Catherine Gorman Lowery
(Post No. 15)
Catherine A. Gorman was Michael Gorman's sister. Catherine is a unique relative in the Gorman tree because she lived in San Jose in the 1800s. In fact, her large home still stands near downtown San Jose, one we’ve been to, but not inside — yet. (It's now a law office.)
Catherine was my great-great-grand-aunt. (Her brother Michael is my great-great-grandfather).
There are some puzzling details about Catherine's life. She was the youngest of four Gorman children that left Ireland in 1847 during the Great Famine after their parents, Patrick and Bridget Gorman, died. Catherine was born in 1840, making her 7 years old when she immigrated to America with her three older siblings. However, she claims on Census records, and it's in her obituary, that she was born in New Jersey. This can't be true since her parents died in Ireland, which was likely the reason the children left, in addition to the Famine.
But her older sister, Margaret, did live in New Jersey for two years before settling in Defiance, Ohio, with the other two siblings, so I assume Catherine lived with Margaret in New Jersey also. Thus, since she was so young, Catherine probably decided that saying she was born in America would be a benefit. Perhaps also she could easily shake her Irish accent as a youngster and avoid any mistreatment Irish immigrants may have received at the time.
When Catherine — who often went by “Kate” — married George Washington Lowery in 1856, she would have been 16 years old if her birth year is correct. And George would have been 16 years her senior.
If her birth year really was 1840, Catherine would have been born six years after the last previous Gorman child, who did not survive, and at least seven years after her sister Margaret, who did survive. I'm not certain what advantage it was to make oneself younger by lying, but apparently women often did it back then, simply because they could. But if she was 16 when she married, she carried a lot of clout because she was able to purchase valuable lots in Downtown San Jose with her wealthy husband's mining fortune while he was away; and her real estate investments added to their wealth. They built a large home on the corner of Market and Devine Streets. (Photos at link below).
Catherine and George had four children in San Jose so when I discovered this a few years ago, I was sure I would find some living cousins here. Unfortunately, it was not to be. There was Belle (1857), then Viola Katherine (1861), then Ida May (1863), then George Jr. (1873). Three of them never married and none had any children. However, Viola Katherine is a slightly different story. Her siblings lived to be 17, 28, and 51, respectively, while Viola lived to be 69. You can read about Viola Katherine Lowery in the next blog. We’re talking Big Money!
George Lowery Sr. died in 1905 at the age of 81. His wife, Catherine Gorman Lowery, died in 1910 at the age of 70. (All of the Lowery family is buried at Oak Hill Memorial Park in San Jose — where Uncle Eddie is — which I have visited.) Their estate went to their two surviving heirs, Viola and George Jr., the latter living only 15 more years after their mother's death.
See photos HERE.
COMMENTS:
Kendra - Feb. 26, 2023
What an interesting aunt! Too bad we don't have any super-rich San Jose cousins from that line. They would become my new favorite San Jose cousins.
Just kidding . . . =)
Thank you for finding these family treasures, Mom! I always love learning more about our ancestry like this!
Love from Maine, Kendra
Kerry - Feb. 26, 2023
Lol! They would have been my favorite cousins too Kendra!!
Super interesting about the SJ ties! How cool if that property was still in the family!
Sigh...hope you get to go inside Nancy!!
Thank you Nancy - so fun and interesting to learn about our history!! xoxox
Susie - Feb. 26, 2023
Very interesting Catherine ended up in San Jose. Too bad we didn't inherit some of that property. :-) Their home is beautiful. Thank you, Nancy, I love reading about our family history! I appreciate all the work you are doing with your blog.
Lindy - Feb. 26, 2023
Thanks Nancy for all your investigating into our family tree. We have an interesting Tree! xo
Rocky - Feb. 26, 2023
Eh yo, where them Lowery Cousins at?? $$$
Cool San Jose branch there mom. Nice detective work. Hope you can find some photos on your hunt.
Nancy - Feb. 26, 2023
Glad you all like my Roots work :-) It's fun. I've known about these people a long time, just getting around to sharing them. The next blog will be interesting, too, so stay tuned! Thanks for reading and for all your fun comments! xoxo
Johnny - Feb. 27, 2023
Really cool and fascinating Nancy!!!! ty!
Nancy - Feb. 27, 2023
Thanks for reading, Johnny. I'm glad you like it! :-)