Headstone Photo Courtesy of Twylla Teer 48
He married his Uncle Isaac's daughter, Susannah. Isaac was a tanner by trade and was nicknamed the "Tanner". Tanner and Susannah LOWRANCE are buried in the Bethlehem Methodist Church Cemetery in Catawba County. He owned a Large plantation.

The earliest beginnings of Bethlehem United Methodist Church date back to November 22, 1831 when a deed for 156 acres of land was registered in Lincoln county (which then included Catawba county.) The deed gave the land the name of Ligleton Church (considered the sponsoring church) for the purpose of building a place of worship. The four trustees in charge were Lewis Little, George Little, Thomas Witherspoon, and Isaac LOWRANCE. For the sum of eight dollars, papers acknowledged, sealed, and released into their hands and their successors, land for the Methodist Episcopal church.

The second deed, dated 1876, added 1.5 acres of land to the church property and named the church BETHLEHEM. This land was purchased for the price of $5.00 from Evan and Ceda Grant. The wording of this deed indicates that this land adjoined a previous tract of the ìOld Church landî and a ìGraveyard.î

The original building and a building used as a schoolhouse stood on the present church cemetery lot which is located 2 miles east of Claremont on the old Catawba Road. The first building was frame with a tin roof and two front doors. The inside had two aisles with a large stove in the center. The men sat on one side of the room and the women on the opposite side, and the children sat in the center around the stove.

Around 1900, the church was re-weatherboarded, roofed, and painted. In order to give light and better ventilation, a small addition with two windows was made to house the pulpit at the back of the church.

In 1912, Bethlehem was on the West Statesville Circuit. In 1916, the Statesville Circuit was changed and Bethlehem was put on a circuit with Catawba, Center, Hopewell, and Mt. View. In 1923, Bethlehem was placed on the Catawba Circuit with Concord, Hopewell, and Catawba Methodist churches.





The Will of Isaac LOWRANCE: Dated June 27, 1843 in Catawba County and Probated in the December Term of 1843. It reads as follows:

Sound and pefect mind and memory. Leaves first his Soul to God; His body to be decently buried and just debts paid out of his effects. Son: Alexander E. LOWRANCE to have 250 acres of land in Iredell County,whereon he lives, valued at $820.00 (deed made); two head of cattle, one bureau, one bed and furniture, valued at $63.00; his proportionable part of the estate is $600.00; therefore, Alexander LOWRANCE has to pay the $283.00 overplus to the Executors. Son: Lawson LOWRANCE to have 110 acres of land on Liles Creek, Valued at $660.00 (deed made);also one horse valued at $75.00; one cow and calf valued at $12.00; one bureau valued at $20.00; a bed vauled at $25.00, all of which he has received. Since his proportionable part of the estate if $600.00, Lawson has to pay the overplus of that sum to the Executors. Son: John LOWRANCE to have 150 acres of land in Iredell County,whereon he lives,
valued at $450.00 (deed not yet made); one horse valued at $40.00; one cow and calf valued at $12.00; one bureau valued at $20.00; one bed valued at $25.00; total $547.00, all of which he has received. John's propotionable amount of the estate is $600.oo; therfore, he is to receive additional monies from the Executors ($53.00). Son: Eli C. LOWRANCE to have 180 acres of land in Iredell County, whereon he lives, valued at $540.00; one cow valued at $11.00; one bureau valued at $21.00; one bed valued at $25.00; Total $597.00, all of which he has received. Eli's proportionable amount of the estate is $600.00; therfore, he is to receive an additional $3.00 from the Executors. Eli C. LOWRANCE to also receive a negro boy called Cepas, in special trust for the benefit of Issac's son, Sidney N. LOWRANCE.
Eli C. LOWRANCE is to take possession of boy, Silas, and hire him out, and the proceeds to be aplied to the use and support of son, Sidney N. LOWRANCE and his family. Son: Logan H. LOWRANCE to have one cow and calf valued at $12.00; one bed and furniture valued at $25.00; negro man named Cesar; $150 note that Isaac LOWRANCE holds on him. Logan LOWRANCE has received all these things. Daughter:
Elizabeth Julia LOWRANCE to have one cow and calf,one bed, one young mare; negro girl,Lucy; all of which she has received. Son: Joseph M. LOWRANCE to have 47 acres of land on Balls Creek, including the mills on that creek, valued at $600.00 (deed made); also one cow and calf valued at $10.00; one bed and furniture valued at $25.00, all of which he has received. Joseph's proportionable part of the estate is $600.00, therefore, he has to pay the overplus ($35.00) over to the Executors. Son: Jacob L. LOWRANCE to have one cow and calf valued at $12.00;one bed and furniture valued at $25.00, all of which he has received. Jacob LOWRANCE to also have $563.00, his proportionable part of the estate. Son: Martin Cana LOWRANCE to have the part of the planation on which Issac LOWRANCE now lives, " begining at a pine the North East corner of the old track on Ben Sherrils line west with my old line fifty two rods to a sassafras tree then a south corner to the negro grave yard then east to the first bend of the creek then up the various courses of the creek to the old line all the lands & apportainces their unto belonging on the East side of said line & onthe south of the creek". Land vauled at $900.00 . Also one cow and calf valued at $11.00; one bed. Martin LOWRANCE is to pay $300.00 overplus to the Executors,as his proportionable part is $600.00. Son: If Nelson LOWRANCE should die before his wife, Eli LOWRANCE to apply the proceeds of Silas' hire to the use of Nelson's widow and children. At the death or marriage of the widow, Eli LOWRANCE to sell Silas and the money to be equally divided between Nelson's children,
after Eli C. LOWRANCE takes out a reasonable compensation for his trouble. Daughter: Catharein Mahala LOWRANCE to have one cow,one bed,one three-year-old horse, and cattle, all of which has been received.
She is to have the negro boy named Bob. Son: Nescio C. LOWRANCE to have three milk cows, the oxen, old wagon, bay mare, one bed and furniture, the balance of the plantation with the improvements, the negro boy named Humphrey. Futher willed that Clinton /lowrance take care of old slave, Phebe, and treat her humanely for the rest of her life. Executors are to sell the two negro boys, Ben and Harry, all other stock, crops, and property not yet disposed of, and the proceeds to pay all just debts. The rest to be added to those chilkdren's legacies that do not amount to $600.00, to add up to that amount.
Executors: Eli C. and Joseph M. LOWRANCE. Witnesses: W.E. Holliday and David Smith.