From Lacy Summers
History of Roseberry House
Viola May Lowry, one of eight children born to Permelia (Smith) Lowry and
Joseph Flemming Lowry, was born May 16, 1860 near Etna, Scott's Valley in
Siskiyou County, California.
In 1871, at the age of eleven years, Viola moved with her family to Adin,
Big Valley in Modoc County which is about 40 miles from the site of the
Modoc Indian War. In her late adult years she wrote an account telling of
her fright when, at 13 years old, there was an unexpected attack on the
settlers in Big Valley by the Modoc Indians. (The original manuscript is in
the files of the Modoc County Museum in Alturas, California.
Her advantages for education were limited but her ambition and determination
kept her reading and studying until she acquired a wide general knowledge.
Being naturally artistic she started painting at an early age. Over the
years she produced many fine landscape paintings, 2 of which still hang in
the stairwell of Roseberry House.
On May 22, 1877 she married Thomas Alexander Roseberry of Adin, California,
a partner in the General Merchandise Store of Roseberry and Knight. From
1885 to 1887 Thomas Roseberry served in the California Legislature as
Assemblyman from Modoc and Lassen Counties. He later engaged in Real Estate,
Insurance and the Livestock business in Big Valley. They raised a family of
2 boys, George K. and Thomas A. Jr., and 2 girls, Daisy T. and Mary Aileen.
In 1892 Thomas A. Roseberry was appointed Registrar of the United States
Land Office and the family moved to Susanville where she continued to paint
as a hobby, giving many fine landscapes to friends and acquaintances. Many
of these still adorn their homes and are highly prized as works of one of
Northern California's pioneering early women artists.
In 1902 the Roseberrys built and occupied their Susanville home, Roseberry
House, which at the time was considered one of the community's finest. It
still stands at the original location on North Street at the end of North
Lassen Street.
Viola May (Lowry) Roseberry passed away in her home on March 24, 1936 and
was buried beside her husband in the old Susanville cemetery.
Biography provided by her grandson, George McDow, Jr. 1984
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Billie C. & Anita 'Jean' Reynolds
(Our Family Genealogy)
http://www.rh2o.com
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