845 N. SPRING STREET
HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE
Richard Lowrie was the son of Adam H. Lowrie, owner of both the Elgin Weekly Advocate and the Elgin Daily News. Adam Lowrie, at one time, also served as the president of Adrian College in Adrian, Michigan. In addition, he served as the American Consul in Frieberg, Germany from 1892 to 1893. Lowrie Elementary School was named in his honor.
But Richard held his own in the legacy of his father, graduating from Yale University and Northwestern University Law School. After marrying Adrienne Thomas, the two moved to Elgin to join Richard in the journalism field in 1907. By 1926, Richard had risen to be the editor of both newspapers, and merged the Elgin Daily News and the Elgin Daily courier to become the Elgin Daily Courier News. Richard passed away in 1932 at the age of 56, but not before participating in a number of civic activities including the Elgin Country Club charter and the Masons.
After Richard died, Adrienne kept the house until 1935 when she sold 845 to Albert and Josephine Ansel. Adrienne was a musician and directed church choirs in Elgin and was a member of the Elgin Garden Club. Before moving to town, she was a vocal music instructor at Miami University in Florida. She moved to Beverly Hills, California in 1943 to live with her daughter, staying in California until her own passing in 1960.
The Ansel’s lived in 845 N. Spring until 1977, when Josephine Ansel sold the home.
ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE
The home is an excellent example of a Colonial Revival home with its square, hipped roof; a small, multi-panned, rectangular window; the two-paned large windows on either side of the door, and the narrow clapboard facade.
In the nomination form for the National Register of Historic Places for the Spring Douglas Historic District, 845 N. Spring Street is listed as contributing to the history of the area.
TIMELINE OF PREVIOUS OWNERS
Sources: 2001 Heritage Plaque Application; Audio: TextAloud