St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1859-09-01
S co. MINNESOTA, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER / 1859

lNps w., M l|NNESO,
Lowry, the Old winnebago IN
terpreter, and His I. Striking
Contrast" TO .'Naoe, the irish
There was good deal Of amusement
amongst the "old settlers" on Saturday at
the Pioneers notice eff Mr.. lowry, sthe
Democratic candidate for Lieutenant Coy
'ernor. According to; that article Mr.
Lowry is a high-falutin sort Of al indiyid-
ual-a high stepping gentleman. Itsays
ll'' he IS can old pioneer-a gentleman of e,ll-
ture and fine ability-a thorough and ,un-
comprising Democrat he presents a
striking contrast to his opponent" Mr..
Donnclly! The Pioneer: goes on to say:
General Lowry formerly took on active
part in Territorial Politics, and possessed
great personal popularity-the latter hs still
retains in his own locality, but with a majori-
ty Of the present voters of Minnesota his is
new name: He resides in St. Cloud, in the
neighborhood of which place he has one Of the
largest and best farms in the State Gen r.
VIII add great strength to the ticket in. the
north" ,>#@1 - 57F2
Now, being an old settler oursclf, and
having lived quite near Mr.. Lowry dur
ing portion Of our career, we can give
s.,H,
tion respecting the Democratic candidate
tor Lieutenant Governor, than it seems
now to be in possession of. =.
Sylvanus B. Lowry was born in the
State Of Tennessee. His father, Rev.
David Lowry, is a ministe, Of the Cumber.
land Presbyterian denomination, stern
kind Of sectarys, numerous in Tennessee
and Kentucky. The father, under the
incentive of government aid as an Indian
teacher, and doubtless from his Christian
zeal to save souls, removed into the VIM
nebago tribe of Indians, then settled in
Iowa, as a missionary to convert them to
Christianity and civilization. Sylvanus,
then child of seven years of age, accom-
panied the family among the tribe; and
grew up to manhood as an adopted Win.
neoago, assuming to a great extent their
peculiar habits of dress: and action. and
acquiring their language more perfectly,
perhaps than any white man has ever
done. -. J.. ..,... .."< sa.E$ ... ....
While the father was with the Winnie
bagocs in Iowa. as their teacher and mis-
slonary, being also something Of Demo-
cratic politician, he succeeded in obtain
ing the appointment Of us. Indian A
gent for the tribe; and he then, duly des-
ignated his son, Sylvanus, to fill the off,
ce Of U S. Interpreter for the Winneba-
goes. .....:.s.. s:-- "a; =
:. It was about this time. that the n late
Catholic Bishop Cretin came amongst the
Winnebagoes, and made an effort to Chris
tian'ze them according to his creed. In
this, ct course, he received nothing but
the sterncst kind of opposition from the
Reverend Indian Agent Of the tribe
Great, indeed, was the war of words, ant!
Of letters and documents which ensaed
between the belligerents- war in which
the Reverend Indian Agent obtained the
advantage over his Catholic opponent
from tho peculiar influence exercised up.
on the minds Of the Indians themselves
through the superior requirements of his
son, Sylvanus, in the Winnebago Ian
yuage-the son naturally aiding his faith.
er to frustrate Mr.. Cretin's we'll meant cx
ertions: -''.. %4.>-t =.
y The Rev: David Lowry The: father, was
finally displaced as Agent Of the tribe, but
still managed to retain the post of Super
intendent Of the Manual Labor Schools Of
the Nation s:.s''s' H..
'2t' When the tribe was removed up to
Long Prairie, in Minnesota, into what is
now Todd county, Bishop Cretin abandon.
ed a contest in. which the odds were too
great against him, and did not remove
with the indians to their new location. II
:; Dut sometime before their removal, tSyl-
vanus Il. Lowry had obtained such an in
fuence over the Indians, that Henry NJ.
Rice secured him as one Of his Indian
Traders. When Rice was turned out of
the American Fur Company, Sylyanus
followed his fortunes, and continued 9 to
act as his Indian Trader, and occasionally
Us interpreter amongst tnc 'VlHneDaSOeS,
until Rice's financial failure and total a.
abandonment of the ''Trade" for the trade
Of politics, when Mr.. Lowry also retired,
with, However, comfortable amount Of
.Espoils IF the heathen'' in his pocket
He next became a land and town site spec.
ulator' and acquired an interest in the
town site Of St. Cloud, where he now re
sides. 5ssz#s2 . . 7. 555 ssst.& $685.
Il His most distinguishing public action
q during lll his residence at St. Cloud is his
well known mobocratic destruction of
Mis-, SWisshelm's press, which was accom-
plished under his direction, and partly by
'hpu in person The real reason for this
outrage was the Anti Slavery views
promulgated through the.columns Of. the