Charles Adamson Low - 1800-1868

Gatineau Valley Lumber Entrepreneur - Low Municipality's Namesake

Charles Adamson Low was born in Montrose, Angus, Scotland on August 22, 1880. He was the 12th child of 14 born to John and Mary Low who were married in Aberdeen, Scotland in 1785. Charles Low immigrated to Canada in 1814 at the age of 14. He married Grace Shaw circa 1930. Low worked at the Hamilton lumber mills in Hawesbury Mills in Canada East.

Charles Low partered with George Hamilto and other lumber barons of the day to form the Gatineau Privilege monopoly (1831-1840). Low later partnered with Robert Hamilton to form the firm Hamilton and Low in 1844. This partnership later dissolved in 1847.

Charles Low was the first individual to receive a Crown Land Grant (8700 acres) in Wakefield Township in 184?. He was listed as "lumber merchant” in the 1842 census of Canada East. Low was never registered as a landowner in Low Municipality.

The area, later to be known as Low municipality, was named so some time in the 1840's. Low represents the unusual case of where it was officially designated as a municipality in 1848 and as a township a year later in 1859.

Some facts about Charles Low

• Memeber of the Highland Society of Canada alonside Sir John A. MacDonald in 1843
• Warden of the District of Ottawa in 1842
• Appointed major in the Militia force of Upper Canada in 1847
• Low's name was frquently misspelled as “Lowe”
• Charles Adamson Low died in Montreal October 30, 1868 leaving his wife Anne Shaw Low and 3 children, Ann, John and George.
• Low's daughter, anne Lawford, died in 1885 leaving a substancial legacy to McGill University in Montreal.