Born on June 17, 1743, in Newburyport, Province of Massachusetts Bay, British America,[1][2] Lowell graduated from Harvard University in 1760 and read law in 1763.

[2] After moving to Boston, Lowell became the leading attorney in Massachusetts representing privateer claims before the Admiralty Court, which formed the basis of his fortune.

[2][6][7] From his practice of the law and shipping ventures John was able to acquire a large estate and a considerable sum of money throughout his lifetime and despite not being from the richest family growing up he was able to raise the value of the Lowell name.

Charles Lowell, D.D., wrote in a personal letter eight decades later, "My father introduced into the Bill of Rights the clause by which Slavery was abolished in Massachusetts... and when it was adopted, exclaimed: 'Now there is no longer Slavery in Massachusetts, it is abolished and I will render my services as a lawyer gratis to any slave suing for his freedom if it is withheld from him...' and he did so defend the negro slave against his master under this clause of the constitution which was declared valid by the Massachusetts Supreme Court in 1783, and since that time Slavery in Mass.

"[8] During Lowell's service, the Congress of the Confederation met in the library of Nassau Hall at Princeton University and "congratulated George Washington on his successful termination of the war, received the news of the signing of the definitive treaty of peace with Great Britain, and welcomed the first foreign minister—from the Netherlands—accredited to the United States.

[11] Lowell's ancestor, Percival, a merchant, came from Bristol, England, to Newbury, Province of Massachusetts Bay, in 1639, and his father, John, was the first minister of Newburyport, where he officiated from 1726 to 1767.

[citation needed] On December 25, 1778, Lowell married his third wife, Rebecca Russell (1747–1816).

[citation needed] Charles Russell's son was the American poet James Russell Lowell;[citation needed] his grandsons included the American Civil War figure Charles Russell Lowell[citation needed] and Boston banker and family lawyer William Lowell Putnam.

[citation needed] Other notable children of the daughters and granddaughters of John Lowell include mathematician Julian Coolidge, and writer and biographer Ferris Greenslet.