Sister of Charles Low (ID=445)

John Low, son of John Low and Elizabeth Cloudsley, was born 15 June 1838 at Langley Park, Angus and was raised at Langley Park and Kirkhill, Dun. He was still living with his parents at the age of 23 in 1861.

John Low was a wright by 1861. He was later described as being a joiner and house carpenter. For much of his life, he ran his business from a small shop located on the same property as his house (Brucemill).

By 1871, John Low was an unmarried head of house, living at Wright's Cottage, Brucemill, Dun. Living with him were his mother, his niece Catherine Low (ID=73) who was 15, and his nephew James Low (ID=101) who was 10. Also living in the household was an apprentice, John Rennie, who was 19. John continued to live at Brucemill until his death in 1901.

John married Jean (Jane) Low [maiden name] on 23 July 1875. She was a daughter of James Low and Agnes Alexander and was born about 1846 in Edzell. She was not a close relative of her husband. She had a brother Charles Alexander Low who later became a business partner of her husband's nephew James Low (ID=101).

In 1881, John, his mother, wife, children, and nephew James were still at Brucemill, but niece Catherine was not. About 1884, his nephew left, and in 1890, his mother died. The 1891 census lists him, his wife, and all children living at Joiners House, Brucemill.

It appears that the LOW family worked with the BALFOUR family for over 50 years and the two families may have lived together for part of that period. It is even possible that the two families were related, as I discovered a James Low married a Margaret Balfour at Garvock, Kincardineshire, around 1805. However, I was unable to prove a relationship. As noted under John Low (ID=37) and Elizabeth Cloudsley (ID=38), John Balfour was a blacksmith at Kirkhill in the 1830's, when the LOW family was there. John Balfour married Helen Gillespie on 3 November 1833 and they had at least six children born between 1834 and 1842.

William Balfour, possibly a younger brother of John Balfour, was blacksmith and veterinarian at the farm of Brucemill during the period that John and Jean Low were there. Each had their own shop across the lane from each other. Both of these shops are still standing and are used today for storage.

William Balfour was married to Mary Beattie and they had at least four children. He died 24 January 1897 at Brucemill, aged 89.

John Low died at Brucemill in 1901. The information on his death was supplied to the registrar by his 16 year old son John. There was no Will. The Calendar of Confirmations and Inventories reads:

LOW, John, Joiner, Brucemill near Montrose, died 1 March 1901, at Brucemill aforesaid, intestate. Confirmation granted at Forfar, 1 May, to James Low, Joiner, Brucemill aforesaid, his son, Executor dative qua next of kin. Value of Estate 128 pounds 0 shillings 3 pence.


Jean Low and family moved to Brechin, Angus shortly after the death of her husband. She died there on 22 February 1920. The family gravestone is located at Sleepy Hillock Cemetery, Brechin Road, Angus, and is inscribed:

Erected to the memory of John Low, Joiner, Brucemill who died 1st March 1901 aged 62 years and of his wife Jean Low who died 22nd Feb 1920 aged 74 years. Also their daughters Elizabeth who died 17th April 1951 aged 73 years, Agnes (Mrs. Smith) who died 13th Feb 1952 aged 68 years. Interred Vancouver.


ABOUT BRUCEMILL
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The LOW family apparently were tenants on the small farm of Brucemill from at least the 1860's until 1901, when John Low died. Brucemill was also known as Bruce Mill. It is uncertain who the landlord was, but if Brucemill was part of the Langley Park estate, the landlord would have been members of the Cruickshank family. It appears likely that Brucemill was once part of the Langley Park estate, as it is now adjacent to it.

Besides carrying on the carpentry business, the family would have grown their own produce, and possibly raised livestock. The Joiner's croft (cottage, or small house) was located at the end of a lane about a hundred yards from the road. If you were to stand on the road facing the entrance to the lane you would see the Joiner's
shop on the right and the Blacksmith shop on the left. The Low's, who were carpenters, became business associates of the Balfour's, who were blacksmiths.

After the LOW's left Brucemill in 1901, John Clark became a tenant. Not all later residents are known, but by 1930, it was bought by a Mr. Garriock who carried on a coal business and operated a dairy for about eleven years. During the 1940's and 50's, the Gall family lived at Brucemill. In 1956, William Stott bought Brucemill and lived there until 1968. In that year, John Davidson bought it, and he is the present resident of Brucemill.