Yes, I’ll admit. I’ve been more than a little preoccupied with Lewis Lowe the past few months. From the first time I learned about him, I felt an inexplicable connection to this young Green Turtle Cay man who was orphaned at 11 and died on a WWI battlefield in France at just 28.
And now, I believe I’ve discovered an actual familial link between us.
We know that Lewis’ mother was Sarah Starling Lowe, and that her mother was Sarah Starling, nee Gates.
Sarah Gates Starling was the daughter of Charles John Gates and Sarah Lowe Gates of Green Turtle Cay. The couple had two other daughters, Caroline and Emeline, and three sons, John, Charles and Matthew.
Matthew Gates, Sarah’s brother, had a son, Jeremiah, whose daughter was Marion Mayfield (“May”) Gates– my great-grandmother.
So, let’s do the genealogical math.
If Sarah Gates Starling and Matthew Gates were siblings, then their respective children, Sarah Starling Lowe and Jeremiah Gates would be first cousins.
The children of Sarah Starling Lowe and Jeremiah Gates — namely, Lewis Lowe and my great-grandmother, May Gates Curry — would be second cousins.
That makes Lewis Lowe and my grandmother, Lurey Curry Albury, second cousins once removed. Lewis and my Mom would be second cousins twice removed and Lewis and I would be second cousins, thrice removed.
Granted, it’s not a close connection. But it does give me comfort to know that we are actually related. And to know that the orphaned Lewis actually has many family members out there, all of whom can keep his name alive.
