The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1908-07-06
HENRY BERRY LOWERY.
Another Version of How He Be-
came an Outlaw Many Good
and True Man Anoorn the


To the Editor of The Robesonian.
| see in your issue of June 18th
a lengthy article on the Croatan c
Indians in Robson county. |
am a native Robesonian and :
know some of these people we'll.
Some of them were good people
true men-such as Bryan Bow u u
en- and family, Owen Revels and ~
family-in fact, all of the Rev y
els; some of the Alexanders and c.
Locklears. | think a better man d
at heart than Purdie Lowery II
would be hard to find. Of course E
they had the disadvantage Il
doubt unjustly -of being classed
as negroes, or mulattoes. This
seems now to have been proven
to be wrong; yet | suppose at
that time, few, if any, knew any
better except those unfortunate 8
people. 1t was but natural for
them to feel that they were
wronged, but it is most probable.
that those who enacted the laws
that were so Odious to them in
tended no wrong ignorant
of the real facts. Many of them
doubtless would have gone glad
ly to the front and battle side by
side with their white neighbors
and friendly but for the discrim-
nations of the law. Some did,
anyway, and made brave, manly
soldiers remember VIM. Bow
en- and Ben and Amos Taylor. ] !
: had good and true friends among
these people and | yet appreciate
S their nobility of character under
S the circumstances.
y l think however, that DR.. Dix
IS on was misinformed to some ex-
l. tent about the facts in Henry
o Berry LoWry's case. Of course
l. it is quite a good while since
"a these incidents, but my reccol-
re lection is that he was willing to
l. go out as soldier, but resented
le the idea of being classed with
d the negroes; but he was drawn
n or conscripted to work on fOrti-
aL fications, etc. There was a COM
us mittee or board for each county
Is to which parties conscripted tC
nc go into the army or to work on
IL Notifications might apply, and il
this board found good reason
aS why they should be exempted
ny were when they had no good le
re gal exemption, upon the recon-
d. mendation of this board they
w. were often excused from thu
io' service. One member of thi
/, was a Mr.. Barnes, a very exem
'ne plary man. Ny recollection i
he was James P. Barnes an
III that he lived near GAINESVILLE.
7ii' may have these names, some O
iS' them, wrong, but at any rate h
no lived in the vicinity of Henri
al Berry's home and l think the
oie were good friends. Henry Be-
oO- ry applied to this board for e2
iie' emption and expected to be fl
(, " vored by reason of his relation
ghC with Mr.. Barnes. He faile
dnu and, it seems, put the Who'll
u blame on his neighborand frienC
7SS- Mr.. Barnes; and his Indian n;
dis ture, it seems asserted itself an
on he killed Mr.. Barnes near h
ny home waylaid and shot hi
lies as he was driving home fro
)ra- Lumberton. This, of cours
nee caused him to be outlawed. +
'oo' was shrewd and had mar
ark friends, so he evaded the office
or of the law and, as is frequent
CUT the case, one wrong step led
or another. So he went on
IAN he gathered about him a band
MN desperate characters and mai
lefe horrible crimes followed.
mas l was then but a boy, b
uCy' rather on the order of old boy
the my principal chums and asso
9Oo' ates were older and more robu
Inc than I, so they were mostly
mas the army when Mr.. Barnes W
Tor killed; but it is probable at lie;
tate that some of them rememk
unity about these things, and may
lttee can give a much better accou
COM of them than l. If so, do !
au- publish this. However, if J
kN1ng think it worth the space as
llngs historical incident, you are W
come to use it. My recollect
All is that these people-the CIR
1eod; tans-were peaceable and @;
and no trouble when sober. but 50
'eson of them would, sometimes
nevt bibe too freely and were disl
Car ed to make rough house,.
far as my memory serves !
OK. $500 uonu- D., Io,ro