Maria Catharina Sowash Gaumer

Maria Catharina Sowash was born 30 Dec 1759 in Rockland Township, Berks County, PA. 

On 10 Sep 1775, Catharina served as a sponsor for Maria Margaret Delong, daughter Henry & Susanna Delang. The other sponsor was Peter DeLang.  Susanna DeLong was her sister. Soash_4643

Catherine married Johann Jacob Gaumer on 10 Mar 1780.  One source listed their marriage in Somerset County, PA;  others listed  Macungie Township, Lehigh (then Northampton County), PA.   Jacob was born 15 Apr 1756 in Leigh County (then Northampton County), PA, son of Johannes Dietrich and Maria Elizabetha (Mienert) Gaumer.

The family may have gone to Berkeley County, Virginia (now WV) in the early 1780's on their way to Oldtown, Allegany County, Maryland.  After the death of her mother Esther (Schneider) Sowash, her father Heinrich and most of his children moved to Berkeley County.  Some seemed to have remained there, but father Heinrich and sons Daniel and John Sowash had moved to Westmoreland County, PA by 1795.

Jacob and Catherine had two children born in 1781 and 1783 in Oldtown, Allegany County, MD.  By 1786 when their next child was born, the family had moved to Londonderry Township, Bedford County (now Somerset County), PA.

Catherine's father Heinrich Sowash made his Westmoreland County, PA will on 07 May 1795 where she was listed as Katrine Commer. 

About 1806, the Gaumer family had moved to Muskingum County, OH from Pennsylvania.

Jacob was a founding member of the New Hope Lutheran Church in 1811.

Catherine died 1 or 5 Sep 1814 in Muskingum County, OH.  She was buried in New Hope Lutheran Cemetery in Adamsville, OH.  Her husband Jacob had deeded two acres of land for this cemetery, and she was said to have been the first burial there.  He died there 5 May 1820 and was buried beside his wife in New Hope Lutheran Cemetery.

Catherine and Jacob had eight known children.  Somerset County, PA was formed from part of Bedford County after the birth of these children.:

1) Daniel Gaumer Sr was born 10 Apr 1781 in Oldtown, Allegany County, MD.  He married Hannah Baughman on 3 Sep 1800 in Somerset County, PA. She was born 3 Mar 1785 in Berks County, PA.  Daniel died 28 Sep 1859 in Muskingum County, OH and was buried in New Hope Lutheran Cemetery.  Hannah died 2 Oct 1874 in Muskingum County and was buried with her husband in New Hope Lutheran Cemetery.   They had 15 known children.

2) Maria Catherine Gaumer was born 8 Mar 1783 in Oldtown, Allegany County, MD.  She married John Adam Sturtz (also Sturts) about 1800, probably in Somerset County, PA.  He was born about 5 March 1778 in Bedford County, PA.  Catherine died 4 Feb 1860 and was buried in Comps Cemetery in Comps Crossroad, Somerset County, PA.  Adam died 18 Mar 1860 and was also buried in Comps Cemetery.  They had 10 known children.

3) Jacob Gaumer  was born about 1789.  Other sources give his birth as 1786 in Bedford County, PA.  He married Elizabeth Sturtz about 1810, probably in Bedford County.  Elizabeth was born 17 Sep 1791 in PA.   He died 17 Dec 1861 or 12 December 1863 in Muskingum County, OH where he was buried in New Hope Lutheran Cemetery.  Elizabeth died 19 Nov 1868, also in Muskingum County where she was buried in New Hope Lutheran Cemetery.  They had 15 known children.

4) Elizabeth Gaumer was born 19 September 1785 in Bedford County, PA.  She married John Paul Welker, Sr about 1802 in Somerset County, PA.   He was born 22 Sep 1784 in Bedford County, PA.  Elizabeth died 14 May 1865 in Muskingum County, OH and was buried in New Hope Lutheran Cemetery.   John died 3 Feb 1869 in Knox County, OH and was buried in Workman Cemetery in Danville, OH.   They had 14 known children.

5) Susanna Gaumer was born about December 1789 in Bedford County, PA  She married 1) Jacob Sturtz about 1806, probably in Bedford County, PA.  Jacob was born 20 Oct 1787 in Bedford County, PA and died 24 Dec 1834 in Muskingum County, OH where he was buried in New Hope Lutheran Cemetery.     She married 2) Jacob Baughman (1789-1870), probably in Muskingum County, OH.  Susanna died 1 October, 1850 in OH.  She was buried in New Hope Lutheran Cemetery in Adamsville, OH.  Susannah and Jacob Sturtz had 11 children.

6) Sarah "Sally" Gaumer was born about December 1791 in Bedford County, PA.  She married 1) Jonas Fox (1790-1819) on 31 Mar 1816 in Muskingum County, OH.  They had one child.  Sally married 2) George Shurtz (1785-1841) on 24 Aug 1820 in Muskingum County, OH.  Sally died about 1844 in Muskingum County.  Sally and George had 5 known children.

7) Mary Catherine Gaumer was born 6 or 26 May 1792 in Bedford County, PA.  She married William Welker on 24 Aug 1821, probably in Knox County, OH.   She died about 1855.  William died after 1860.  They had at least six known children.

8) John Gaumer was born 13 Apr 1794 in Bedford County, PA.  He married Mary Magdalena Shirer on 28 May 1823 in Bedford County, PA.  She was born 20 May 1803 in Bedford County, PA.  He died 28 Aug 1862 in Linton Mills, Coshocton County, OH.  He was buried in New Hope Lutheran Cemetery in Adamsville, OH.  Mary died 30 May 1887 in Coshocton County.  She was buried in New Hope Lutheran Cemetery.  They had eight known children.

Descendants of this line qualify to join Sons or Daughters of the American Revolution through her father Heinrich Sowash.

03/23/2017