In 1848 Lowell's great grandfather Joseph Duncombe joined
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in England. He,
and his wife Elizabeth Glover, came to America in 1865.
They were parents of 14 children. One son named Nehemia
David Duncombe, married Mary Francis Haynes. They had
11 children, the third child, Walter married Sarah Louise
Budd, daughter of George Budd and Sarah Jane Smith Turpin.
This couple had 6 boys and 5 girls . Lowell was the oldest of
the 11 children.

Lowell was born in Salt Lake City, May 20, 1895, and was
able to visit both sets of grandparents while living there. When
he was 7 years old his father decided to move to Alberta,
Canada. They packed household goods and a cow into a
rail car and made the journey to Canada, arriving in Stirling
in June 1903. They loaded part of there belongings in wagons
to continue there journey. Mud and millions of hungry
mosquitoes greeted them as they traveled the last few miles
to Raymond, Alberta where a log house built by uncle George
Budd awaited them.

Lowell's Father worked with his wife's brothers contracting
haying and harvesting crops. He also worked for Knight Sugar
Co. building the factory in Raymond. He hauled coal from the
Belly River to keep them warm in the bitter winter. The family
slept on straw for beds and they glued paper over the cracks
in the walls to keep out the cold winds.

Lowell first attended school in the old LDS building that was
later sold to the Japanese in the community. Later he attended
school in a small building behind the first stake house in Raymond.
He remembered two teachers Mrs. Sarah Holt and Miss Taylor.

Lowell remembered being impressed by a sermon given by Brother
William Moroni Palmer a noted public speaker who was said to
be a " walking bible." Lowell had long red hair which his mother
kept in ringlets and could be seen racing on a horse with his
long hair flying in the wind. One day his father cut them off with
horse sheers, much to his mothers dismay.

In the fall of 1903 his father filed for homestead near the town
of Taber. When spring came he dug a well and built a one
roomed shack and moved his family. They had a cow and
some chickens which had to be kept in crates to protect
them from wild animals. Lowell helped his father plant
a garden and cut and stack prairie hay. One day while
his father was away, his mother faced a herd of stampeding
cattle and chased them away from their crops.

Lowell was baptized in the river when he was 9 years old
and confirmed by Prince Henry Smith. As a deacon he was
assigned to arrive early to light heaters and sweep the church
out, When socials were held, the boys would have to carry
buckets of water for the dishes. At one social he snuck a pie
in his bucket but to the boys surprize it was rhubarb not apple.

When winter came they moved to town and his father traveled
to the farm to work, from early dawn till dark. Lowell had a horse
and took food to the farm for his father. When he was 13 he
would herd cattle for other people driving them to feed along the
river then bring them home each night. He received $ 1 per
month for his service, and his mother sold butter.

They built a a large two story house, in Taber. Lowell planted
a cottonwood tree and carried water faithfully until the roots
reached water. The tree provided shade for the family for
many years.

Lowell worked for different farmers and when he was 17yrs
old worked in the mines driving horses that pulled cars of
coal to the surface. This paid $6 dollars per day which
was good wages. His mother depended on him to help
with the younger children. He was very responsible at
taking care of household tasks.

He loved to dance and would ride for many miles just to
attend dances, he won many prizes in dancing. When
Lowell was 16 he went to Vauxhall to a rodeo and there
was rank horse and they offered $25 to anyone who could
ride it, he volunteered and when he got on the horse
gave one mighty leap and that was all then it just ran
in circles so he proudly took his money home.

When world war 1 broke out Lowell and eight of his friends
in Taber volunteered to serve. Hugh B. Brown encouraged
these young men of American birth assist this country of
there adoption in its need. Before they left they were given
a priesthood blessing and promise that they, like the sons of
Helamon would return safely if they would obey the
commandments and live worthily. They joined the"Fort Gary
Horse Regiment"and trained in Medicine Hat.

Lowell got a 24 hr leave to visit his mother and little sister
Ablie who was ill, she later died while he was on his way
to Europe. They reached England and were stationed at
Folkstone on the east coast. The nine young men met often
in there tents to speak of home and the gospel. Lowell
loved to shoe horses and so pleased general Steele that
he sent another horse to be shoed with some money
because of the excellence of work. On leave in London
they found the LDS meeting hall and Lowell met his future
bride, Nellie Rosa Rumble. They courted and where
engaged in August 1917 and married in March 1918.

Three weeks later they were in trenches with all the
horrors of the front lines. Lowell spoke of hunger, mud
and lice me dying all around, Survival was a miracle.
He had a favorite horse shot out from under him in
one charge against a wood barricade with German
machine guns. He lost another and lay behind the dead
horse for hours, finally after dark he was able to crawl to
safety. The promise was fulfilled, one man was a prisoner
of war and two others were wounded but all there lives
were spared all were able to return home.

For a few years Lowell tried his hand at farming then in
1924 moved to Raymond where he worked on the construction
of the sugar factory at the same time studying at night taking
engineering. After much study hours of hard work and
persistence he passed exams to become a master mechanic
and became chief engineer at the sugar factory.

Lowell and Nellie had 3 sons and 1 daughter, ( Lawrence,
Joyce, Walter, Douglas ). An important event was a trip to the
Alberta temple to have the family sealed. In 1932 twin girls were
born Eileen and Jean. Later Nellie was crippled with rheumatism
and Lowell took her to the temple for a blessing this was in
the winter and very cold. In the temple she was healed and
able to walk again and enjoy good health. They were
touched by this miracle and knew that through faith prayers
were answered.

Lowell was highly respected by the men he worked with and
by the community his practical knowledge and ability was helpful
on many occasions. When the town decided to build an out
door swimming pool they asked Lowell to engineer the
construction.

A new hospital was built in 1945 Lowell was on the hospital
board for many years he was elected year after year but
never campaigned. when ever there was a problem with
heating etc. he would be there to take care of it. During
this time 13 of his grandchildren were born there, mothers
and babies received special attention from the staff who had
the highest respect for" Grampa".

In 1960 Lowell retired and he and Nellie moved to Lethbridge.
Now he had time for his hobbies, he raised canaries, breeding
and teaching them to sing properly. He won many awards and
trophies all across Canada. He loved gardening and raising
tropical fish. His buggies were family pets. He also began to
paint and make leather wallets.

Lowell also worked part time at Lethbridge laundry controlling
the pressure valves in the machinery. Lowell was greatly
concerned for the women who worked in the heat and the steam
and would have liked to improve there working conditions. He
became ill and was forced to give up most of his hobbies and
later died in 1975 just short of his 80th birthday. He was buried in
Mountain View Cemetery.

Lowell lived his life to the fullest and loved nature and all
gods creatures. He left his children a wonderful legacy he was
an honest man always paid an honest tithing, he was prayerful
and a great example to all that knew him.

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