The following information regarding the Lowerisons was secured chiefly from Robert Lowerison, of Sackville, a great-grandson of the first Richard Lowerison.
Richard Lowerison, the first to come to America, was born in Yorkshire, England, in the year 1741, and married Mary Grey in 1762. Ten years later Mr. Lowerison sailed from Liverpool, Eng., bound for Halifax, where he landed on the 1st of May. He settled on the Petitcodiac River, in Westmoreland County, N.B., but the frequent raids made by the Eddy rebels in that district caused him to purchase and remove to a farm adjoining the western bounds of the Garrison lands of Fort Cumberland. The buildings first erected by him have long since disappeared. The farm has been occupied by his son Thomas, by his grandson James, and at present by William Miner.
Six children survived Richard and Mary Grey Lowerison—Elizabeth, who married William Doncaster, and settled at Amherst Point; Anne, who married John Carter, and settled east of Fort Cumberland; Thomas, who married Hannah Carter, and occupied the homestead; Richard, who married Abigail Merrill, and after spending twelve years between the old home, Amherst Point, and Mapleton, moved to Frosty Hollow, Sackville, on September 18th, 1817, on the farm now occupied by his son, Thomas Lowerison, and his grandson, Bradford Carter; Joseph, the third son of Richard, married Mary Siddall and settled near Mount Whatley, about two miles from the homestead. Mary married James Carter, who for a time kept a public house in Dorchester, but afterwards moved to Amherst, Nova Scotia.
Richard Lowerison and his wife attended the Methodist church in Point
de Bute, as may be seen in the deed given by William Chapman to John
Wesley. He acted as precentor in the old stone "Meeting House." He died
February 24th, 1825, and was buried in the Point de Bute Cemetery. Mary
Grey Lowerison, born in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England, died
September 16th, 1834, and lies beside her husband.
Mr. Lowerison must have had some means when he came to the country, for while living near Fort Cumberland he did an extensive business in sending beef cattle to Halifax. His partner for a time was a man named Rice. He seems first to have deceived Mr. Lowerison, and then robbed him by running away with the proceeds of three droves of cattle, leaving Mr. Lowerison accountable for the cattle, with no cash on hand to meet the bills. The worry from this affected his mind to such an extent that he never fully recovered. The Lowerison name, until quite recently, was pronounced as if spelled Lawrence. The family has not increased greatly in the new country. Although the sons had large families, there are very few grandchildren. Robert Lowerison, of Sackville, is the only living member of a large family. Captain Richard Lowerison, of Amherst, is a descendant. Captain Thomas, Joseph, and Siddall, grandsons of Richard, represent the name at Westmoreland Point.
The Lowerisons were always understood to be men of their word.
FILLIMORE.
John Fillimore came from New England to Fort Lawrence, N.S., in 1763 and soon after settled in Jolicure. He had a number of sons, two of whom, John and Spiller, settled at home—John on the homestead, and Spiller on an adjoining farm.
At the close of the Revolutionary War, Spiller sold his farm and
returned to the United States. John married Jemima Tingley, of
Sackville, and had a family of twelve children. W. C. Fillimore, of
Westmoreland Point, and Lewis Fillimore, of Amherst, are grandsons of
John.
The Fillimores came originally from Manchester, England, to Long Island, New York. Captain John, father of John, who came to Nova Scotia, was once commissioned by the State of Connecticut to clear the coast of pirates, who were causing a good deal of trouble at the time. So well did Captain Fillimore perform the duty that the town of Norwich presented him with a handsome cane as a mark of their appreciation of his services. This cane is still in possession of the family.