James R. Lowery
James Robert Lowery (April 12, 1884 – December 8, 1956) was a Canadian oilman, politician and military officer from Alberta. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1913 to 1921 sitting with the Conservative caucus in opposition, and later became a partner in the Home Oil Company. Early life James Robert Lowery was born April 12, 1884, near Hastings, Ontario, the third of ten children to John Boyd Lowery and Rachel Whitton. James' father was a farmer and cheese-maker and served as a government cheese inspector in the Village of Frankford in Ontario. After attending high school, Lowery secured a teaching job in North Hastings, despite having to repeat one year of math while in school. Lowery moved to Edmonton, Alberta in 1905 where he secured a job as circulation manager for the Edmonton Journal, eventually quitting to join John Michaels (of Mike's News Stand) with a contract to distribute the Journal. Lowery later opened a grocery store, and later bought a homestead near Kitscoty. Lowery married Ethel Bell Whyte on June 13, 1912, and together had two children. Lowery attributed his defeat in the 1909 election to his opponent being a "college man", and