SOWERS FAMILY

SOWERS FAMILY PAGE

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My wife and I have put up many family pages, but it had never occured to me to put up a Sowers/Sours page until recently. My grandfather, Claude, to whom I dedicate this page, was born to Mary Deeds February 18, 1894, in Lincoln, Kansas. He was reared by his aunt and uncle Heminger until he was three, when he went to live with his mother and her new husband, William Spangler Sowers. He took his step-father's name and became Claude Sowers. He married Lillian Irene Pollock May 24, 1918. He died April 3, 1947, in Ellsworth, Kansas, under what some claim to be suspicious circumstances. He had a rough childhood and was definitely a tough character as an adult.

Within the last eight years my interest in the Sowers family beyond my grandfather had been slight. I had gathered together a lot of information years ago but had never thought about putting it online. But, even though I had never posted any queries concerning the name Sowers, I kept getting email from people who noticed my last name. I would gather the information I had together and send it to them. Finally I decided that I should put the Sowers information I have up with the hope that it might be of some help to someone out there.... and here it is. Basically I have a descendancy listing here plus a letter and a family history appearing in an old county history. If you find any connection something to add, corrections or anthing else to say drop me a line. Even though I have no blood connection to the Sowers here I do have a family connection to them and writing all this up has rekindled my interest in them. I have more information on them and will add it as I have time.
For a short history of the Sours family from the 1905 Cumberland County, PA, history click HERE.
For links to other SOWERS/SOURS family genealogy pages click HERE.
SOMETHING NEW!!! We've added a query page for people looking for lost SOWERS (or any other spelling of the name). If you like to submit a query or take a look at what other Sowers/Sours/Sauer/etc. researchers are up to click HERE.

A LISTING OF THE DESCENDANTS OF
ADAM SOURS or SEARS or SAUER

....1 Adam SAUER or SOURS or SEARS
(Thought have come over from Europe in the 1740's or 1750's. Once source says his wife's first name may have been Catherine. His full name may have been Johann Adam Sauer)

.........2 Paul SOURS (A farmer. He lived near Bendersville in Adams County, PA)
..........+Magdalene THRONE or TRONE (from Hanover, York County, PA)

..............3 John SOURS

..............3 Adam SOURS b Jan 3, 1782 in Cumberland County, PA.

...............+Mary DICKSON (daughter of John DICKSON and Margaret HAZLET of Dickinson Township, Cumberland County, PA)

...................4 Margaret SOURS b March 11, 1808 in Menallen Township, Adams County, PA.

....................+--?-- WHITEZEL

...................4 Jacob SOURS b April 28, 1810 in Menallen Township, Adams County, PA. d abt July, 1822.

...................4 Paul SOURS b Feb 7, 1812 near Idaville, Huntington Township, Adams County. d abt 1893. (Moved to Findlay, OH.)

...................4 Magdalene "Lena" SOURS b June 12, 1813.

....................+--?-- MCKINNEY

...................4 (Rev.) John Dickson SOURS b Feb 23, 1815. (Living in Mechanicsburg, Cumberland County, PA, in 1905. Minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church. Ordained in 1844.)

....................+Anna Mary MEARS m Sep 11, 1850.

........................5 Mary Anna SOURS b July 16, 1857. d May 4, 1865.

........................5 John Dickson SOURS, Jr. b Sep 3, 1861. d April 22, 1865.

........................5 Sadie Magdalene SOURS b March 19, 1869. d Nov 25, 1879.

........................5 Margaret Emma SOURS

........................5 Benjamin Franklin Moers SOURS

........................5 Laura Myrtle SOURS

...................4 Adam SOURS b June 30, 1816. (Living in Findlay, Ohio, in 1905.)

....................+Mary ASHBAUGH

........................5 Paul SOURS (Moved to Denver, CO, where he served as postmaster. Also served in Colorado legislature).

...................4 William SOURS b Feb 27, 1818. (In the 1840's he moved to Virginia.)

....................+Mary MCALISTER

(From Shenandoah County, VA)

........................5 William Amos SOURS

........................5 John Edward SOURS

........................5 Charles Dickson SOURS

........................5 Arthur SOURS

........................5 Mary Lucy SOURS

.........................+--?-- EMERSON

........................5 Cornelia SOURS

........................5 Julian SOURS

........................5 Frank SOURS

...................4 Samuel SOURS b July 4, 1820. (Moved to Virginia in the 1840's. Later moved near St Joseph, MO, where he died)

...................4 Jacob SOURS (the 2nd) b Sep 16, 1823. (Moved to Virginia in the 1840's.

..............3 Mary SOURS b abt 1784 in York County, PA.

...............+--?-- HEWITT

..............3 Abraham SOURS

..............3 John SOURS

..............3 Jacob SOURS b abt 1792 in Adams County, PA.

..............3 Sarah SOURS b abt 1795 in Adams County, PA.

...............+--?-- WREN / RHEN

..............3 Thomas SOURS b abt 1797 in Adams County, PA.

..............3 Elizabeth SOURS b July 8, 1800 in Adams County, PA.

..............3 Catherine SOURS

...............+--?-- ELDEN

.........2 Katie SOURS d in Dickinson Township, Cumberland County, PA.

..........+William MULLEN

.........2 John SOURS d 1820 in Dickinson Township, Cumberland County, PA.

...........+Elizabeth BUSH

..............3 George SOURS

..............3 Elizabeth SOURS

..............3 Katherine "Katie" SOURS

..............3 Hannah SOURS

..............3 Samuel SOURS b Feb. 28, 1790 in Pine Grove, Cumberland County, PA. d Sep 17, 1858 in Dickinson Township, Cumberland County, PA.

...............+Sarah SPANGLER b Oct. 9, 1802 in Pennsylvania. d March 21, 1889 in Cumberland County, PA. m Jan 21, 1824. (daughter of John and Katie SPANGLER)

...................4 Mary Ann SOURS b Oct. 21, 1824 in Dickinson Township, Cumberland County, PA. d in Dickenson Township, Cumberland County, PA.

....................+Jacob MUMAU

...................4 Rebecca SOURS b Aug 22, 1826 in Dickinson Township, Cumberland County, PA. d July 5, 1889 in South Middleton, Cumberland County, PA.

...................4 John SOURS b Sep 23, 1828 in Dickinson Township, Cumberland County, PA.

....................+Agnes C. DONALDSON b Aug 31, 1827. d March 6, 1903. m March 6, 1862 in Pennsylvania. (daughter of Robert DONALDSON and Jane HUSTON.)

...................4 George SOURS / SOWERS b May 17, 1830 in Cumberland County, PA. d April 18, 1896 in Hancock County, IL. (He came to Illinois in 1854. George and his wife, Willimina Spangler, were first cousins, related through the Spangler family.)

....................+Willimina SPANGLER b March, 1838 in Cumberland County, PA. d Jan. 10, 1910 in Hancock County, IL. m July 31, 1856 in Hancock County, IL.

........................5 William Spangler SOWERS b Mary 25, 1857 in Fountain Green, Hancock County, IL. d April 24, 1920 in Lucas, KS.

.........................+Clara J. YETTER d 1892. m March 23, 1882 in Hancock County, IL.

.........................* William Spangler SOWERS married 2nd Mary DEEDS b Jan. 25, 1870 in Mercer County, PA. d April 18, 1935 in Lucas, KS.

.............................6 John Dewy SOWERS b Feb 6, 1898 in Osborne County, KS. d April 8, 1956 in Scott County, KS.

..............................+Ruby E. HENDRIXSON m March 7, 1919

.............................6 Delia SOWERS b July 14, 1901 in Osborne County, KS. d July 5, 1997 in San Diego, CA. buried in Lincoln, KS.

..............................+Charles HOLMAN m April 22, 1922

.............................6 Olive Louise SOWERS b April 14, 1903 in Osborne County, KS. d Oct. 24, 1954 in Concordia, KS.

..............................+Bryan William BAUSTIAN m Dec. 29, 1921

........................5 Samuel George SOWERS b June 25, 1859 in Hancock County, IL. d March 5, 1919.

.........................+Carrie L. HOBART m Feb 23, 1882.

........................5 Sarah Margaret SOWERS b Feb 16, 1861 in Hancock County, IL.

.........................+Frank M. WALLACE m Dec 27, 1881.

........................5 Charles Tyler SOWERS b April 11, 1863 in Hancock County, IL. d March 16, 1925 in Hancock County, IL. (never married.)

........................5 John Ernest SOWERS b May 23, 1866 in Hancock County, IL.

........................5 Delia Jane SOWERS b Aug. 25, 1868 in Hancock County, IL. d March 4, 1933 in Hancock County, IL.

........................5 James Edward SOWERS b Jan. 1, 1871 in Hancock County, IL.

.........................+Gertie HOPPOCK

........................5 Emma Belle SOWERS b Jan 28, 1876 in Hancock County, IL. d July 1, 1904. (Emma and her sister, Nellie, married the same man.)

.........................+James C. SAYLORS m Oct. 13, 1897.

........................5 Nellie Maud SOWERS b July 18, 1878 in Hancock County, IL. d April 17, 1922.

.........................+James C. SAYLORS m Dec. 12, 1909.

........................5 Ralph Waldo SOWERS b Nov. 19, 1881 in Hancock County, IL.

.........................+Edith --?--

...................4 William SOURS b Jan 25, 1834 in Dickinson Township, Cumberland County, PA. (Living in Dauphin County, PA, in 1905.)

...................4 Elizabeth SOURS b in Dickinson Township, Cumberland County, PA.

...................4 Martha Emeline SOURS b March 24, 1839 in Dickinson Township, Cumberland County, PA.

...................4 David Wilson SOURS b Feb 24, 1842 in Dickinson Township, Cumberland County, PA. d July 31, 1865 in Cumberland County, PA. (Died from wounds and illness as soldier in the Civil War.) To read a letter written about the death of David Sours click here.

....................+Isabella ZEIGLER m Jan 10, 1864 in Adams County, PA.

...................4 Charles SOURS b Sep 20, 1845 in Dickinson Township, Cumberland County, PA. (Living in Carlisle, PA, in 1905.)

..............3 Sarah SOURS

..............3 Ellen SOURS

..............3 Nancy SOURS


The following is a letter found in the Sowers family Bible in Hancock County, IL. It is dated July 31, 1865, and was written by John Sours of Cumberland County, PA, and sent to his brother, George Sowers, in Hancock County, IL. I have typed this letter as it was written out for me, with the original spelling and lack of punctuation.

Dear Brother,

I take my pen two have you noe how we are. We are wel and I hope you are all enjoy the blezsing of life. Hear brother George your Brother David is dead. He come home from the army two weeks ago he was not very well but was going about till last Sabath he got worse an I sent for the doctor and he said he was not dangerous and that he wood be going about in a few days but got worse on fryday he gave him up and said that we should get another doctor and we sent for another doctor but he cood not help him he was just one week sick in bead and he had the fever and he was out of his head by times but he had a large lump between his sholders he said he did not think his time wood come so soon now he must face and he tryed to pray and prepare two mete his Goe whoe we all must give accoun two he told Charles that he wood not hear till it be wood be two late for he wood not mind what was said two him dear Brother we where all there two see him but you and your wife he suffered hard before he died but he cood not or talk to us the last day and night he lived so Brother Georg he died this morning between one and two o'clock it was hard to part with him his wife will be confined in about two months it is hard to be left that way dear Brother I wish you cood been ther we will bery him two morron at ten o'clock at the Luthering Church this is a warning to us all two prepare two mete God for we donto noe whoe will be next dear Brother he has not been well since before he was married and went two the Army and did not tak care of him self and fech the war fever home so he died in the bloom of life so no more but remains you Brother and sister until both.

My love two you all

from J. Sower to G. Sower

(Note how John Sours spelled his surname at the end of the letter as Sower without the final "s".)

[To return to David Wilson Sours place on this listing click here]


A SHORT HISTORY OF THE SOWERS FAMILY

[To return to top of page click here]

(taken from Biographical Annals of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, published in 1905 in Chicago, IL. - pages 510-512)

John Sours, a worthy descendent of one of the oldest pioneers of Cumberland County, was born September 23, 1828, on his present farm, which was purchased in the latter part of the eighteenth century by his grandfather, John Sours, Sr. He is a great grandson of Adam Sours, or Sears, as the name was originally written.

Adam Sears came from Germany probably between 1745 and 1750, and located in York County, Pennsylvania, remaining there, however, but a few years. His wife's name is not known, noth the date of their marriage, or whether it occured before or after coming to America. They had three children, John, Katie and Paul. Adam Sears (or Sours as he was called in this country) was a molder by trade, as were both his sons, and during the Revolutionary War he and his son, Paul were kept busy making shot and shell at a furnace called Mary Ann, in Maryland. At this time the son Paul was about eighteen or nineteen years old. The site of the furnace was afterward occupied by the State Arsenal, and was a beautiful place. The son John (mentioned below) married Elizabeth Bush. Katie married William Mullen, and died in Dickinson Township, about four miles from Bendersville. Paul married Magdalene Trone of Hanover Township, York County, Pennsylvania, and resided on a farm of 400 acres about two miles from Bendersville, Adams County, Pa. In their family were ten children: John, Adam, Abraham, Jacob, Thomas, and Paul, and Katharine, Mary Sally and Betsy.

Adam Sours, son of Paul Sours, and grandson of Adam Sears, married Mary Dickson, daughter of John and Margaret Dickson of Dickinson Township, Cumberland County, Pa. John Dickson was of Scotch-Irish descent. His wife, Margaret Hazlet, came from Belfast, Ireland. They were Presbyterians. John Dickson entered 300 acres of land, partly in Dickinson Township, Cumberland County, and partly in Huntington Township, Adams County, Pa. They were two or three times driven from the farm by the Indians, and fled to the stone church at Hunterstown, Adams County, for safety. They were regular attendants at the church and rode there on horseback, twelve miles. John Dickson died at his home on the farm in 1821, Mrs. Dickson surviving him several years.

To Adam and Mary (Dickson) Sours were born nine children: Margaret was botn March 11, 1808, in Menallen Township, about two miles from where Bendersville now stands; Jacob was born at the same place, April 28, 1810, and died when twelve years and three months old; Paul was born Feb. 7, 1812, in Huntington Township, Adams County, Pa., on the old farm about a mile from Idaville; Magdalene (Lena) was born June 12, 1813; John Dickson was born Feb. 23, 1815; Adam, June 30, 1816; William Feb. 27, 1818; Samuel, July 4, 1820; Jacob (2) Sept. 16, 1823. Of these two are still living: Adam of Findlay, Ohio, who married Mary Ashbaugh, and who is now in his 89th year, and John D. of Mechanicsburg, Cumberland County, Pa.

Rev. John Dickson Sours is believed to be the oldest Sours now living. Though almost ninety he still retains a clear memory, is a man remarkably well preserved for his years and he read without glasses up to the last two or three years. Until the last few weeks he has spent a great deal of his time in reading and in writing lectures, but of late failing sight has made this difficult for him. He walks five squares to church once and sometimes twice on Sundays. He has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church since March 1, 1837, and a local preacher in that denomination since the summer of 1884. Besides attending to his work in that capacity he was for many years actively engaged in school teaching and his stories of the life of a Methodist preacher in those early days of long circuits and saddle-bags are very interesting. Politically he is a prohibitionist, and voted for Dr. Swallow for president of the United States. He married Anna Mary Mears, Sept. 11, 1850, and they had six children: Mary Anna, born July 16, 1857 (died May 4, 1865); John Dickson, Sept. 3, 1861 (died April 22, 1865); Sadie Magdalene, March 19, 1869 (died Nov. 25, 1879); and Margaret Emma Benjamin Franklin Mears, and Laura Myrtle, who with their parents live at Mechanicsburg.

John Sours, Sr., son of Adam, located in Pine Grove Township, remaining there until 1791, when he bought the old Butler farm of 230 acres in Dickinson Township, whither he moved his family and where he died in 1820. He, however, remained at Pine Grove, engaged as a molder till shortly before his death. John Sours, Sr., married Elizabeth Bush, who bore him the following children: George, Elizabeth, Katie, Hannah, Sarah, Samuel, Ellen and Nancy.

Samuel Sours, son of John, Sr., was born Feb. 28, 1790. He attended school in Dickinson Township, and followed farming as an occupation. He was a soldier in the War of 1812. On Jan. 21, 1824, he married Sarah Spangler, daughter of John and Katie Spangler, and they became parents of ten children: Mary, who married Jacob Mumau and died in Dickinson Township; Rebecca, who died in South Middleton Township; John; Geroge, who died in Illinois; William, of Dauphin County, Pa.; Elizabeth, deceased; Martha, deceased; David, who was a soldier in the Civil War, was mustered out in July, 1865, and died in Dickinson Township July 31, ten days after reaching home; Charles of Carlisle, PA; and an infant who died when 24 hours old. Samuel Sours, the father, died Sept. 17, 1858, aged 68 years, six months, seventeen days; and his wife died March 21, 1889, aged 86 years, five months, twelve days.

John Sours, son of Samuel, is engaged in the cultivation of the old homestead, possession, having erected all new buildings. Mr. Sours is noted for his remarkable memory of events in local history, being able to give almost the exact day when an important event in the locality occured. He has long been a worker in the Methodist Church, as has his wife. His political faith is that of the Democrats.

On March 6, 1862, he married Agnes Caroline Donaldson, daugher of Robert and Jane Huston) Donaldson, the former of whom died Feb. 12, 1867, aged 87 years, and the latter July 30, 1872, aged 88 years. After 49 years of married life Mrs. Sours died March 6, 1903. She was born Aug. 31, 1827, and came to Dickinson Township with her parents in 1830. She grew up to nobel womanhood in the neighborhood where she last lived and was greatly beloved by all who knew her.

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Other Sowers/Sours families on the Internet:

 NANCE/SOWERS GENEALOGY

SOURS FAMILY GENEALOGY

SOURS FAMILY PAPERS (An inventory of material on the Sours family held in the Southern Historical Collection at the Manuscripts Department in the Library of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.)


Return to Diana's and Bill's main family history page.
Also, stop by our county genealogy pages:
Allen County Kansas ALHN
Barton County Kansas ALHN
Barton County Kansas KSGenWeb
Gove County Kansas KSGenWeb
Graham County Kansas KSGenWeb
Lincoln County Kansas KSGenWeb

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