The Lowe Family Tree

Born in southern Germany to what was by all accounts a fairly prominent farming family (father was said to be town mayor), Catherine was raised in the town of Vöhringen until the age of 5. At that time, the family sailed to America aboard the ship Charlotte and landed in New York on 22 July 1833. They immigrated to Liverpool Township in Medina, Ohio where Catherine married Levi Schnell at 24. The couple lived in Beebetown on the edge of Liverpool their entire lives and raised 5 children. She died a widow at her daughter's home in Berea, Ohio at the age of 74.

Our Schnell immigrant ancestor was born in Germany. Our only account of Levi's early life comes from his immigration manifest that says he was from Hanover, Germany. His childhood and origins beyond that are a mystery. Even his actual birth name is up for debate as he has been written under many different variations of Christoph Levin Schnell. He originally married in Cuyahoga County, Ohio to Mary Richardson at the age of 30, less than a year after arriving in America. They lived in Liverpool Township, Ohio where he worked as a carpenter and farmer and had 4 children together before Mary died. Levi remarried Catherine Rauch at 46 and moved to Beebetown where they had 5 more children together. Levi died in Beebetown at the age of 74.

Andrine was born in the Fiskum parish area of Eiker, Norway to a single mother. By 15 she had moved to the city of Drammen where she married Ole at the age of 24. He was from Rogaland and they returned there after marriage where she raised their 3 children in Kopervik until he died in 1862. Andrine remarried 2 years later to husband Tore and they continued to live in Kopervik. Soon after we lose track of Andrine and don't know about the rest of her life.

Born on Kjelsvik farm to the captain of a small sailing ship, Ole grew up in Jelsa, Rogaland, Norway. Much of his childhood was spent on the open seas with his father and brother. At 33, he married Andrine in Drammen, Buskerud on the opposite side of Norway. Together they lived in Kopervik and had 3 children before Ole's untimely death at 39.

Born to a farmer at Loftstua Farm under Landsverk in Sandsvær, Norway. She married Hans Jorgen Pettersen at 20 and they raised 12 children together on Haugen farm in Sandsvær before relocating to Visnes, Rogaland by the age of 53. She lived at Visnes until her husband died in 1902 and soon after we lose track of Anne as she enters her 80s.

Born to a farmer at Øvre Laugerud Farm in Sandsvær, Norway, Hans was raised on Laugerud until he purchased Haugen farm under Landsverk in Sandsvær at 20. He married Anne Lindboe and they raised 12 children together before relocating to Visnes, Rogaland by the age of 52. There Hans worked in the copper mines, helping to mine the copper that was used to make the Statue of Liberty. He passed away in Visnes at 79.

Anne Marie, the daughter of a sailor and laborer, was born in Svelvik, Norway in 1827. She was raised with 4 brothers and 1 sister. She received her confirmation in 1842 and married sailor and carpenter Andreas Johnsen in 1855. The couple lived in Svelvik, where she gave birth to 3 sons and 3 daughters, the youngest of which, Andreas, cost Anne her life. She died in 1867 while recovering from childbirth.

Andreas was born to a sailor/carpenter father in northern Svelvik in 1830. He was 1 of 8 children, including a half-sister and only the second boy of the house. His younger sister died when he was 9, his father passed away at 11, and an older sister when he was 14. Andreas took to the sea as a sailor and while home married Anne Marie Ruud in 1855. The couple would have 6 children before Anne's untimely death in 1867. Andreas stopped sailing and took up carpentry at the shipyard full time when he remarried Laura Anderson. They had a son in 1873, but Laura also died the following year. Andreas died in Svelvik in 1888 at the age of 58.

Born on the Orhuus farm in 1828 in Sande, Vestfold, Norway to parents Christen Johnsen and Dorthe Olsdatter, Christoffer lost his father by age 5 and spent his childhood on Kvisle farm with his mother and step-father. After confirmation he relocated from Sande to Svelvik and traded a life on the farm for one at sea. Christoffer married Mathea Gulliksdatter Loe and had 3 children. He died at sea of yellow fever aboard the ship Chatham at the age of 50 and was buried at sea on the Atlantic.