1875 Burglary Attempt Thwarted

While I was looking for information about my second great grand uncle, Reuben B. Lowell, I came across the following news story in the Portland, Maine Daily Press from October 12, 1875, at GenealogyBank.com:

Washington County [Maine]

  A few evenings since an attempt was made

to enter the residence of Mr. Reuben Lowell of

Milltown, while he was absent at Calais. His

wife, daughter and servant were the only ones

at home, and seeing the shadow of the burglar

upon the curtain, they armed themselves with

any available weapons, Mrs. Lowell taking her

husband's revolver, the daughter a carving

knife and the servant was sent up stairs to

blow a dinner horn to attract the neighbors.

The man fortunately decided not to break in,

and made his exit not knowing what was in

store for him.

This is Reuben B. Lowell who went to California in 1849. At the time of this attempted burglary, his wife, Elizabeth was about 42 years old and his two daughters were 11 and 18.