Mary and John’s first daughter, Amelia, was married to the Honorable Walter Lowrie. His biography is quite interesting, partly because of his association with the Reverend McPherrin, but he was impressive on his own and the colorful lives of the children of Walter and Amelia are included here:
LOWRIE, Walter, senator, born in Edinburgh, Scotland, 10 December, 1784; died in New York city, 14 December. 1868. He was brought to the United States when eight years of age by his parents, who settled in Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania, but subsequently removed to Butler county. Young Lowrie received a good education, but prosecuted his studies amid many difficulties. At the age of eighteen, he began a course of study with a view to entering the ministry, but was led to change his purpose. He was subsequently a member of the legislature for several years, and was afterward elected United States senator from Pennsylvania, and served from 6 December, 1819, till 3 March, 1825. On the expiration of his term he was elected secretary of the United States senate, an office he held for twelve years.
While in the latter body he made his influence felt as a decided and earnest religious man. He was a founder of the Congressional prayer-meeting and the Congressional temperance society, and for many years served as a member of the executive committee of the American colonization society. In 1836 he became corresponding secretary of the Western foreign missionary society, afterward the Presbyterian board of foreign missions. He continued in the charge of his various duties until he was disabled by old age in 1868.
His son, John Cameron, clergyman, born in Butler, Pennsylvania, 16 December, 1808, was graduated at Jefferson college in 1829, prepared for the ministry at the Western and Princeton theological seminaries, and was licensed to preach, 21 June, 1832. On 23 May, 1833, he was ordained a missionary and was sent out by the Western foreign missionary society to northern India, but his health failed, and he returned in 1836. In 1838 Dr. Lowrie was made assistant secretary of the board of foreign missions, his father being secretary. In 1845 he was called to take charge of the 42d street Presbyterian church in New York city, a connection he continued to maintain until 1850, when he was elected one of the corresponding secretaries of the board of foreign missions. In 1865 he was chosen moderator of the general assembly of his church. He is the author of "Travels in North India, etc." (Philadelphia, 1841; same work issued in New York, 1850, under title of "Two Years in Upper India"); "A Manual of the Foreign Missions of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America" (New York, 1855; 3d ed., 1868) ; and "Missionary Papers" (1882), besides many reports, sermons, and articles in the "Princeton Review."
Another son, Walter Macon, missionary, born in Butler, Pennsylvania, 18 February, 1819; died 19 August, 1847, was graduated at Jefferson in 1837, studied at Princeton theological seminary, and was ordained in November, 1841. On 19 Jan., 1842, he sailed for China to join the Presbyterian mission there. After laboring about two years in Macao, he removed to Ningpo in 1845. Having occasion to attend a conference of missionaries at Shanghai, he visited that city during the summer of 1847, and on the voyage back to Ningpo his vessel was attacked by pirates, and he was thrown into the sea. He was the author of "The Land of Sinim, or an Exposition of Isaiah xlix, 12" (Philadelphia, 1850), and "Sermons Preached in China" (New York, 1851). See "Memoir of W. M. Lowrie" (New York, 1849; Philadelphia, 1854-'5 and 1880), edited by his father.
Another son, Jonathan Roberts, lawyer, born in Butler, Pennsylvania, 16 March, 1823 ; died in Warrior's Mark, Pennsylvania, 10 December, 1885, was graduated at Jefferson college in 1842, and studied law with his cousin, Judge Walter H. Lowrie. He at first settled in Hollidaysburg, Blair County, Pennsylvania, but soon removed to Warrior's Mark, Huntingdon County, where he passed the remainder of his life. There he became the legal adviser of a firm owning one of the largest estates in central Pennsylvania. He spent much time in the study of the natural sciences, especially botany, and converted the grounds attached to his residence into an arboretum, made large collections of the rarer plants, and discovered one new species, Prunus Alleghaniensis, and several others that had not previously been found in the state.
Another son, Reuben, missionary, born in Butler, Pennsylvania, 24 November, 1827; died in Shanghai, China, 26 April, 1860, was graduated at the University of the city of New York in 1846, served there one year as tutor, and studied theology at Princeton, being graduated from the seminary in 1849. He was licensed to preach by the Luzerne, Pennsylvania, presbytery in 1851, at which time he was engaged in missionary work among the Choctaw Indians. He was ordained as a missionary in 1853, and sailed for Shanghai, where he applied himself to the study of Chinese, and translated the " Shorter Catechism" and a "Catechism on the Old Testament History" into that language. He devoted much time to the completion of a "Dictionary of the Four Books," that had been begun by his brother Walter, and had also nearly finished a "Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew" in Chinese when he died.
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Edited Appletons Encyclopedia, Copyright © 2001 VirtualologyTM
This is a postscript to the life of Amelia, who was very close in age to her brother, John, born 1792, the next in our direct line. It is, in fact, purportedly her death bed scene from 1832. The language certainly gives you a flavor of the times.
History of Butler County Pennsylvania, 1895 Pioneer Reminiscences.
"This is a transcript of a document which relates the Death of Amelia McPherrin Lowrie (Mrs. Walter Lowrie) as told to her husband. There is another document, copied from Senator Lowrie's, yet slightly different in text, which appears to have been made by one of Walter and Amelia's children. Amelia Lowrie died at Bedford, PA."
Nov. 5, 1832
At 12 oclock at noon it was but too evident that she was upon her death bed. There was present only her husband, her daughter Eliza, and her youngest son Reuben.
Husband: Do you find the Lord Jesus Christ precious to your soul?
Amelia: I do find Him precious. I have found Him so, and He does not leave me now.
Husband: My Dear, do you suffer much pain?
Amelia: I feel the pains of dissolution- these are sore and terrible to weak human nature. Under their purpose I could scream and cry out, were it not that the Love and Peace of God sustains me in this dreadful conflict.
Husband: Have you any fears of your acceptance in the Divine favor?
Amelia: No fear, I came in the righteousness of my Savior and through Him will not be cast out. 'He that cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out'.
Husband: Jesus can make a dying bed Soft as downy pillows are When on His breast I lean my hand And breath my life out sweetly then.
Amelia: O, I have often thought of that, and now I find it true indeed.
Husband: (Reads from a copy of Doddridge's Prose and Prayers page 274) left at the inn by Dr.__________ Oct. 24, 1832. 'Fear this God is our God forever and ever; He will be our guide even until death.' Ps. 48:14 Also Ps. 23:4, 2 Tim 1:12; 1Thes. 4:14; John 10:28; John 14:1-3; John 17:24, 26
Amelia: These words are true and they are dear to my soul.
(After some time)
Amelia: I would crawl over the feet of the table for some of the crumbs that fall from the table of my master- some crumbs of the children's bread.
Two o'clock PM
Amelia: Lord thy favor is all we can desire. I ask Thy love for my husband. I ask Thy love for my children. O let none of them slight Thy warning voice. Let none of them neglect or despise the dear precious Savior. O what will careless sinners do when laid on a death bed. Lord Jesus, pity them and lead them to Thyself. (After some time, the pain of breathing increasing)
Husband: Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Amelia: Yes, He will and He will give me rest.
Husband: Is your faith in your Redeemer still sustained?
Amelia: It is even tho' He slay me. I will trust in Him.
About 3 o'clock
Amelia: The mystery of Redeeming love. Hid from the wise and prudent, and revealed unto babes. A great high priest that was tempted in all things like as we are apt without sin. His blood cleanseth from all sin even sins as black as mine.
Amelia: My dear, raise my shoulders and breast. I have a nervous fever my head- there now let me rest. I will depart in a few minutes.
Husband: Have you still, my dear, peace of mind?
Amelia: (in the paroxysms of dissolution) I h-a-v-e
Husband: Lord Jesus, now grant the consolations of Thy Holy Spirit. Speak peace to the soul of thy dying servant. Rebuke the tempter, may he be still as a stone, and take this parting soul to thyself. Amen.
With her head resting on the right hand of her husband and her hands in his she expired, without a struggle or a groan, at 1/2 past 3 o'clock 5 Nov. 1832."
Is that dramatic enough for you?