Euphemia Lowe was born February 18, 1829, on Green Turtle Cay, Abaco to John Lowe (1805-1893) and Bianca Kemp (1809-1896). She is the great granddaughter of Captain Gideon Lowe Jr and Nancy Saunders.

Her siblings included…

• John Jr (1833)
• Samuel J (1838)
• Mary (1840?)
• Ameila Elizabeth (1843)
• Ellen (1849?)
• William Henry (1853?)

On September 11, 1844, in Key West, Florida, Euphemia married William Joseph Curry (1821-1896) from Green Turtle Cay, Abaco. He is the son of Benjamin Curry (1799-1865) and Martha Albury (1801-1872).

William Curry and his family were one of the first inhabitants of Key West from the Bahamas. Today, he is best known as Key West’s first “self-made” millionaire and during his time became the richest man in the State of Florida. William Curry also served as Mayor of Key West 1854-1855. William Curry, his wife, Euphemia, their children and spouses, all became leading citizens of Key West.

Their children included…

• Charles (1847)
• Louisa (1849)
• George Henry (1851)
• Henry Franklin (1854)
• Robert Oliver (1856)
• Eleanor (1858)
• Paul (1862, died age 2)
• Florida Euphemia (1863)
• Milton William (1865)

In 1886, Euphemia Curry bought and installed, 10 giant bells at her church, St. Paul’s Episcopal. The church was organized on March 9, 1831. The first of the church bells were destroyed during the Hurricane of 1846. The weight of the new bells ranged from 500 to 4,000 lbs. During the Great Fire of 1886, the church and about two-thirds of Key West were destroyed.

During the fire, legend has it that flames crept into the St. Paul’s belfry and freed the bells from their nailed mooring. Legend says that when the mammoth two-ton one fell, it tolled loudly during the 100-foot drop to the ground. The Miami Herald, 8 Mar 1953, Article: Passing Musical Milestone

Euphemia Curry née Lowe passed away March 23, 1901 (age 72) in Key West, Florida and is buried at the Key West Cemetery. She is my 2nd cousin 4 times removed.

Her son, George Henry Curry was made administrator of her estate. On Euphemia’s probate record 7 of her children were still living. The estate’s inventory included the Tiffany Gold Service Tableware purchased by William Curry in the 1880’s. The original purchase was said to have been valued at $100,000 in the 1880’s. (On page 52 of Euphemia’s estate in 1901 the gold service’s appraised value was $15,000. Possibly because only the value of the metal was used for appraisement).