Nellie Lowman Smith

Descendent Of Early American Settlers

Nellie Lowman Smith, 102, of Sandy Hook, formerly of Pulaski County, Va., died August 26 at Ashlar of Newtown. She was born on March 14, 1905, in Pulaski County, and was the daughter of Naomi Cole Lowman and the Reverend Jottie Joseph Lowman.

Mrs Smith lived in Newtown for two years with her grandson, Thomas Sharpe, and his wife, Kirsten, before moving to Ashlar. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Raymond Houston Smith; a son, Dr John Joseph Smith; and two brothers, Willard and Trent Lowman.

Five other grandchildren survive Mrs Smith, as does her daughter, Naomi S. Sharpe of Oronoque, Conn.; and 11 great-grandchildren.

Mrs Smith was a direct descendant of Barrister John Sollers, who in 1692 was cosignatory to an address from Protestants to His Majesty King of England for permission to establish the Anglican Church in Calvert County, Md. She was a descendant of the Cecil Family who settled in southwest Virginia in the early 1700s.

She attended the Radford Normal School, now known as Radford University, was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, a member of the Colonial Dames XVII Century, and a former member of the Order of the Eastern Star. She was a member of the Ashland United Methodist Church in Ashland, Ky., and a former member of the Cecil Chapel United Methodist Church in Hiwassee, Va. 

Graveside funeral services will be held Saturday, September 1, at 2 pm, at the Cecil Chapel Cemetery with the Reverend Garnett Byrd officiating. The family will receive friends Saturday at Thomas M. Seagle & Sons, 415 North Jefferson Avenue, Pulaski, Va., from 10 am until noon.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Cecil Chapel Cemetery, care of Jane Morris, 5901 Linkous Ferry, Hiwassee VA 24347.

The Newtown Bee        August 31, 2007