William Harrison Lowdermilk

William Harrison Lowdermilk
Born	1839-01-07 Cumberland, Maryland, U.S.
Died	1897 Washington, D.C., U.S.
Occupation(s)	Soldier, printer, newspaper publisher, bookseller
Years active	1861–1897
Known for	Union soldier in the Civil War; proprietor of W.H. Lowdermilk & Co.; author of History of Cumberland

William Harrison Lowdermilk (1839–1897) was a Union soldier, printer, and newspaper publisher.

Biography

Lowdermilk was born on January 7, 1839, in Cumberland, Maryland. In 1850, he relocated to Louisville, Kentucky, where he pursued higher education and acquired skills in the printing profession.

He joined Company S of the Kentucky 6th Infantry Regiment on December 24, 1861, during the Civil War, achieving the rank of Full Private by May 1862. His military service included a position on General W. B. Hazen's staff. Captured at the Battle of Stones River, he endured eight months imprisonment at Libby Prison before being exchanged and returning to combat at battles such as Shiloh, Chickamauga, and Stone River.

In 1865, Lowdermilk acquired the Civilian and Telegraph, a newspaper in Cumberland that resulted from the merger of two prior publications. He introduced the daily Transcript in May 1869; however, it ceased publication after three months due to the editor’s declining health. Later that year, he was appointed Cumberland Postmaster and authored the History of Cumberland, which was published in 1878.

That same year, Lowdermilk moved to Washington, D.C. and entered the book trade with James Anglim & Co. Subsequently, he became proprietor of W.H. Lowdermilk & Co., one of the largest bookstores in the country, situated at 1424 F St., Washington D.C. Additionally, he participated in heritage societies such as the Sons of the American Revolution, honoring his ancestor Michael Kershner’s service during the Revolutionary War at Fort Cumberland.

Lowdermilk passed away in Washington D.C. in 1897 at the age of 80 and was interred at Rose Hill Cemetery in Cumberland.