Photos of Croatan (Tuscarora) settlements of
Robeson County circa 1908.
CLICK ON PHOTOS TO SEE FULL SIZE
Home of Harriett Brooks Graham
Rosetta Brooks(one of the
"22"), and Preston Locklear,
a founder of the Croatan
Normal School
Home of Wash Lowry.
These people have not yet been
identified. Do you know? Let us know
George Washington
(Wash) Lowry, and
unknown child
Unknown family in their garden. If you
can identify these people, please let us
know.
Croatan Normal School while it was
still at Pates. Recognize any of these
people? Let us know.
Possibly the residence of a family
named Jacobs
Unidentified Croatan
(Tuscarora) woman
The following, is taken from the Appendix
of the 1909 edition of the "Lowrie History".
Colonel F.A. Olds had written numerous
newspaper articles about the
Croatan/Tuscarora people here, and his
writings were condensed into the 1909
appendix.

...They were kindly in their reception and presently Preston Locklear, a very striking type of their
people, drove up in his buggy and we made ready to make a trip through their settlements.
Locklear explained that his name had become corrupted from Lockyer, which is very distinctly
English. We got pictures of the house, or rather two houses, occupied by Mr. Jacobs, near the
school, the people being of the pronounced Croatan type, the house being extremely well built of
logs, with a wonderful clean yard of shining sand, with abounding shrubbery and trees, and with
a well curbed with a cypress log and having an old-fashioned and long sweep. Mr. Jacobs mother
is the widow of one of the oldest Methodist preachers.

The next place visited was the home of Harriet Graham, a cozy little cabin, with a garden
adjoining, the house of logs, and the furniture all handmade, and the surroundings looking very
indian-like indeed. As guides there went with us two Croatan girls.

Locklear said his son was a doctor and had been out in the Indian Territory and was at once
recognized by the Indians there as being of their race of people. He said his son had graduated at
Baltimore.



Washington Lowery.

The third place visited was the most striking of all; this being the home of the venerable
Washington Lowry, or Lowrie, known far and near among his people as "Uncle Wash". His home,
built of logs like the rest, embraces several buildings, and there was a porch of unique design,
also of logs. The old man was patly paralyzed, but he talked very well indeed. He had a good deal
to say about his people and said hehad heard his "fether" and "grandfeyther" speak over and
over again about their having come from Roanoke Island. He said there was no doubt about the
origin of his people, and seemed to be very proud of it indeed.  He referred to the fact that he had
been out in the Indian Territory a good many years ago and said he had looked into the question
of citizenship or tribeship there and that the Indians had recognized him as of their people, but
that their chiefs wanted his papers to show whence he came.....