JACOB LOWELL, an honored pioneer and highly-esteemed citizen of Fargo, pre-empted a part of the land on which the city now stands and has been prominently identified with its development and progress for almost thirty years. He has seen the wild lands of the state transformed into beautiful homes and farms, its hamlets grow into villages and flourishing towns, and all of the interests and evidences of advanced civilization introduced.
Mr. Lowell was born in Somerset county, Maine, May 7, 1843, a son of Jacob and Climena (Thompson) Lowell, also natives of the Pine Tree state, where the father engaged in business as a lumberman and was also collector of customs for some time. Coming to Fargo, North Dakota, in 1871, he took a claim near his son, but died in Stillwater, Minnesota, in 1884. The wife and mother died in Fargo. In their family were four children, three sons and one daughter, but our subject is the only one now living. The grandfather, Jacob Lowell, spent his entire life in Maine.
The subject of this sketch was but eleven years of age when, with his parents, he removed from Maine to New Hampshire, and in 1854 they became residents of Stillsvater, Minnesota, where he grew to manhood. He completed his literary educations at Hamlin University, Red Wing, Minnesota, where he was a student in 1861 and 1862, and in 1865 and 1866 attended a business college at St. Paul. In 1868 he entered the law department of the Michigan University at Ann Arbor, and on the completion of the course was admitted to the bar.
In 1870 Mr. Lowell came to North Dakota, by way of St. Cloud and Abercrombie, and after spending the winter on Elm river, came to the present site of Fargo in the spring of 1871. Here he pre¬empted one hundred and sixty acres on section 18, Fargo township, and began to break and improve his land, but did not follow farming, most of his time being devoted to locating settlers in the neighborhood. Fargo was laid out in 1874, and he took an active part in promoting its interests. He engaged in the practice of law until 1882, when he retired from that business. He was the first county attorney appointed by the governor, and held that position a short time, and later served as county superintendent of schools. He was also a member of the constitutional convention in 1889. He has handled considerable real estate and has met with most excellent success in business affairs, becoming one of the substantial and prosperous residents of the city.
In June, 1874, Mr. Lowell was united in marriage with Miss Lucy Dinsmore, a native of Maine, who died in August, 1878. Three children were born of that union, Anna L., Jacob, Jr., and Alpheus J., but only Jacob is now living. Mr. Lowell was again married in September, 1892, his second union being with Etta M. Thompson.
Fraternally Mr. Lowell is a Knight Templar Mason and a member of the Mystic Shrine. In his political affiliations he is a Republican. but has never sought public office, preferring to give his undivided attention to his business affairs. His father was one of the first county commissioners of Cass county, which was organized in 1873, and served one year. All of that body are now deceased. When our subject located in Fargo his nearest neighbor was fourteen miles away, and is the oldest settler now living in North Dakota with the exception of Martin Show, who located here in June, while our subject came in October, 1870. He is widely and favorably known and is recognized as a valued citizen of the community with whose interests he has been long and prominently identified.
Source: Compendium of History and Biography of North Dakota 1900 Page 225