes, guns. Sec. They entered a black smith shop and took tools with which to open the safe. Messrs. Pope & McLeod immediately started out in the direction which the dray had gone, while squads of cit izens were left standing about the streets consulting on 138 THE LOWRIE HISTORY. what course best to pursue. After some little time a party was raised and started in pursuit of the robber clan. About a-half mile from town the party pursuing came up with Messrs. Pope & McLeod, who had found the safe emptied of its valuable contents. The whole party then concluded to return to Lumberton, as fur ther pursuit would be of no avail. Several months af terwards one of the books from the store was found in a field near Mr. McLeod's residence. A key was found in the pocket of Tom Lowrie wTien killed, which fitted the lock of the front door of the store robbed, and it was supposed they entered the store with the false key, locked it, and passed out through the back door. It was the next day after their visit to Lumberton, and over the division of that night's spoils, that Henry Berry Low rie lost his life by the accidental discharge of his own gun. THE DEATH OF THE ROBBER CHIEF, HENRY BERRY LOWRIE. Early on the Morning of February 20th, 1872, be tween daylight and sunrise, the whole band of outlaws returned to the house of Tom Lowrie after their raid on Lumberton, having on the previous night entered the store of Messrs. Pope & McLeod, and abstracting there from an iron safe, and proceeding thence to the Court House and entering the Sheriff's office and taking along his iron safe, proceeded forthwith to leave Lumberton by way of the turnpike road leading across the country by Morrisey's mill. Finding their load too heavy, they dropped the Sheriff's safe on the streets of Lumberton and went on with the safe of Messrs. Pope & McLeod to THE LOWRIE HISTORY. 139 a distance of about three miles and rifled it of the whole of its contents, getting in all about twenty-two thousand dollars. The band then wended its way to the house of Tom Lowrie, in Scuffletown, and, being fearful of pursuit, built up a fire near the crib of Tom Lowrie and com menced fixing their fire arms, in case they would be at tacked by any party in pursuit of them; and here the out law chief, Henry B. Lowrie, terminated his own earthly ca reer. Whilst attempting to draw a load out of his double barrel gun, the gun slipping in his hand, the hammer of one of the barrels struck against a sill of the crib and the gun went off, the load taking effect in Henry Berry Lowrie's face and forehead, tearing away his nose and the greater portion of his forehead. He died almost in stantly. Thus perished the great robber chief of Robe son county. Preparations were set on foot immediately for his burial. A party of Indians went to the saw mill of Mr. Archibald .Buie for lumber, which had to be sawed. When the lumber was obtained. Jesse Oxen dine (being a carpenter) was called in and made the coffin the other outlaws standing guard all the time. When all the necessary preparations were completed, the re mains of the dead robber chief were temporarily placed in a shallow grave under Tom Lowrie's crib. On the following night, near mid-night, the remaining outlaws took up the body of the dead robber chief and carried it off and buried-it, where, in all human probability, no white man will ever find out. Thus passed away this remarkable bandit, in his twenty-sixth year— the greatest scourge ever inflicted upon the good people of Robeson county. He was said to have had a good deal of money in his possesion at this time, as his comrades in arms often reported to outsiders 140 THE LOWRIE HISTORY. that he was in the habit of appropriating "the lion's share" to his own use of all the money taken, giving to the other outlaws the other booty. No member of the band, not even his "fidus Achates," Boss Strong, nor his wife, Rhoda Lowrie, knew where he kept his money. Diligent search has been made by the remaining mem bers of the gang to find his treasure chest, but as yet, "it is love's labor lost." For some time after the death of Henry Berry Lowrie, his companions denied all knowledge of his fate; even his relations professed to be ignorant of it, but the facts, one by one, leaked out through different individuals of the Indian race, who saw the dead robber chief whilst "lying in state" before his interment. The main object in keeping his fate con cealed from the public seems to have been to keep the timid whites in awe of the ' 'outlaw gang, ' ' and to pre vent those who were endeavoring to capture him from getting his body. This course of conduct on the part of the "outlaw gang" and the Indians gener ally, was in accordance with their previous course. When George Applewhite was shot, and Boss Strong killed, they endeavored to divert public attention by telling various tales in regard to the fate of each, in in which there was not one particle of truth; but now, at this writing, inasmuch as Steve Lowrie, the last out law, has also gone to the "spirit land," and the reign of the gang terminated, and there being no need of mystery in regard to the fate of the robber chief; several Indians in Scuffletown are outspoken in regard to the manner in which Henry Berry Lowrie met his fate, and they all verify the facts as above recited. This noted Indian bandit is certainly gone to the criminal's bourne; he is most certainly done making raids on the law-abiding THE LOWRIE HISTORY. 141 citizens of Robeson county; he is assuredly done fright ening the women and children of the white race by his martial appearance; his scepter has been laid aside and his spirit summoned to appear before "the Judge of all the earth, ' ' to answer for the long catalog of crimes, as long, probably, as the list of Homer's ships. Some have compared him to Oceola, or Powell, the noted leader of the Seminole Indians in Florida, others to "the bold archer" Robin Hood, whilst still others say that he was more like Rob Roy McGregor. Be this as it may, he certainly played an extended role in his own way, be ing the leader of the most formidable band of outlaws, considering the smallness of its numbers, that has ever appeared in this country. , He developed a cunning, bloodthirstiness, and courage unmatched in the history of his riace. THE KILLING OF ANDREW STRONG. Mr. William Wilson, a native of Guilford county, aged thirty-eight, being in the employ of A. & W. Mc Queen, incurred by some means or other, the displeasure of Steve Lowrie and Andrew Strong, the only two re maining outlaws.- Sometime in the month of Decem ber, 1872, therefore, Steve Lowrie, and Andrew Strong, on the morning of December 25, 1872, went to the store of Mr. John Humphrey at Pates, a station on the Car olina Central Railway, in the heart of Scuffletown, where Mr. William Wilson was a clerk, and informed him that he had been talking about them. Mr. Wilson did not say much, one way or the other, whereupon An drew Strong told Mr. Wilson "that he would give him until train time the next day to leave the county, and 142 THE LOWRIE HISTORY. that if he did not leave, that he (Andrew Strong) would kill him;" they then left Pates, heavily armed on a Christmas Frolic. Mr. Wilson, after their departure, loaded up a double-barrel shot-gun with buck-shot, and concealed it under a coverlet in an adjoining room for use whenever the outlaws would make their appearance. So about 4 o'clock p. m., on the same day, Andrew Strong alone made his appearance again at the store of Mr. John Humphrey, and after purchasing a few articles of merchandise, turned and walked out on the piazza in front of the shore, and leaning up against a post with his back towards the door of the store, Mr. Wilson deliber ately fired on him, the shot taking effect in the neck of the outlaw, killing him aln»ost instantly. Several In dians being present, Mr. Wilson informed them that whoever touched or laid his hand on the body of An drew Strong, he would kill him instantly with the other barrel of his shot-gun, which was then cocked; he then pressed a wagon and a pair of mules and compelled John Humphrey, Floyd Oxendine and two other Indians, (names not recollected) to place the body of Andrew Strong in the wagon and accompany him, with the re mains of the dead outlaw, to Lumberton, where the whole party arrived sometime after nightfall, and form ally delivered the body of Andrew Strong to the Sheriff of the county, who identified it as the body of Andrew Strong, and paid forthwith the reward which had been offered for the body of Andrew Strong, dead or alive, and fixed up the papers for Mr. Wilson to draw from the State Treasury the amount offered by the State, which amount the State Treasurer paid Mr. Wilson as soon as he presented the papers. Thus perished An drew Strong,' another of the Robeson county outlaws. THE LOWRIE HISTORY. 143 He was the elder brother of Boss Strong, and was in his twenty-fourth year. He was a little over six feet high, tall and slim, and nearly white; he possessed beard somewhat of a reddish color, and had dark straight hair on his head. He was the Oily Gammon of the "outlaw gang," and could wear a look of great meekness, and, whilst at the same time, his tongue was soft and treach erous, so much so, that it would seem difficult for sugar or butter to melt in his mouth. The civil authorities had him up once in Court and when the Solicitor in behalf of the State read out the indictment, his great soft eyes seemed as if ready to shed tears at such unjust imputations. He married the daughter of Henry Sampson, another In dian of Scuffletown. Andrew Strong was a cowardly sneak; when he would kill a person the honey would almost seem to drop from his tongue into the wound he had inflicted; indeed he might be called a professor of deceit, perfidious, plausible, uncertain, deadly — he was certainly the meanest of the gang. A NIGHT AMONG THE ROBBERS. About the middle of November 1870, a detective who had been employed to watch the movements of the Lowrie gang of this county, established a camp in a bay near Moss Neck for the purpose of prosecuting his mis sion with as much secrecy as possible. The camp was near the house of Mr. W. C. McNeill, one of the best citizens of our county; and his son Malcom was in the habit of visiting the camp occasionally, and giving Mr. Sanders such assistance as he could. On Sunday, the 20th of November, he met with three young men whom 144 THE LOWRIE HISTORY. he knew to be reliable, made an engagement to meet them after night at the camp of Mr. Sanders. The young men accordingly repaired to the camp about 4 o'clock in the afternoon to await the arrival of Mr. McNeill, who did not reach the camp until about 7'oclock p. m. The fol lowing is Mr. McNeill's statement of what occurred on his approach to the camp: "When I approached within a short distance of the camp, I saw the young men I was to meet there. They immediately informed me that the camp was sur rounded by the robbers, and that if I attempted to es cape, I would be shot, I halted and made a movement to draw my pistol, when four men arose among the bushes, and presenting their cocked guns, warned me that I was a prisoner, and that I would be fired upon if I did not immediately surrender. These men I recog nized as Henry B. Lowrie, Stephen Lowrie, George Applewhite and Boss Strong. H. B. took my repeater from me, saying that I might make myself at home, as they would take care of me that night. I then took my position with the other prisoners around the camp fire; but after a short time H. B. Lowrie summoned me to go with him a short distance from the camp; he then turned and addressed me in the following language: '•G — d d— n your soul, I want to know where Sanders is. You kno w all about him ; a respectable while man, and one you do not suspect, has told me you are harboring him, and doing all you can to assist him in hunting us down. I'm straight on your track now, G— d d— n you, and if you don't tell all about Sanders, I'll kill you right here; I intend to kill you anyhow, as soon as we get Sanders." He asked me when I saw Sanders. I re plied, last Saturday week. He then escorted me back THE LOWRIE HISTORY. 145 to the camp, and very soon Stephen Lowrie took me out for a chat; he asked me about the same questions as Henry B. had, and received the same answers — he also made the same threats, and charged me with harboring Sanders. We passed the whole night in the camp — the prisoners occupying Sanders' quarters (Mr. Sanders was absent at the time), and the robbers stationed around us. During the night Stephen Lowrie exhibited to me a pack pf cards, which he said he bought at the Scotch Fair, and boasted of his boldness in visiting that place. Messengers were sent at intervals through the night in two different directions from the camp, apparently to confer with parties stationed a short distance off. About daylight the robbers became impatient, and began to look out as for the arrival of some one whom they ex pected to come in at that hour. Soon after daylight Stephen Lowrie went out alone in the direction of Moss Neck; after he had been gone about ten minutes, I heard several voices a short distance from the camp cry, "halt!" One of them I recognized as the voice of Stephen Low rie, the others of the men whom I had not seen in the camp ; I also heard a voice which I recognized to be that of Sanders say, "I surrender." Henry B. Lowrie', George Applewhite and Henderson Oxendine now left us and ran out in the direction of the voices, leaving us in charge of Boss Strong. H. B. and Stephen Lowrie returned to the camp singing and rejoicing, saying that they had got the buck they wanted. H. B. Lowrie then approached me and said, "G — d d — n you, will you tell a straight tale now? You said you hadn't seen Sanders since Saturday week — d — n you, you saw him last Sat urday." Stephen Lowrie then took me aside and said. 146 THE LOWRIE HISTORY. "Henry Berry is mad with you— he is mad enough to kill you, and I am afraid he will kill you, but I'll try to prevent it." Henry Berry then called me aside and said, "Now, G— d d — n you, you've been doing all you could against me — you've been harboring this man San ders and trying to have us captured — I've got a notion to kill you right here, but if you'll promise me to leave the country I believe I'll let you off this time, but if I ever get hold of you again, you may look out." He then returned the pistols that had been taken from the other prisoners, but he kept mine, saying he would take care of it. He then told me he would give me a little advice: ' 'I might go to Moss Neck and run my shebang — I might have a guard there if I wished, but he would advise me to leave the country, and leave immediately. " Said he, "You are young, stout, healthy, and able to do good busi ness; I hate to interfere with you, but you have done so much against us, I've got a notion to kill you. Tell your father if he will stay at home and let us alone he needn't be afraid, but he must walk a chalk line. ' ' They then sent me and the other young men they had captured off in one direction, and they moved off in an opposite di rection. I did not see Sanders, as he was not brought into the camp, but I recognized his voice in pronouncing the words "I surrender," when halted near the camp. STEPHEN LOWRIE. We now come to the closing scene of outlawry in Robeson county — when the last desperado of that for midable "Lowrie Band" played his own death march on the eve of joining his faithful comrades in crime and THE LOWRIE HISTORY. 147 bloodshed who had gone on before to judgment and jus tice. No tongue can picture or pen portray the great sense of relief that swelled in many bosoms at the an nouncement that "the last outlaw is dead." No more will suffering mothers and wives, on seeing their loved ones depart for their places of business, offer up the heartfelt prayer, "God protect our dear son or husband from the rage of Steve Lowrie;" never again shall his swarthy face peer into our dwellings, sending a thrill of horror through our veins, and causing our hearts to stand still with fear and apprehension ; no more shall the echo of his rifle reverberate through field and forest ;-his old haunts are desolate; the well beaten paths through swamp and woodland are overgrown with briar and bramble; his cabin, own deserted, stands crumbling in decay, reminding the passer-by that the reign of terror is over in Robeson — the glory of the robber chief and his clan is ended, and naturally a prayer of thanksgiv ing arises for the long hoped-for deliverance, Steve Lowrie was about six feet high, well propor tioned, carrying his head a little forward, giving him the appearance of being slightly stoop-shouldered. He was always well armed with navy repeaters, a Henry rifle and occasionally a double barrel gun. After the kilUng of the other merilbers of the band, and he was left the field to himself, he remained for several months very quiet. He finally began to grow weary of the hum-drum, inactive life he was leading, and he was grad ually becoming troublesome. He drank a good deal, and in his drinking hours was really dangerous. He made many threats, particularly while drinking, as to what he intended doing were he not pardoned, and as serted positively that he had boys drilling, and as soon 148 THE LOWRIE HISTORY. as they equalled him in markmanship they would start out, and the past was not a circumstance to that which was in store for those whom he believed to be his ene mies. Several times within a few days before he was killed he mentioned the names of three young men in the neighborhood that he had decided to kill in a few days. One of them was Mr. Patterson, who aided in ridding the county of his vile presence on the memora ble night of the 23rd of February, 1874. Some of his own color stood in much fear of him, as he had whipped some of their wives and daughters severely, and threat- ened_killing them if he heard of their talking about him again. Although he strode from place to place, apparently at ease and without fear, his paths were watched. It was no easy matter, though it may appear so t* those unac quainted with the real facts in the case, to come up with him. Those who were eagerly in pursuit of him, found it difficult to locate him. To-day he might be; at the house of one of his many friends for a few hours; it might be weeks before he would visit the same place again. A few weeks before he was killed, a party of three who had been lying in wait for hours near the house of a colored man, where he was known to call very often in passing, had the pleasure of seeing him emerge from the house and take his place for a chat in such a position as to give them an opportunity of giving him a taste of powder, but they, so eager for the game, fired too hasty — and missed. He ran and made good his escape unhurt, amid a shower of shot. This warn ing made him more cautious, and led him to avoid such places in future. He left that portion of the neighbor hood and went higher up, where in a few weeks he met THE LOWRIE HISTORY, 149 his just doom at the hands of the young men whose names will appear in the following particulars : ' The famiUes of Messrs. D. Holcomb and Davis Bul lard were frequently annoyed by the visits of Steve Lowrie. It was at the house of the father of Davis (Mr. E. Bullard) that the two young men above named met Steve in December, 1873, and jointly resolved to take his life or rid their families of his company. They ac cordingly left the house and proceeded to station them selves on the road which they supposed he would go on his way home. Steve remained until about 9 o'clock and left, taking the direction in which the boys had gone, but before getting to them took a by-path, thus escaping them. Several weeks after this, Mr. Holcomb was on his way to Red Banks, a depot on the Carolina Central Railway, when he was met and accosted by Steve. He inquired of Mr. H. where he was going. He told him, and in turn made the same inquiry 'of Steve. He replied that he was going over to a whiskey wagon that had camped a short distance off. Each then went on his way. In the afternoon of the same day, as Mr. H, was returning from the Banks, he again met Steve, in company with the wagon that he had spoken of in the morning. He told Mr. Holcomb that he must go back with him a mile or so to McLaughlin's (the mother of the notorious Zach. McLaughlin) to borrow a jug to put some whiskey in, which he had bought from the wagon er. When they reached McLaughlin's Steve asked Mr. Holcomb if he brought any letters from the office. He told him that he had one for Mr. Purcell. He desired Mr. H. to open and read the letter to him. This he re fused, telling him that if he would go to Mr. Purcell's he 150 THE LOWRIE HISTORY. would read it for him. He readily consented to do this, requesting Mr. H. to accompany him. He mounted Mr. Holcomb's horse, compelling him to take a seat behind him. Mr. Holcomb objected to this style of riding, and proposed to go to Mr. Bullard's and borrow another an imal, to which he assented. Mr. H. had another object in view in going to this place, which Steve did not sus pect. While he was getting another animal he was also laying a plan with Mr. Thomas Bullard to go and get his brother Robert Holcomb to waylay the road, and on their return to pick Lowrie off; but he again frustrated them by taking a by-way. When they reached Mr. Purcell's and the letter was handed him, Steve remark ed that his business there was to know the contents of that letter. It was read to him, but it was not concern ing the petition for his pardon, as he thought, and which was the cause of his showing so much interest in it. Af ter leaving Mr. Purcell's, Steve went to the house of Mr. Holcomb and remained about one hour. Davis Bullard was also there, and Steve told him and Mr. H. that they must go to the house of a Mr. Jones that lived near, and get him some chickens. They started, but instead of going to Mr, Jones', they went to Mr. Patterson's, called him out, told him the situation, and requested him ' to go with him. Before starting they went to the fowl- house and took a chicken, in order to disarm Steve of any suspicion which might arise in his mind from their prolonged stay. They had parted with Steve at a ne gro house, and on their return were to go with him to the house of Purcell Locklear, where there was a whis key wagon camped. Mr. Patterson left them to conceal himself on the road until they would pass, and he was then to go on to the wagon. Steve being ever on the THE LOWRIE HISTORY.] ^11 151 alert, would have at once suspected some scheme if Mr. P. had gone in company with them. Their object in getting Mr. P. to go with them was to assist in ridding the county then and there of the last outlaw, should op portunity offer. The boys were all unarmed, but Mr. H. picked up an axe, intending to kill him with it, but Steve turned suddenly, and again they were thwarted. Seeing no prospect of a chance that night, they left, About two weeks after this, Steve was again at Mr. E. Bullard's, and stayed until after supper. As soon as Davis learned that he was at the house of his father, he went after Mr. Holcomb to go with him to waylay the road, hojiing to be more successful. They stationed themselves on the road, taking their stand behind the posts of a gate to await his coming. This time they were doomed to disappointment, for in passing the gate he walked so near the post as to render it impossible to bring their guns to bear upon him. A short time after this, Mr. Holcomb heard of him in the neighborhood, and got Mr. Sutton to go with him to endeavor to learn his whereabouts; they concluded to get Mr. Patterson also, and went to his house for that purpose. Davis Bullard had also heard of him, and had been before them, and he, in company with Mr. Patterson, had gone to try and intercept him. As they were not sufficient ly supplied with ammunition, they went to the house of Mr. H. to supply themselves. When they came near the house they heard some one picking the banjo ; on waiting a short time they learned it was Steve. They were confident that the other boys were somewhere in the vicinity, and walked around to see if they could get together. They soon found them, and together took their places near a hay-loft, where Steve had slept 152 THE LOWRIE HISTORY. sometime before. They sat there until near 11 o'clock, when they concluded he would not remain all night, and changed their position over near the road that he would take should he go home. In a few minutes he came out and went into the loft, passing in a few feet of their first stand. They gave up the chase for this time, but with the determination to try again whenever opportunity offered. Friday night before he was killed the following Mon day there was a social gathering at the house of Mr. Neill Patterson. Two of the boys present walked out; a short distance from the house some one hailed them, which proved to be Steve Lowrie. He conversed with them a short time, and during the conversation laugh ed so loudly as to be heard at the house. Messrs. Mc. Patterson and Davis Bullard were sitting at the time out in the yard laying a plan to kill him. They heard and recognized his voice. Davis walked out and took him to One side to have a private chat with him, and to learn if possible where he might be for a day or two. He proposed to Steve to make up a party somewhere in the neighborhood and they would have some fun. Steve readily agreed, and appointed one to be at Hugh McLean's the following Tuesday night. He told Davis he must be sure and attend, told him who to invite, and to speak of it to no one else, and particularly to keep it a secret from Mc. Patterson and John Bridgers. He then left. The next day Mr. T. Bullard and Mc. Patterson were at the Banks. There were also two whiskey wagons. The above gentlemen heard the wagoners say they intended camping at Martin Mc Nair's (colored) that night and until the following THE LOWRIE HISTORY. 153 Monday. They came home, reported the same to Messrs. Holcomb and Davis Bullard, and they laid plans accordingly ; they knew that Steve was in the habit of visiting the wagons that camped at this place. The day following (being Sunday) they were to meet at church and mature their plans. Messrs. Holcomb and Bullard did not return to their own homes, but went to the House of a neighbor in order to slip up to the wagon after dark without any one's be coming aware of their plans except their own party. After dark they crept up in about fifty yards of the wagoner's camp to learn if Steve was there. A loud laugh rang out on the stillness of the night which they at once recognized as Steve Lowrie's. They were sure of the game now; they fully intended this night, to end the drama; the following day should herald to an out raged people the end of outlawry in Robeson. The brave fellows who had dogged his footsteps and wisely kept their own counsel, proceeded to the house of Mr. E. Bullard to procure their arms. Here they found Messrs. Patterson and Sutton. They did not have guns sufficient to arm a party of four, and Mr. Hol comb proposed to Davis to lend his gun to Mr. Sutton and he (Davis) to go to the wagon, and keep a bright fire, and also to arrange so as to give them a chance of a fair trial of their skill at the outlaw. Davis, only a boy of eighteen, being so eager for the fray, at first refused; the others insisted, as Steve had more confidence in Davis than any of their party, and had never been known to evince any anger or to express a doubt with regard to him. It being necessary that some one cognizant of their plan should be in company with Steve in order to sue- 154 THE LOWRIE HISTORY. ceed, Davis finally consented, and at once proceeded to the wagon before the other boys took their places. Messrs. Holcomb and Sutton selected their position in side of a fence on the opposite side of the road from the wagon, and about twenty-five yards distant. They learned at once that they had an excellent opportunity of singling Steve out from the balance of the Indians and negroes, about a dozen of whom were also at the wagon, Mr. Holcomb raised his gun to take aim, when Mr. Sut ton remarked that he had lost the cap from his gun. Mr. H. then took a cap from his own gun, split it so as to fit a musket and handed it to him, but he (Mr. S.) was so excited that he dropped it. Being now without caps, they had to go to Mr. Bullard's (one-fourth of a mile) to get some, after which they returned to their position. Here they waited some time without an opportunity of a shot, and being tired, crawled off some Utile distance and lay down to rest. On going back, they overheard Steve making a plan to take some of the crowd and go to Mr. John McNair's to get some chickens; they then decided to go and waylay the road to Mr. McNair's and shoot him as he passed. There they waited some time, and as they did not go on, concluded that the party had gone another way. They started back to ascertain, and met Messrs. Tom Bullard and Charlie Holcomb. They informed them that Steve was still at the wagon. And it was their impression that he intended remaining. The boys all went on to Mr. E. Bullard's and requested Mr. Patterson to go home and get his gun and go back to their old stand. He at once, in company with Mr. Sut ton, went after his gun, and Mr. Holcomb returned to his former position alone, to await their return. Mr. THE LOWRIE HISTORY 155 Tom Bullard went to the wagon to try and learn what was to be the order of the night. In the meantime, Messrs. Patterson and Sutton joined Mr. Holcomb, and together, they were awaiting Mr. Bullard's report; he came in a few moments, reporting that Steve had sent for his "banjo," and without doubt would remain at the wagon all night, and he also learned that Steve had, with a party of several, been to Mr. McNair's, entered his fowl-house by breaking three locks and brought six chick ens and a large turkey to the wagon; the chickens had been cooked and eaten — the turkey was on cooking for breakfast. He compelled Davis Bullard to accompany him to Mr. McNair's. Steve was a firm believer in con juration, and kept on hand a supply of roots, bones, &c. ; before he started after the chickens, he took something from his pocket, put it in a bottle of whiskey, and after shaking well together, anointed his person with it, re marking at the time with an oath, that there was not a man in the State that could hit him with a shot. The party, after hearing this report, proceeded to their old stand near the fence. They discovered Steve sitting with his head down, putting his banjo in tune, and determined as soon as he would raise his head that they would fire. In a moment he threw his head back and commenced his tune, when simultaneously the guns fired which ended his career on earth, and sent him, a blood-stained, crime-hardened wretch, to answer before a great tribunal for the deeds committed while in the flesh. With a deep groan, he fell forward lifeless, without warn ing. As he measured to others, even so was it meted out to him. They at once made arrangements to carry his body to Lumberton, where it was delivered to the 156 THE LOWRIE HISTORY Sheriff", amid the shouts and acclamations of a large crowd. It being court week in Lumberton, the Judge was there, and in his charge highly commended the young men for their praise- worthy act. Their papers to obtain the reward placed upon his head being duly made out, signed and delivered to them, Messrs. Patterson and Sutton took the cars for Raleigh, where they received the sum offered for the body of Stephen Lowrie — the last outlaw in Robeson. The above was taken from a photograph of the widow of Stephen Lowrie, who still lives (1909). THE LOWRIE HISTORY. 157 FROM THE FAYETTEVILLE EAGLE OF FEB RUARY 26, 1874. Perhaps no people have been so scourged as the peo ple of Robeson, nevertheless they have been abused and villified. The dandified clerk in the city counting-room would say, "Why don't those people riseup and extirpate the Lowrie gang? If I was there, I could very, easily stop this thing." The stroller along the side- walks made similar remarks. Even dignified and cautious people sometimes made censorious remarks of Robeson county. A multitude of talkers afar off from the terri ble scenes enacted by this Lowrie band had this and that to say about the good people of Robeson county. Curt, petulant and sarcastic sayings passed from the mouths of bomb-proof assailants, but through it all, the killing went on. Not one of the captious critics of Robe son suffered one iota in purse or person. They were afar off, although sometimes trembling. We take this opportunity, the killing of the last outlaw, to say to the country at large, what we know to be strictly true, that there is no more courageous, industrious, whole-souled people in the world than the citizens of Robeson, and all through the Lowrie war, v»rhether under the command of a United States officer or the Sheriff, they conducted themselves with courage and a high sense of public duty. The obstacles these people had to encounter in suppressing the Lowrie gang is not a property of the bomb-proof critic or the side- walk loafer, but it is the province of truth and history to delineate these !facts. THE LOWRIE HISTORY— APPENDIX 159 APPENDIX. DECENDANTS OF THE LOST COLONY— STRANGE BLENDING OF INDIAN AND WHITE— THEIR SCHOOL— THEIR CHAR- . ARTERISTICS AND SOME TYPES OF THE RACE. I shall never forget the very curious sensation I ex perienced as I stood on a wagon in the centre of more than a thousand of the Croatans, at their Normal School at Pate's, in Robeson county, and spoke to them in May. Just a month before I had been at Roanoke Island and at that classic spot. Fort Raleigh, and had gone to the edge and standing on the crest of a sand-dune there, be tween two wind-tossed live oaks, had looked out across the yellow waters of the narrow sound at the banks be yond, which separate the sound from the sea, and look ing further eastward yet, had seen the heaving water of the ocean, stretching ihree thousand miles away and more, towards that England for which the deserted, lonely and terror-stricken third colony of Sir Walter Raleigh must have yearned so hopelessly, in the closing years of that fateful experiment at settlement which the great Knight made in this State of ours. A STRANGE BLENDING. As I looked into the faces of one of the most attentive audiences possible and saw that strange blending of In dian and white, my mind went back through the mist of years and there came the reflection that there were no stranger people on the continent than those before me. * Written by Col. F. A. Old, of Raleigh, N. C. Col. Olds visited that section of Rebeson County in which the Croatan Indians live, and wrote a series of newspaper articles as a result of his visit. This" appendix contains these articles in condensed form. 160 THE LOWRIE HISTORY— APPENDIX The Croatans owe to one man, Hamilton McMillan, their status in North Carolina; their status which forbids inter-marriage except among themselves; which makes them a tribe, and in a way the wards of the State; just as the Cherokees of the Eastern Band; in the mountain region, who have about the same numerical strength, are the wards of the Nation. The Cherokees, however, have had far more done for them than have the Croa tans. These Croatans were found by the earliest people who pushed up into North Carolina northward from the Charleston settlement to be a blend of Indian and En glish; to have extremely neat houses though of logs; ex traordinarily good roads for that period; well-kept yards, and to have many peculiarities of Old English speech. Ever since that time those peculiarities have existed, and they stand broadly out now. In fact the Croatans are marked as a peculiar people. No white man on earth knows them nearly so well as Hamilton McMillan, of Red Springs, who, when in the Legislature of 1887, brought about their official recognition by the State, se curing a small appropriation for the normal school and giving them absolutely separate schools, under a distinct system. ROUTE TO INDIAN COUNTRY. This much by way of preface. The route into this Indian country runs through the fertile section west of Lumberton and the lands were found as flat as a floor, with very dark soil and with streams which have all the clearness marking those which traverse the cypress and juniper region. That part of the State has many characteristics of ex- THE LOWRIE HISTORY— APPENDIX 161 The above illustration shows the Normal School building at Pates. This house has been standing for some years. "As proof of their appreciation of what the State is doing for them in regard to education they have purchased a tract of land at Pembroke, w^hich is situated about a mile from the present school site, on which they are now (1909) erecting a large modern school building. 162 THE LOWRIE HISTORY— APPENDIX. treme eastern North Carolina and these Indians, when they originally removed from the mainland, in what is now Hyde county and thereabouts, must have found the section very home-like indeed. THE NORMAL SCHOOL. It was a short walk along the railway track to the normal school, a building half unpainted and standing on the edge of a pine grove, with a church to one side, and in the rear one of the public schools of this race, which is so thickset in the country of which Pate's is the centre, for, in a small radius the bulk of the Croatans live. In the school were gathered the students, about 70 in number, and their tints ran all the way from the deep copper color of the Indian to almost perfect white. Beautiful hair and extremely fine eyes was the rule and not the exception and they carried themselves well. In a little talk the writer introduced himself and told the purpose of his visit, which was to see them in their home and school life. They were very kind in their recep'- tionand presently Preston Locklear, a very striking type of their people, drove up his buggy and we made ready to make a trip through their settlements. Locklear ex plained that his name had become corrupted from • Lockyer, which is very distinctly English. We got pic tures of tlie house, or rather two houses, occupied by Mr. Jacobs, near the school, the people being of the pro nounced Croatan type, the house being extremely well built of logs, with a wonderful clean yard of shining sand, with abounding shrubbery and trees, and with a well curbed with a cypress log and having an old-fash ioned and long sweep. Mr. Jacobs' mother is the widow of one of the oldest Methodist preachers. THE LOWRIE HISTORY— APPENDIX. 163 The next place visited was the home of Harriet Gra ham, a cozy little cabin, with a garden adjoining, the house of logs, and the furniture all hand-made, and the surroundings looking very Indian-Uke indeed. As guides there went with us two Croatan girls. Locklear said his son was a doctor and had been out in the Indian Territory and was at once recognized by the Indians there as being of their race of people. He said his son had graduated at Baltimore. WASHINGTON LOWERY. The third place visited was the most striking of all; this being the home of the venerable Washington Lowery, or Lowrie, known far and near among his people as "Uncle Wash". His home, built of logs like the rest, embraces several buildings, and there was a porch of unique design, also of logs. The old man was par tially paralyzed, but he talked very well indeed. He had a good deal to say about his people and said he had heard his "feyther" and "grand-feyther" speak over and over again about their having come from Roanoke Island. He said there was no doubt about the orgin of his people, and seemed to be very proud of it indeed. He referred to the fact that he had been out in the In dian Territory a good many years ago and said he had looked into the question of citizenship or tribeship there and that the Indians had recognized him as of their peo ple, but that their chiefs wanted his papers to show whence he came. "Uncle Wash" was seated in a home - made chair, the seat of which was of cowskin with the hair on, and all about inside and out were home-made furniture and ' appliances, old-time things, spinning- 164 THE LOWRIE HISTORY— APPENDIX. wheels, looms, etc., and his wife brought out home-made cloth for winter and summer use. Her name is Kather ine and some of the cloth of jeans, brown in color, which she had made, she said she had dyed with walnut leaves. Then there was homespun of several colors, some of it dyed with indigo, which has been raised on the place for generations. We went all through this Lowery home, in one great room being four beds, but the walls being quite open, so that there was plen ty of ventilation. Lowery said he was kin to the Cherokees in this State and that all his people were; that he had known this close kinship always and that he had told the Cherokee and Creek Indians, when he had visited them in their own territory aboftt this, and that they had received him well. He said he had gone to the Territory the ' 'year of the shake, ' ' by this mean ing in 1886, when the great earth-quake shocks were felt. That was the year before the Croatans were given citizenship. Lowery said that most of the Croatan houses were in the style of his, but some double houses were seen with rooms right and left, and a broad open space between, all under one roof. Such houses as these used to be common in the North Carolina moun tains. It was learned that they felt very proud of how well they had preserved themselves as a people, in view of the fact that the constitution of 1835, which took away from everybody except the whites the right to vote, had _put them beyond the pales and made them virtually Ishmaelites. Under such conditions no race could have preserved its purity better than the Croatans. There are people, some even in Robeson county perhaps, who THE LOWRIE HISTORY— APPENDIX. 165 speak of the Croatans as if they were negroes, but never was there anything further from the truth. THE INDIAN TRAITS. They have the Indian traits of suspicion and of revenge. I had been among the Indians in western North Carolina and standing there amidst these people, could not help thinking that if they could pay a visit to their Cherokee brethren they would be greeted as of their very own people. Yet as a race they know nothing about the Cherokees. Cut off from everything, for so many years, for they had always voted up to 1835, they are entitled to vvonderful credit for what they have done. Now they all vote under the "grandfather clause". They used to be largely Republicans, but are now mainly Democrats. In years past politicians sought to use them. It is in language construction that the teachers find the greatest trouble with them. They have so many old phrases and such old pronunciation of not a few words that a friend remarked that they talked almost exactly like the people in some English countries. Upon the roll of the pupils in schools were names .borne by the Roanoke colonists. Assurances were given that these people had made as much relative improvement in the past 25 years as any others in their section of the State or in any other part of it, yet they started at zero. Of course there is plenty of room for further im provement. They are domestic in their life and they need only two things, these being abstention from liquor and the cultivation of a higher standard of morals in home life. They have been the prey of designing white men, who have gone in their section for evil purposes 166 THE LOWRIE HISTORY-APPENDIX. these many years. This and their past treatment by the whites have been the chief difficulties in securing their confidence. The lack of relics and tradition among them is most impressive, but yet what have the Cherokees in western North Carolina to show now of the old days except what the burial mounds contain? In the eastern part of the State the Indians have so faded away that they are not even a memory, the last remnant of them having been in Bertie county. LOVE GAY CLOTHING. Another Indian trait is the love for bright clothing. I have seen this in the West and also among the North CaroUna Cherokees and among the Florida Seminoles. Red, blue and yellow are the delight particularly of the girls. The beauty of the girls was a subject of general comment, most having straight hair, dense black, but in some cases it curled gracefully. In the old times these people used to work a great deal in the turpentine and lumber interests but these have largely passed away. The negroes do not like the Cro atans. There are very few negroes in the Croatan country. HOME OF RHODA LOWERY. Rhoda Lowery, the widow of Henry Berry Lowery, who, in 1870, was the terror of that part of the State. Those were in the old days when Maxton, now so thriving a town and making such a brave show along the railway, was but a straggling village and was called Shoe Heel, (a corruption of Quhele, it seems). Those were the times when the Croatan Indian settlement was known as Scuffletown. That was a corruption too, for THE LOWRIE HISTORY— APPENDIX. 167 in the long-ago it was "Scoville Town", taking its name from a family of the tribe which was prominent. At the time of our visit there was not a suggestion of age in Rhoda's face, form or hair, and it seemed hard to realize that she had figured 38 years ago and must be well on toward 60. One would have guessed something around 40 as her age. Her father was a Yankee and her mother a Sweet, the latter being a family in South Carolina, living in a place where there are several of the Croatan families, one of these having formerly been the Dirigos, though this is corrupted into quite another name. Rhoda spoke of Henry Berry Lowery as the handsomest man she ever saw. She has several acres of ground and raises on this everything she needs. The Croatans are no believers in race suicide, Joseph Locklear had twenty-five children, one wife being the mother of them all. Another woman, Missouri Lock lear, who is only 28 years old and has eleven children, there being two sets of twins. Large families are the rule and it was a sight to see the farm wagons and other vehicles coming to the commencement, packed with children, these looking like animated bouquets, as far as the girls were concerned, so gay were the colors of dresses, hats and sashes. There are some two thousand school children of these people and there are seven hun dred voters. They voted always until 1838, and then were deprived of the ballot until 1868, being nearly twenty years before the time when they were set apart by the State as a separate people. No one knows ex actly the number of them, but there are pretty close to 3 500. Some of them raise as many as 75 bales of cot ton. More of them are Baptist than of other denomina tions, most of the remainder belonging to the Northern 168 THE LOWRIE HISTORY— APPENDIX. Methodist Church. There is a number of preachers kmong them. The word "mon", an old English form of "man", was heard over and over again and one of the chiefs said that a favorite gesture and phrase of some of the Croa tans, when excited, was to strike the palm of one hand with the fist and say: "Dom my hand to the bone". It is said that this was quite an oath in some parts of En gland a long time ago and yet obtains there. The names Lowery, Locklear, Oxendine, Dial, Bullard, Sampson, Brooks and Chavis were heard, those of Locklear and Lowery predominating. It was found that the Raleigh colonists names of Lowery, Sampson, Harris, Jones, Brooks and Chavis were matched by the students, while in the community the names of a score of the white col onists are perpetuated. A subject furnished by this community for a poem which if properly wrought out wojild surpass in pathos David's story of the dispersion of the Jews or Long Fellow's "Evangeline". To tell the truth, down under the surface there was just a tinge of sadness in these people. Not all the white people are friends to these Croatans. The more pronounced type of Croatan, the more solemn and dignified they are and as stoical as any red man. COUNTRY NEEDS DRAINAGE. The great need of the country of the Croatans is good drainage. A lot of it is in swamp. As a matter of fact a county drainage system for Robeson county, giving an opportunity for cross drainage would be a grand invest ment. The land is good to work and the crops show it. The normal school house stands in the very centre of what used to be "Scuffletown". Mention has been THE LOWRIE HISTORY - APPENDIX. 169 made of the isolation of these people. There was, years ago a marriage of a Croatan woman to a negro, this having occurred before therecognition of the racein 1887. This was followed by an arrest and conviction. The Lumber river, one of the most striking streams in the lower sectibn of the State, runs through the heart of the Croatan country. The river is entirely fed by springs and is bordered by cypress and juniper, which give it the tint of such eastern streams as the Pasquotank river, for example, intensely dark in the mass, but very clear in a small quantity, and extremely palatable as drinking water. This was another similarity between the section where these people are settled and that from whence their ancestors came. GROWERS OF GRAPES. Almost every house has nearby it a scuppernong vine and nowhere in this State is this grape finer. Of all the grapes this one is the best liked by these people. When asked if any of them had ever visited Roanoke island the reply was made none except the Revels family. These went to the island and the site of the old fort a good many years ago before the site was marked. They went to various places in that section, on the banks and on the mainland. Revels was a United States Senator from Mississippi and was classfed as a colored man, the Croatan not then having any distinct status. The Croatans increase very rapidly in numbers under sanitary conditions, and must soon become important factors for good or evil in that part of the State. The intelligent and leading men among them are very hope ful for the future and the interest the State has manifest ed in their educational progress lately is arousing general 170 THE LOWRIE HISTORY— APPENDIX. interest, if not enthusiasm, as an illustration of which they have themselves purchased, near Pembroke ten acres of land, upon which to erect a better school building. While many of them own land, none of them are wealthy. Without aid from the State their educational progress must still be retarded by many dif fi cult problems. They are not able themselves to provide such a school as they need and the fostering care of the State is their hope. Their speech and manners have always marked them as a peculiar people. Of course they still feel deeply the injustice done them by the laws of 1835, which forced nearly all the older men and women into involuntary ignorance, but they now fully realize the meaning to their prosperity of the State's effort to aid them in educating their children. BECOMING GOOD CITIZENS. Many persons have been told that the Croatans are all revengeful and hate the whites. This was a wrong im pression. Those who have been educated at schools are now, almost without exception, among the best citi zens of the Croatans. Whiskey and bad white men were once the curse of the Croatan people, but here there isa rapid and radical change; a large part of the Croatan vote was cast for prohibition. The law of 1835 closed to these people every avenue of hope and said in effect that they must submit to being absorbed by the negro race. Their white neighbors withdrew many privi leges which had previously been granted them. It must be borne in mind that this intolerable condition existed for over fifty years. The Croatans have very quick per ceptions, distinguishing readily between a flatterer aud THE LOWRIE HISTORY— APPENDIX. 171 a friend, and they say frankly that they hold the former in contempt, and esteem the latter highly. QUEER OLD REMEDIES. It was found that these people use remedies at least which were prescribed in English medical works as far back as 1706, and one of these is so singular that it de serves to be recorded, it being three live lice in a drink of whiskey, it being esteemed two hundred years ago and now as a sovereign for fever. Thus while there are a few traditions, things are handed down. I have no doubt that houses look now as they did say 200 years ago or more. Certainly in no parts of the State except among the Cherokees and a few of the whites in the wilder portions of the mountains, are there so many home-made things. The houses simply abound with them. These people are good shots and when they do shoot usually kill. One lady at Pembroke still carries in her body a ball from the gun of Henry Lowery, who fired it at her father. They love to fish and hunt. The shades of color are as varied as one, can see in a walk in Mexico, and some of the pronounced Indian faces are wonderfully like those of the Mexican Indians (not the peons), while others for tint and outline will com pare with those in a white community. The eyes are really the haunting"things. There are some women of ill repute and there are some who sell whiskey, but the race is on the uplift. Yet it has, in largest measure, to do the working out of its own fate and destiny. An derson Locklear two years ago went to Washington, had an audience with the President and was told by the latter of his appreciation of Locklear's invitation to visit North Carolina and Roanoke island, the original 172 THE LOWRIE HISTORY— APPENDIX. home of his people, Indians and whites. The President said that the history of the Croatans greatly interested him. It is found that the Croatans have, to a remarkable degree, that sense of direction which is peculiar to all the types of Indians and which is so acute as to be almost an instinct. Several of their people spoke about their use of cross bows, and so far as can be ascertained they were the only Indians in this country who used these wea pons, which originated on the other side of the Atlantic, and which the EngUsh used up to the time of Sir Walter Raleigh. Justice is but too often spoken of as tardy, and sure^ the case of the Croatan Indians of North Carolina is One which proves the accuracy of this general stateinent. It required three hundred years for them to come to their own again, the descendents of the "Lost Colony of Roanoke", and of these Indians on the North Carolina coast who were described by the historians of the 1587 expedition by the English to these shores as a very noble, well-favored and splendidly formed people, as indeed is shown by the water-color drawing made by John White, the artist of this noted expedition sent out by that prince of exploiters. Sir Walter Raleigh, which landed at Roanoke Island. It is strange, but true, that the writer made the first printed suggestion that the Croa tan Indians of to-day are the descendents of Governor White's "Lost Colony", this suggestion having been made July 31st, 1885, though the idea had been advanced by Mr. Hamilton McMillan, of Robeson county. North Carolina, who has spent much of his life in the country of the Croatans and who knows more of their historv and tradition than any other living man. It was in 1887, THE LOWRIE HISTORY— APPENDIX 173 while a member of the North Carolina Legislature, that Mr. McMillan advanecd the idea and it was through his personal influence with that body that this tribe was given recognition. In 1888 he embodied his opinions in a brochure which advanced internal evidence and tra dition with historical evidence in favor of the survival of the "Lost Colony" in the persons of the Croatans of this day. ******* RALEIGH'S FIRST EXPEDITION. There was in 1584 the first expedition, under Ral eigh's auspices, which landed on the North Carolina coast, passed through an inlet and found the isle of Roanoke, the largest in North Carolina with a fortified village, the people being declared by these first explor ers to be "gentle, loving and faithful, void of all guile and treason and such as live after the manner of the golden age". These first English explorers, since they could not be called colonists, remained here only two months, had friendly relations with tho Indians and spent all their time making explorations but made no effort to effect a settlement, returning to England and carrying with them two natives, both chiefs, Manteo and Wanchese, who received great attention in England and who were brought back by the next expedition. Man teo remaining to the last the good friend of the white men while Manchese became their unlenting enemy. The accounts of the Englishmen took back of this new world, which Raleigh named "Virginia" in honor of the so-called Virgin Queen Elizabeth, set England in a flame, and bold adventurers rallied for a new journey, the expedition sailing early in 1585, Sir Richard Gren- 174 THE LOWRIE HISTORY— APPENDIX. ville, Raleigh's cousin, commanding. Virginia was the gen eral namegiven all the territory which the English claimed on the basis of all discoveries, but it seems that there were two provinces, one called Carolana and the other Caro lina, these adjoining, but Carolana soon went out of ex istence, if indeed it really existed, and the name Caro lina covered all the territory within the charter of 1663, this being presently divided so that in 1719 the govern- ments of North Carolina and South Carolina were made entirely distinct. In the second expedition which Ral eigh sent over were some of the greatest minds of that great age, including Thomas Chavendish, Thomas Ha rlot, John White, PhilUp Amadas, who had been on the former expedition, and Ralph Lane. Grenville, high- tempered always though brave as a lion, burned a town of the Indians and destroyed their corn crop because one of them had stolen a silver cup. This act was to bear fruit which soon brought woe to the white men. Grenville set a colony on Roanoke Island With Lane as Governor and in the late summer returned to England. He and Lane had had hot disputes on the outward voy age and Lane seems to have been aware that no good was intended. The colony spent much time in explora tion, and it is remarkable how much of the territory of the new world it visited. It went up into what is now Virginia, near what is now Norfolk, explored the Roanoke river, which the natives called Moratoke, this indeed being the meaning for many years. This time the natives were unfriendly and there was fighting during several of the expeditions. The white men had depended upon -the natives for food, this being usually hominy, made from Indian corn, potatoes and various other roots, fish and game. Hunger pressed so close THE LOWRIE HISTORY— APPENDIX. 175 that this colony had a council on one of its expeditions, but the explorers showed their bravery by deciding to persevere as long as half a pint of corn was left to the man. They lived on any sort of food, even on the meat of dogs, and almost starved, as they had no seed corn, the Indians refusing to furnish it, and]also planning to starve the English to death by going away and leaving all their planting grounds on the island of Roanoke unsown. The English had no skill in catching fish with weirs, which the Indians used to a great extent. The Indians formed a league against the whites who were on short commons and who had to watch day and night to guard against massacre. Governor Lane held as a hostage, one of the princes, Skyco by name, and treated him most kindly, and this kindness bore fruit, for he betrayed the Indian plot to massacre every settler, the English acting instantly, notifying their would-be murderers that they desired a grand council on the mainland, going there well armed and putting the then king and the chief con- spiritors to death. The colonists then seized a good supply of corn and planted enough to last them two years, but suddenly Sir Francis Drake appeared with a great fleet of 23 vessels, offering to give the Englishmen food, ammunition, clothing and boats, and men for the latter. This generous offer was accepted but a great storm scattered the fleet and everything became gloomy in the extreme. Sir Richard Grenville had promised to come over but there was no sign of him and so the colo nists, in the lowest spirits, decided to go home with Drake. There had been 108 of them but over a dozen had been killed or died. This was the sad end of the first actual English settlement in what is now the terri- 176 THE LOWRIE HISTORY— APPENDIX tory of the United States. Directly after Lane left Roanoke a ship which Raleigh had fitted out and pro vided with all necessaries arrived there and looked for the colonists but found them not and two weeks later Grenville came with three ships and also explored the country fruitlessly. He was so anxious to retain pos session of it for England that he made the bold venture of leaving 15 men behind him on Roanoke island pro viding these with full supplies and plenty of arms. Eng lishmen saw the 15 no more, for when a year later John White came over he was told by the savages that these men had either been killed by the Indians or drowed while trying to go from Roanoke island to Croa tan. COLONISTS LIKED COUNTRY. The colonists were charmed with the country, finding grapes very sweet and large ; papatour, which is now known as Indian corn; opernauk, the native name for the potato now known as the Irish potato, and the uppo- woc, or tobacco, which was so much affected by the Indian and which made itself a wonder among the Eng lishmen at once on both side of the ocean. In 1587 Sir Walter Raleigh, with his usual perseverance, made ready a new colony, made John White the Governor with 12 assistants, who were virtually named as alderman, of what was to be the "City of Raleigh in Virginia". This colony numbering 117, of whom 17 were women, 10 of these accompanying their husbands. Roanoke has really a very poor harbor and Raleigh told his people to make their home on the Chesapeak bay, to which one party of Governor Lane's explorers had gone, but this step was not taken. It was the 22nd of July when the little fleet reached this coast and Governor White at THE LOWRIE HISTORY— APPENDIX 177 The above illustration shows the photographs of three typical Croatan Indians. Reading from left to right they are — Evander i^pyrric, Sias Locklear and Rev. Gilbert Locklear. The last named is very erect and shows many of the characteristics of the typical Indian. He is one of their leading ministers. 178 THE LOWRIE HISTORY— APPENDIX. once started to Roanoke island. White had been with Grenville on the 1585 expedition. He was one of the best artists of his time and made very beautiful and ex act pictures of the natives, as well as the fauna and flora of the new country, these being shown to Raleigh and aiding much in developing interest in the work of colonization. In 1590 they were engraved on copper and printed in a number of languages by Theodore DeBray, the chief German artist and printer of that time. White was of pacific temper and his purpose was to be friendly to the Indians. As soon as his boat had pushed off from the ship he said that the sailors in the latter had been directed not to take back to England any of the planters, but to leave them on the island. It was three days before the planters arrived, and they, sturdy men and women, prepared to make their home on the island. On the 13th of August, 1587, Manteo, who remained the faithful friend of the Indians was baptized by a clergyman of the established Church and was made Lord of Roanoke and Dassamonguepeuk, this being the only title of nobility ever given to a native of the new world by English authorization. Five days af ter this baptism Governor White's daughter, Eleanor Dare, the wife of Ananias Dare, one of the assistants, gave birth to a daughter who was christened "Virginia", and who was the first child of English parentage born in this hemisphere. The colonists found they needed many things, in spite of what was thought to be of am ple provision for them, and they by vote decided that White, their Governor, should go home as an agent for all, so as to supply every need. THE LOWRIE HISTORY— APPENDIX. 179 RALEIGH'S TROUBLES. He sailed nine days after his baby granddaughter had been baptized and his eyes were the last which saw the ill-fated colonists. England was then in a stir. The great fight against Roman Catholic Spain was on and the country needed every man to do his duty. With wonderful perseverence, in the midst of all the terrors of the time, Raleigh found means to send White back to Virginia in 1588. He sailed in April with fifteen more planters and bountiful supplies but his vessels met war vessels of France and one of them was boarded and plundered. Both vessels returned to England. This was the last effort that year to help tl\e Roanoke colon ists, and it was in February, 1591, that White through Raleigh's influence, started for Virginia. The comman der of his little fleet thought more of plundering the Spaniards and the French than of the new colony and so it was August before the latter was reached. Heavy storms came on and seven of the best men were lost by the capsizing of a boat in trying to reach Roanoke island. One of the paintings made by White in 1585 showed a small boat sailing towards that island, in its bow standing a man holding aloft the cross. On this re lief visit White went personally in a boat and after a trying journey anchored at night in a little bay near the fort which had been built for the colonists; gave a call upon the trumpets and also a number of familiar En glish airs, but there was no answer. When daylight came the party landed and saw on the shore, cut on a pine tree, "CRO," advanced towards the fort, found all the houses removed and all the place enclosed with a palisade of tree trunks of large size. Within the little 180 THE LOWRIE HISTORY— APPENDIX. fortress they found pig iron and lead; iron guns, cannon shot and other heavy articles scattered here and there, overgrown with grass, chests dug up their contents scattered around. White's own books being rotten from the rain and his armor nearly destroyed by rust. On one of the gate posts at the entrance to the fort on a great pine five feet above the ground, in large letters, was deeply cut the word "Croatan". There was not another sign. White, disheartened at this vanishing of his colony, went back to his fleet and pleaded with the captain in command to carry him to Croatan, which the latter agreed to do, but delayed day after day, then de clared his supplies were too short and sailed away to the West Indies. 'Such was White's farewell to his col ony, his daughter and his grandchild. This was the fifth and last voyage of White, for it seems he remained one whole year there and this makes it very probable he was in the first expedition of 1584. OBLIVION FALLS LIKE A PALL. Oblivion fell like a pall upon the colony ahd it came to be known through all the years as "The Lost Colony of Roanoke". Time was to lift the curtain and let in the light. The Anglo-Saxons have ever had a deep-seated antipathy towards intermarriage with people of another color, whether it be brown, black or yellow. The French, less squeamish in these matters, began at a very early day to foster such intermarriages, and this was one of the factors which brought about the influence the French had with their Indian allies. As a matter of fact the In dians, as the whites found them, certainly in this part of the world, were a seemly people, as the well executed pictures by John White, (the originals of which, in color, THE LOWRIE HISTORY— APPENDIX. 181 are in the British Museum, the United States and the State of North Carolina having duplicates,) show clearly that both the Indian men and women were comely to a very remarkable degree and the various work they did showed if not civilization, something which bordered upon it. To tell the truth it has always been the whites who have brought upon themselves the Indian hatred and revenge and whether it be in Peru, Mexico or the United States this has been over and over again the case. Yet as to these lost colonists and the Indians with whom they were taken to Croatan there must have been intermarriage. Many things go to prove this, among them being the radical characteristics of the Croatan In dians, who are now in several counties south of Raleigh, the capital of the State and at least 200 miles in an air line from Roanoke Island. There are blendings of the Indian race and that of the Englishmen; the hair, eyes, etc., showing the influence of the English strain. Croa tan or Croatoan was southward from Roanoke Island and directly upon the coast, and it was very near the old town of Beaufort, in Carteret county, one of the old est maps date 1666, showing it under this name. The sound directly west of Roanoke Island still bears the name of Croatan. Some historians think the name of the tribe as Croatan and of their island Croatan. Really it is not an island at all but one of those long strips of sand kno wn as "banks", which are barriers between theocean and the chain of North Carolina sounds. The Indians called their own territory Dasamonguepeuk. The name Croa toan carved upon the great post of the palisade at Fort Raleigh was placed according to secret understanding between Governor White and his colonists to designate the place to which the latter had gone, in case they left 182 THE LOWRIE HISTORY -APPENDIX. the island. White knew Croatan was an island south ward from Roanoke because he said Manteo and the friendly savages of Roanoke Island were born there. When John Lawson the first real historian of North Car olina, visited this section in 1708 he said the Hatteras Indians who lived at Roanoke Island or much frequented it told him several of their ancestors were white people and "could talk in a book" as Lawson did; that he saw frequently grey eyes among those Indians and among no other, tribes, and that they valued themselves extremely for their kinship to the English and showed readiness to do the most friendly offices for them. So then the Cro atans were the Hatorask or Hatteras Indians. It was in 1730 that Scotchmen arrived in the section of the State where the Croatans now are and at the com ing of these their records show that they found on Lum ber river, Robeson county, a large tribe of Indians speak ing English, farming, owning slaves and showing many evidences of civilization. These held their lands in com mon and land titles became known only after the advent of the whites. The first grant to any of the Croatans is dated in 1732, being to Henry Berry and James Lowrie, two 9f the leading men, and covered large tracts in Rob eson county. The Croatans were found to be hospitable and entirely friendly to their white neighbors. After the white settlers began to come in a part of this tribe went north and settled around the Great Lakes, some of their descendants now being in Canada, west of Lake Ontario, while a number of these people, described as whites, emigrated into the great North Carolina moun tain region, the tribe in Robeson county now claiming certain families in western North Carolina to be, like themselves, descendenants of the lost English colonists. THE LOWRIE HISTORY— APPENDIX. 183 When the first whites arrived Indians had built excellent roads connecting their most distant settements with the principle seat of their government, if so it can be called, which was on the Lumbee river, that being the In dian name of what is now termed the Lumber river. One of these roads extends for twenty miles to what is called Fayetteville, and their greatest highway yet bears the name of the "Lowrie road", and is used to this day, extending from Fayetteville through two counties to an old settlement on the Pee Dee river. Many men of this tribe of Croatans served in the Con tinental army during the war of the revolution and a number during the war of 1812. Until the year 1835 they were allowed to vote and to perform militia duty, owned slaves, built churches and school houses and lived comfortably, many of them after the English man ner, but a State convention which met that year denied the right to vote to all "free persons of color". After their disfranchisement in 1835 the Indians, who rebelled against being classed as mulattoes, became suspicious of the whites and it was very difficult to get any informa tion from them regarding their history, though of tradi tions they had no end. The first real investigator was Hamilton McMillan, and strange to say his investigation was due to an incident during the civil war. One of the greatest of all the families of the tribe is the Lowries and three young men of this tribe, instead of being sent to the front as soldiers, were treated as colored persons, drafted and sent to work to build Fort Fisher, the great defense below Wilmington. While they were being taken there by a white soldier they were killed by him, it was be lieved. There was an inquest and when it was ended George Lowery, an aged Indian, made an address to a 184 THE LOWRIE HISTORY— APPENDIX. concourse of his people in which he said they had al ways been friends of the white men; that they were free long before the white men ever came to America and had in fact always been free; that they lived in Roan oke, Virginia, and that when the English came there the tribe treated them kindly; that one of the tribe was taken to England on an English vessel and saw that country; that the tribe had always been friendly with the white men and taken the English to live with them and that in their veins was the blood of white men as well as Indian, and that in order to be great Uke the English they had taken the white man's language and religion, for they had been told they would prosper if they would adopt the white men's ways. Lowery said further on that in the wars between white men and In dians his people had always fought on the side of the white men; that they had moved to the section where they now were and fought for liberty for the white men, yet the latter had treated them as negroes and in this case had shot down their young men and given no justice and this in a land where the Croatans had been always free. MR. M'MILLAN'S RESEARCHES. Hamilton McMillan began his investigations in the most critical manner in 1875, when his home was in the centre of the Croatan settlement, where he had the best opportunities of interviewing leading men of the tribe. The first step was to find the reason for the striking En glish names found among the Croatans, and so these were compared with those on the roll of white's lost col ony. Out of the 120 persons in that colony 90 family names were represented and of these White, Bailey, Dare, Cooper, Stevens, Sampson, Harvie, Howe, John- THE LOWRIE HISTORY— APPENDIX. 185 son, Willes, Brown, Smith, Harris, Little, Taylor, Jones, Brooks, Coleman, Graham, Bennett, Lucas, Wilkinson, Vicars, Berry, Butler, Wright, Allen, Chapman, Lasie, Cheven, Paiue, Scott, Little, Martin, Patterson, Bridger, Wood, Powell, Pierce, Charman, Payne and Sampson are found among the Croatans of this time. The name Darr, Duir and Dorr is variously used by these people and is really Dare, Their pronunciation is broad and they use great numbers of old English words. Families bearing the names Dorr or Durr are to be found in the western part of North Carolina and these are claimed by the Croatans, who assert that the Dares, Coopers, Har- vies and a few others retain the purity of blood and were generally the pioneers of immigration. They have a tradition of their leader or chief who went to England but have not preserved his name, speaking of him as Mayno or Maynor, but a woman of great age spoke of their head man as Wanoake, which may be a corruption of Roanoke. The name Mayno is quite common among them and represents in their tongue a quiet and law-abiding peo ple. The great difficulty has been to ascertain the date when the Croatans left the coast country for the inte rior, but it seems certain that they have lived in Robeson county over 220 years. The traditions universal among them show they were seated there long before the great war with the Tusearoras began in 1711. It seems that in their friendship for the whites, some of the Croatans fought under Colonel Branwell, who was in command of the troops and friendly Indians sent up from South Carolina to aid the North Caroli- na settlers in crushing the Tusearoras after the great 186 THE LOWRIE HISTORY— APPENDIX. massacre by the latter. The tradition goes further that the Croatans in this war had taken a number of Matta- muskett Indians prisoners and took the latter back with them to Robeson as slaves, the decendants of these Mattamusketts yet living there and claiming this decent, some of them being able to locate the region where their ancestors lived. It is to be noticed that the Croatans always speak of "Virginia" as he place where their people lived. They mean the Virginia of Sir Walter Raleigh's founding. TARDY JUSTICE. The tardy justice which North Carolina gave to these strange and most interesting people came to them in the spring of 1885, and when the act of the Legislature rec ognizing them as Croatan Indians was publicly read, an aged Indian, a very intelligent man, remarked that he had always heard his ancestors called Hatteras Indians. There are those who believe that the settlement on the Lumber river was made as early as 1650, for French Huguenots, exiled from their homes, who found refuge in South Carolina, sent certain of their number as settlers to North Carolina in 1709 and these found the Croatans with good farms and roads and evidently long settled there. The language spoken by the Croatans is a very pure but quaint old Anglo-Saxon and there are in daily use some 75 words which have come down from the great days of Raleigh and his mighty mistress. Queen Eliza beth. These old Saxon words arrest attention instant ly. For man they say "mon," pronounce "father" "feyther;" use mension for measurement; ax for ask; hosen for hose; lovend for loving; wit for knowledge; THE LOWRIE HISTORY— APPENDIX. 187 housen for houses. Many of the words in daily use by them have for many a long year been entirely absolete in English speaking countries. Their homes have al ways been neat in the extreme and they are very hos pitable to strangers and always ready to befriend white people. They are intensely proud and boast alike of their English and their Indian ancestors and blood. While their disposition is peaceable they will fight des perately when aroused. They are shy as a race, though under the new conditions and in the more Catholic spirit which now prevails they are coming into the open. Their life has been away from crow^ds of other races and their homes away from the public roads. Some of them now show their Indian traits even more strongly than they did a century ago. Their English love for good roads is shown by the fact that they have been and yet are great road builders and have always had the best public roads in the State. No special cen sus has been taken of them, but the number is said to be not less than 5, 000, of which more than half are in Robeson county. There are about 1,500 children of school age, of these the roll having been made. The State has pro vided a separate normal school for these people; the Governor has addessed them; they are being aroused to fresh pride in their ancestry and in learning and their development is becoming rapid. The Legislature took every step to safeguard these people and amended the general law by declaring null and void any and all marriages between Croatan Indians and persons of negro decent to the third generation inclusive. They are quick-witted people. One of them was ex- United States Senator Revels, of Mississippi, who was classed as a mulatto while really a Croatan who 188 THE LOWRIE HISTORY— APPENDIX, was born in Robeson county. The Croatans are almost universally owners of land and in Robeson county thus occupy a territory of more than 60, 000 acres, all owned by them. They are now beginning themselves to look more closely into traditions and some of their leaders state that the traditions of every family which bears the name of one of the lost colonists point to the Roanoke country as that of their ancestors, it being a further tra dition that long after they left the coast country and went into the interior they held communication with the people on the coast and it may have been some of these very up country Croatans, visiting their former home, who were seen by Lawson in 1708 and who spoke of their ancestors as persons who could "talk in a book". Early French, English, Irish and German immigrants who came among the Croatans in the Robeson section seem to have frequently married these Indians. The name Chavis, now common, is a corruption of a French name, as also Blaux, while Leary was O'Leary. In building they show much skill. They have the Indian love for bright colors and when walking in bodies they march in Indian file, one behind the other. They brought with them from the coast country the love of tobacco and the knowledge of how to grow it and the earliest visitors to the Robeson section found patches of tobacco near their houses. They never forget an obli gation or a debt, nor do they forget a kindness or an in sult. A century ago they had good inns for travelers. Their women are extremely handsome and the most noted one among them now is Rhoda Lowrie, the wid ow of Henry Berry Lowrie, a famous outlaw. State Auditor Dixon recently visited the Croatans and spoke to a great assemblage of them at Pates, the location of THE LOWRIE HISTORY— APPENDIX. 1£9 their normal college. There he saw Rhoda, who used to be a great beauty. Her husband's father and sev eral other Croatans, not recognized then as whites or Indians, but as negroes, when sent to work during the civil war on the forts, left and went home, were pur sued by the Home Guard and several were shot, being classed as deserters. Henry Berry Lowrie was then only a youth, but he swore by the blood of his ances tors that he would kill every one of the Home Guard who had shot his father. He kept this terrible oath to the letter, except in the case of one of the Home Guard, who fled the State to escape the swift and sure death which had come to his comrades. Lowrie associated with himself other daring spirits and it required State militia and even Federal troops to crush out what came to be known as the "Lowrie outlaws". Their leader accidentally killed himself with his gun; his brother, Steve, for whom a reward, of $5,000 was offered by the State, was shot from ambush, and the trouble was quelled, but not before many a white man had been killed, and a reign of terror existed which attracted na tional attention and brought about action by the Presi dent and the War Department. INFLUENCE OF ENGLISH. The dominating influence of the English upon this race has been shown very clearly by the language and by the customs, which have retained nothing of the sav age. There are no Indian words in use, nor have there been these hundred years or more, and there are no Indian customs. The Indian is shown, however, in some of the facial characteristics, in the physique, and in the walk, the latter having much of the red man's 190 THE LOWRIE HISTORY— APPENDIX. stride and swing, which when once seen is not to be for gotten. The carriage of the women is superb, and they unconsciously look like statues in some of their poses. Their color is very rich, their figure ample and graceful in every outline. Of course there are doubters and among historians, too, as to the status of these people, and there are those who believe that they are a mixture or blend of the first white settlers who it is claimed pushed up into that re gion from Charleston, S. C, and the Indians of that lo cality. A comparison of the typical Croatan and one of the Roanoke Island Indians as painted with extreme care by John White, Sir Walter Raleigh's great artist, shows many points of resemblance between that race and the present day Croatans, among whom splendid figures are the rule rater than the exception. ONE ARGUMENT AS TO RALEIGH'S COLONISTS. The argument has been advanced by some that Ral eigh's colonists when they left Roanoke Island, did not go to the southward, but that they went to the northeast, and that they fixed themselves about the point where Avoca now is, in Bertie county, and that they there built themselves substantial houses; that the Indians fell upon them, under the leadership of Wanchese or some of his friends, and massacred almost all, great rivers be ing on either side, which the colonists could not cross, but that the Indians spared a few, including "a young mayde' ' ; that those captured were taken further up the country and that the Englishmen of their number were made to build houses, partly at least of stone, for their Indian masters, and that it was these houses and these captives of whom Captain John Smith heard and whom THE LOWRIE HISTORY— APPENDIX. 191 he made note, the information concerning them having been brought by Indian runners to him and his colonists at Jamestown. Those who hold this view that the col onists after leaving Roanoke Island went towards the northwest and settled as above stated, say that Govemor White and other leaders had been up into that part of the country and had fixed on this as a place better for a settlement than Roanoke Island, which was and is ex tremely isolated and in a section subject to storms, there being entirely open water all about. To get to Avoca the colonists had a very good boat, of sufficient size to carry them. Those who hold this view believe further that the Indians with blue eyes and fair hair and ruddy complexions who were seen by latter explorers on the North Carolina coast were not the descendants of the Lost Colony at all but of Indian women and of the first party of Englishmen put ashore, the latter not being on Roanoke Island, but on one of the long sand-banks be tween that island and the sea, which form a barrier be tween the sea and the sounds which have always marked the North Carolina coast. EVIDENCE OF RELICS. There has recently been found in Robeson county, in the heart of the Croatan settlement, an iron tomahawk, such as were described by Col. William Byrd as sold along the great Indian "trading path" and along the "Lowery Road" by traders early in the eighteenth cen tury, Another find is an ancient cross-bow of the En glish make and model, of the fype which was still used in Queen Elizabeth's time. This bow bears the marks of much use. A hand-mill of the most primitive type, but 192 THE LOWRIE HISTORY— APPENDIX showing very clearly its English origin, has also been found in one of the Croatan houses, with the tradition that it had been used by their people before they moved from the coast country. There are a number of Croa tans in the county of Cumberland and there was a stone church near the present village of Hope Mills. The church itself is gone, but the foundation of brown stone can be seen plainly. Thus linked together the history of the Lost Colony of Roanoke and that of the most interesting of Indians on this continent; interesting because in the blending of their English blood there comes down through the cen turies so much of the old world and the new; of the great Raleigh, the master spirit of his age, and of the Indians along this coast, who seem to have been models of their race; a strange Unking of those first baptisms of the baby white girl and the Indian king, and of the new awakening of education and hope and pride among the Croatans, to whom North Carolina at last holds out the hand of recognition. Do You Want to Buy a Honne OR AN INSURANCE POLICY? ir so APPliY TO THE UNDERSIGNED THE laFAYETTE MUTtMit lafE INSURANCE CO. WY^TTEVILLE, N. C. Offers the ^?B^ opportunity to, inUtke good for the wiole community above afiy other institntion in existence. ThiB Company (fomiaenced bosineis, on ^itly 4th, 1909, and has at the present time over 400 f^i^jLlii'^ force. 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