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HISTORY OF SANPETE COUNTY. 147 family came to Manti, where they have since resided, the father being the first bishop, called August 20, 1850. Soon after their arrival in Manti, Parley P. Pratt, with a company of nearly fifty men, sent out to explore the Southern country, came to the camp for volunteers, and our John joined the expedition. They were gone nearly three months and that winter explored the country along the Rio Virgin river and all through Southern Utah, he having to cross the mountains on snow shoes on his return. From the favorable reports made of this expedition, settlers went down and located Utah's Dixie. In 1S50, he with eleven others went from Salt Lake City, located and ran two ferries across Green River, one at the lower crossing, which was on the main line of travel to Salt. Lake, and the upper to Soda Springs and on to Oregon, remained there one year, then returned to Manti, farming quietly until 1853, when trouble began with the Indians, Mr. Lowry having, in the spring of 1819 been, with Col. Scott, in the first skirmish with Indians, in a company of 25 volunteers at Battle Creek (since Pleasant Grove), who located the Indians in a deep canyon east of the town, surrounding them in the night, intending to arrest them, when the Indians opened fire, and in the fight five Indians were killed, so when the Walker war started, every able-bodied man was on duty, either on guard at the settlements or in the saddle. The Indians came over from Payson canyon to Mount Pleasant and burned a sawmill in which he had one-third interest, attacked the people in the night, who, being fortified, drove them off, killing one. During the war Mr. Lowry was ever on the alert and took part therein until the close of the war. In 1855 he was in the Elk Mountain mission, where a fort and settlement were established, in June, on the left bank of the Grand River, which was afterwards broken up by the Ute Indians, who killed three of the men. He made a trading trip that, season among the Navajos, returning in October, and was farming, trading and teaming until the Black Hawk war of 1865 started, when he was compelled It lasted two years, to take an active part therein. during which time all were on the defensive. For many