henry berry lowrie: lumbee legend

Henry Berry Lowrie:Lumbee Legend

The Man & The Mystery

In 1840, the NC General Assembly passed a law prohibiting non-whites

from carrying guns•Natives Americans in Robeson County were left with no way to defend themselves or hunting

•“Tied Mule” incidents began to occur

“Tied Mule” Incidents

• A white farmer would allow his cattle to graze on Indian land or tie his mule somewhere on Indian land

• The white farmer would file a complaint against the Indian for having stolen his property

• To clear himself of charges, the Indian would either:– Sell a section of his farm to the farmer as payment

for the allegedly stolen animals– Work off the price of the animal through a system of

indentured servitude

Confederates During the Civil War

& Minorities•During the Civil War, the

Confederate soldiers and government used non-whites as free labor in the Confederate war effort

•If any non-white healthy male stepped out of line, he would be sent to build forts and barricades in Wilmington for the Confederacy

Hunger Strikes!

•Because people were not allowed to own guns and hunt, hunger struck the Robeson County community

•Healthy men were afraid to work in the yard, because if they were seen they could be forced to work for the Confederacy

Henry’s Family

• Henry’s father’s name was Allen Lowrie, a wealthy and well respected farmer with over 2000 acres of land

• In 1864, Allen and some of his sons were accused by a Confederate officer of stealing hogs and butchering them for meat.

•When the investigation was held, guns were found in the Lowrie home.

•Allen and William (Henry’s brother) were executed for the crime

•His mother and sisters were physically abused

•He promised to avenge the deaths of his father and brother

The Lowrie Gang

• Henry assembled a gang to bring justice to the community– His two brothers, Steve

& Tom– Other relatives– 2 Black men– 1 White man (a Scot)

Henry’s Brother,

Steve

Robeson County “Robin Hoods”

• Because of the need for food in the community, the Lowrie gang would steal from the wealthy and give to the poor

• Once during a raid, Henry killed a man named James Barnes and the Home Guard came looking for him!

The Home Guard

• The Home Guard was a group of local men who worked on behalf of the Confederate Army to keep peace in the community

• They were mostly white men• Their leader was Brantley Harris, a

white man from South Carolina who loved Indian women

• Brant Harris was known as the “meanest man in Robeson County.”

Brant Harris –VS- Henry Berry

Lowrie• Brant Harris accidentally killed one of

Henry’s cousins (Jarmen), mistaking him for Henry, who had warned Harris to stop harassing the local Indian women

• When Jarmen’s brothers came home for the funeral, Brant Harris killed them as well

• Later, Henry killed Brant Harris

Hiding to Survive

•With at least two deaths under their belts, the Lowrie gang began to hide in the swamps

•They were branded as outlaws and a reward was on each of their heads

•They continued to live up to their “Robin Hood” status and in 1865 successfully raided the Robeson County Courthouse to steal goods

Who was Henry Berry Lowrie?

In 1870, the Lowrie band killed a man named O.C. Norment. Five years later, his wife, Mary Norment, wrote about Henry. Her description is as follows:

“[He was] Tuscarora Indian and Cavalier blood of England. He carried a long bladed knife and a double barreled shotgun, five six-barreled revolvers, his whole equipment weighing not less than eighty pounds. With all his armor on he could run, swim, stand weeks of exposure in the swamps, walk day and night,

and take sleep by little snatches, which in a few days would tire out white or negro. He plays the banjo with juba, beating and dancing with the Indian girls, who on several occasions came

very near to betraying him to his pursuers. He is the Don Juan of Scuffletown [Pembroke]. Women have been employed to

betray him, but they either repent or he discovers their purpose. Ever active, ever vigilant, he is never taken by

surprise. Like the rattlesnake, he generally warned before he struck. Two things he has never done- he has never committed

arson, nor offered to insult white females.”

Rhoda Strong

•In 1865, Henry married Rhoda Strong, a Scuffletown beauty

•She said, he was “the handsomest man I ever saw.”

Jail Break #1

• After his wedding with Rhoda, Henry was arrested and taken to the Lumberton jail then transferred to the Whiteville jail for additional security.

• According to Mrs. Norment, “he filed his way out of the grated iron window bars, escaped to the woods with handcuffs on and made it back home to his wife in Scuffletown.”

• This was his first successful jail break…

Jail Break #2

• After his arrest in 1870, Rhoda walked 85 miles to Wilmington to help the gang escape from jail

• Legend has it that she took the men a cake with a file baked into it and they were able to escape from jail

Rhoda goes to jail

• In 1871, some of the local authorities believed that putting the wives of the Lowrie gang in jail would convince them to surrender themselves

• Henry waited several days before making a move• Henry sent a note to the authorities which stated,

“We make a request that our wives who were arrested a few days ago come home to their families by Monday morning, and if not, the Bloodiest times will be here that ever was before- the life of every man will be in jeopardy.”

• The wives were released immediately

Peace?• Several groups tried to work out

a peace agreement between Henry and his men

• In 1872, the Lowrie gang went on its last raid stealing:– $20,000 in goods from a

general store– The store safe containing

$28,000 in cash– The sheriff’s iron safe (which

was too heavy so they left it in the middle of the street)

Henry Disappears

• After the final raid, Henry disappeared

• There was a $12,000 bounty on his head that was never claimed

• The killings stopped• Henry Berry Lowrie

vanished…

What Ever Happened to Henry Berry

Lowrie?• Many years after he vanished, Henry Berry Lowry reportedly was seen in a church at a funeral for someone he knew. He spoke to no one and no one spoke to him

• Some say he moved away, perhaps up north or to Texas

• Some say he faked his death and lived out the rest of his days in isolation along the banks of the Lumbee River

No one will ever know….

The Legend• Today, the legend of

Henry Berry Lowery has inspired an outdoor drama about his life entitled “Strike at the Wind.”

• Several books have been written about his life

• His home has been restored and is on display at the North Carolina Indian Cultural Center in Pembroke, NC.

Henry Berry Lowrie where are you?    Sleeping in an unknown graveDoes the grass grow above your breast?    Or does dark water flowWith secret sounds through your bones    That will confuse mankindUntil the end of time.    From everlasting to everlastingYou are the hero of a people    Keep your secrets as you sleep--That is part of your greatness.                               Adolph L. Dial