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- Percival Lowell was 68 years of age when he came to New England in 1639,and 73 when he died. He was from Kingston-Seymour, Clevedon, Portbury,and Weston-in-Gardano, all of Somersetshire, as well as Bristol ofGloucestershire. Family tradition says that he came to Newbury, Mass.,from Bristol, England in 1639 in the ship Jonathan, though the passengerlist for that vessel does not exist.
In 1597 he was assessor in Kingston-Seymour, England. The parish recordscovering his early life in England unfortunately are lost, leaving muchunknown that would have been of great interest. Percival and family musthave been well established in England. They had in Bristol, England, alarge mercantile establishment under the firm name of "Percival Lowle andCo." This firm was managed by the father Percival, the son John, andperhaps the son Richard, and possibly William Gerrish, who came over withthe Lowles and subsequently married Percival's sister, Mrs. JoannaOliver, widow of John Oliver.
Percival and sons had means when they arrived in this country andpurchased real estate quite extensively in old Newbury, Mass. andvicinity. Coming later than some others and being wealthy, had no landgrants. They purchased their land, but later shared in the division oftown lands as well. He was admitted Freeman March 17, 1642. In 1648, in adeed to Mrs. Gerrish he is called "Gent," meaning a person of highstation. In 1653 Percival Lowell was appraiser of the estate of ThomasMillard of Newbury, Mass. This Thos. Millard married Abigail Goodale,sister of Elizabeth, wife of John Lowell, oldest son of Percival. He tookthe Oath of Allegience in 1678 with his brothers, Thomas and Benjamin. Onthe Town Rate of Newbury 1688, "Mr. Per. Lowle" was placed for: "2 Heads,1 horse, 5 plowlands, 10 meadows, 1 house, 4 oxen, 4 cows, 1 3 yr old, 12 yr old, 1 1 yr old, 10 sheep, 2 hogs." On the same rate Mrs. Lowle(probably widow of John, oldest son of Percival) and Thomas Lowle werealso for a little less than Percival.
Percival wrote a poem on the death of Gov. Winthrop of Mass., which,though not fully up to our modern ideals in every particular, shows thathe had the germ of that poetic fire which has so often gleamed out allalong the Lowell line and burst forth in such brilliancy in that mostnoted member of this family, the Hon. James Russell Lowell.
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Abt 1571 - 1645 (~ 74 years)