George Rowe was a businessman (a butcher and a farmer) in Fredericksburg from 1810-1851 when he retired and was ordained as a Minister of the Gospel. Served as a Baptist Minister for Salem Church in Spotsylvania and with the African Baptist Church (later known as Shiloh - Old Site) in Fredericksburg until his death. He weighed nearly 300 lbs, while wife, Lucy, was an unusually small woman. Rev Rowe built the Rowe house on upper Hanover street, #601, where the family resided during the Battle of Fredericksburg.

Sources:
Dora Jett's book on Fredericksburg, "Minor Stories on Major Folk"

George was the son of John Rowe (4/ 25/1762 - 4/10/1799) and Sarah PEYTON (4/3/1767 - 3/5/1856). George was a Baptist minister.

Lucy LEITCH Rowe and youngest daughter Rebecca Ella Rowe, known as R Ella

Both paintings on this page are believed to have been painted by John Adams Elder (1833 - about 2/25/1895), Civil War era artist.

George and Lucy's son George Henry Clay Rowe helped finance his art training in Europe, specifically, Dusseldorf, Germany under the instruction of Emanuel Leutze (1816 - 1868), in the years prior to the Civil War. He was present when "Clay" was arrested by the Union and held as a political prisoner