This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: LOWN, VEDDER Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/gFB.2ACE/1262 Message Board Post: LOWN John C. (or S.) Lown, according to a handwritten piece of paper by his a member of his family, was born in New York Apr.5, 1827. In 1850 he would have been 23 years old, and most likely in New York. According to the dates of his children’s births on census records he was also in NY in 1860, aged 33. His wife was Jane A. (Vedder?), according to the piece of paper, born Nov.28, 1820, also in New York. The first confirmed record of him, though, is on the 1870 Census Record of Pavilion Twp., Kalamazoo Co., MI, where he states his age as 48 (placing his birth year in 1822), New York, occupation Shoemaker. His wife was Jane Lown, aged 49 (1821), New York, keeping House; son Morgan Lown, aged 20, NY; son John, aged 15, NY; daughter Maria, aged 13, NY; son Levi , aged 12, NY, son Merton, aged 8, NY; and another female whose last name appears to be Vedder, C., aged 63, NY—who may likely be a the mother of Jane. On the 1880 Census, they are in Woodbridge Twp., Hillsdale Co., MI: John C. Lown, 54 (1826), NY, Shoemaker, both parents born in NY; and wife Jane A. Lown, aged 57 (1823), NY, both parents born in NY. John appears on the 1894 Veteran’s Census Record in Woodbridge as John S. Lown. John apparently served in the Civil War as a Private in Co.A, 159th NY Infantry, enlisting Jan.15, 1865, discharged May 15, 1865, serving 1 year and four months. At that time he lived in Frontier, Hillsdale Co., MI, and disability incurred was “Rheumatism deafness”. The 159th New York regiment was also known as the “Second Dutchess and Columbia Regiment” for the two counties in NY it was recruited from during 1862. They were organized in New York City and served in Louisiana with the 19th Corps; in Virginia with the 10th Corps; and was mustered out Oct.12, 1865 at Augusta, Georgia. John appears in the 1900 Census of Amboy Twp., Hillsdale Co., MI as John Lown, born Apr.1827, NY; wife Jane born Nov.1820, NY, and grandson Jesse C. Lown, born Aug.1886. Although the paper indicates Jane lived to 1922, aged 102 years old, no indication is found of both in the 1920 Census for Hillsdale Co., MI, nor have I found their place of burial there. I believe John was born in Columbia or Dutchess County, NY where a great number of Lowns came from. The closest match I could find to him for date of birth is John Henry Lown, who was christened Apr.20, 1827 in St.Peters Lutheran Church in Rhinebeck, Dutchess County. I have been unsuccessful in locating him on the 1850 Census. According to family record, his eldest son Morgan was born Jan.20, 1851 in Catskill, Greene Co., NY. I believe John and Jane were probably married by April 1850. John would have been 23 years old, but so far I have not found them alone or living with somebody else. John Henry Lown was listed as a son of Solomon Lown (Laun), born 1804 in Rhinebeck and wife Rachel. Census records support that Solomon had a son under 15 years of age in 1840, and under 3 years of age in 1830; that would coincide with this John. But is John Henry Lown and John C. (or S.) Lown one and the same? was his wife Jane a member of the Vedder family? I have yet to find a marriage r! ecord them as well.