Jacob Low (squatter-legislator)

Jacob Low (1807 – 14 September 1883) was an articled clerk turned pastoralist who served as a Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly in Australia.[1]

Jacob Low
Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly
for Balonne
In office
25 May 1874 – 5 October 1883
Preceded byAdam Walker
Succeeded byBoyd Morehead
Personal details
Born
Jacob Low

1807
Blairgowrie, Perthshire, Scotland
Died1883 (aged 75–76)
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Resting placeToowong Cemetery
NationalityScottish Australian
OccupationArticled clerk

Background

edit

Born in 1807 in Blairgowrie, Perthshire, Low became an articled clerk. In 1846, as a squatter he took up Welltown Station near Goondiwindi, and later acquired Glenearn Cattle Station in Maranoa.[1]

Assembly

edit

He represented the seat of Balonne from 25 May 1874 (the election of Adam Walker, the previous member for Balonne, was voided, and Low was appointed in his place) to 14 September, 1883, when he died in office. He declared no party affiliation.[1] During debates, Low said that while he had a reputation for protecting Aboriginal Australians from settler violence in the region, he had 'killed many blacks himself', but went on to assert that settlers' private vigilante raids on aboriginal encampments were responsible for 'more bloodshed' than the Native Police who were being blamed.[2]

Low died 14 September 1883 while up for re-election, and was buried in Toowong Cemetery.[3]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c "Former Members". Parliament of Queensland. 2015. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  2. ^ Low, Jacob. Queensland Parliamentary Debates 21 July 1875, quoted in: Collins, Patrick. Goodbye Bussamarai: The Mandandanji land war, Southern Queensland, 1842-1852 St. Lucia, Queensland: University of Queensland Press, 2002; p. 52 ISBN 0702232939
  3. ^ Low Jacob Archived 24 February 2015 at the Wayback Machine — Brisbane City Council Grave Location Search. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
Parliament of Queensland
Preceded by Member for Balonne
1874–1883
Succeeded by