Notes for: Rulina A. Lowther
No information regarding the parents of Rulina Lowther has been found. A copy of her obituary was located, but although it specified her birth as Aug 12 1825 in Harrison County, it made no mention of parents or siblings. Harrison County in 1825 encompassed a much larger area than it does now, so her birthplace may actually have been in present-day Doddridge County, which was created in 1845 from parts of Harrison, Tyler, Ritchie and Lewis Counties. A reference in one printing of her obituary to her and husband Eli having "20 children" was clearly a typographical error intended to be "10," as another printing stated that they had "ten children."
It was once thought that her actual first name was Pauline, but that is now considered doubtful and was probably the result of a clerical error. The original handwritten death record for her son John Morris Gaston, on file at the WV State Archives, identifies his mother as Rulina Lowther, while the corresponding typed death record for him on file in Harrison County identifies her as Pauline Lowther. Since this was the only time that the name "Pauline" has been noted in original records, it was presumably a misreading by the typist of "Rulina" on the original handwritten document. Similarly, the obituary of her son Eli Clark Gaston identified her as Rebecca Lowther, the only time that that name has been noted and is presumably a misprint intended to be Rulina. With these two exceptions, all other references to her are as Rulina (misspelled Relina in her handwritten marriage record). The only reference we have found of her middle initial was in the 1910 Census, which clearly identified her as Rulina A.
Family information sheets completed by her son David Dow Gaston and grandson Ira Dow Gaston identified her as Rulina Lowther, born Aug 12 1825 in Harrison Co, died Sep 30 1911. The space for the names of her parents was left blank on the form filled out by David, while Ira's stated that she was the daughter of "Unknown."
The only photograph we have of Rulina Lowther was found among other family photographs. Three of her grandchildren and one niece were named Rulina.