Daniel Sowash
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Daniel Sowash |
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Daniel Sowash was born about 1752 in Rockland Township, Berks County, PA.
In the 1768 Berks County, PA tax list, Daniel was listed as a single laborer. Soash_298
Daniel and
his father Henry Sowasch enlisted in Captain Daniel Eyester's [Heister ?] Company in
September 1776 until January 1777 in the Jerseys to fight in the Revolutionary
War (PA. Archives, Sixth Series, Vol. II, p. 601).
On 3 Aug 1777 Daniel Sawatsch and Margaret DeLong served as sponsors at the baptism of Margaret DeLong, parents Henry and Susanna DeLong, at DeLongs Church in Berks County, PA. This baptism has long sparked a theory that Margaret DeLong was soon to become Daniel's wife, but no proof has been found to support the theory. The mother Susanna DeLong was Daniel's sister, so it seems possible. Soash_4643
Daniel was a single taxpayer in Berks County, PA. in late 1778.
Daniel Sowatch served as sponsor for Daniel Heffner, son of Fred
and Catherine Heffner, on 20 Dec 1778
(born 02 Jun 1758)
in Bowers Church in Berks County, PA. His
co-sponsor was Maria Kieffer.
Daniel married Margaret ____________ (born about 1753, perhaps DeLong), probably about 1779 in Berks County, PA.
In the 1779 Rockland Township, Berks County, PA. tax list, he was listed as married with no property.
He was not listed again in the tax lists in Berks County, so he moved to Berkeley County, Virginia [now WV] with his father and several of his sisters.
Daniel and his father Heinrich both appeared in the 1787 Berkeley County, VA tax list. Daniel had 4 horses and 3 cattle - no sons age 16-21. Henry had 1 horse & 2 cattle - no sons age 16-21. Soash_4651
In 1788, Daniel served as a surety for Jacob Lindar who had been appointed the administrator for an estate.
Daniel appeared in the first United States Census of 1790 (p 265) in Rostraver Township, Westmoreland County, PA. The three males over 16 must have been Daniel, perhaps his brother John Sowash, Sr., and their father Johan Henry Sowash who died in 1799. The five males under 16 must have been Daniel's five sons: Daniel Jr, Isaac, Abraham, Jacob and perhaps Peter (born 30 Oct 1790). The two females must have been Margaret, his wife, and perhaps a sister or servant. It is also possible that this was John Sowash, Sr.'s wife Catherine (Thomas) Sowash as they married about 1790. Soash_3239
On 21 May 1795, Daniel purchased 134 acres called
Greenway on Saw Mill Run in Rostraver Township, Westmoreland County, PA from
Cumberland Dugan of Baltimore County Maryland for 201 pounds. Dugan had a patent
24 Jul, 1787.
In the 1798 tax valuation in Rostraver Township, Daniel had 1 house, 134 acres, valuation of land $688, equalized valuation of land $1032. Soash_1953
Daniel died __ May 1802 in Westmoreland
County, PA. He was buried 14 May 1802, the same day his youngest daughter Eva Elizabetha Sowash was baptized at the Brush Creek Church by
Reverend John William Weber. It seems likely that Daniel was buried at Brush
Creek Church Cemetery, although there is no tombstone, nor any record of his
burial.
On 10 Jun 1802, his estate was sold. Soash_1565
Margaret requested a guardian for her
children during the March 1805 court term. She had eight children: three under
the age of 14 (Margaret, Catherine, and Elizabeth); three between 14 and 21
(Isaac, Jacob, and Peter); the other two children were not named because they
were over the age of 21, but this would leave Daniel and Abraham. Sarah, Daniel
and Margaret's other child, must have died before March 1805. David Royal was
appointed guardian for the children.
At the Jun 1805 court session, Margaret made a final statement of the estate, with $836.57 remaining for distribution. This was probably just personal property as there was land which was not sold until 1818 and later. Soash_1562
In 1808 son Isaac was paid $88.02 1/2
from the estate, probably when he turned 21.
In 1809 son Jacob was paid $105.41
from the estate, probably when he turned 21.
Margaret appeared in the 1810 census (p
1282) in Rostraver Township with 2 males 16-26 (Peter & Jacob), 1 male 26-45
(probably Daniel Jr.), and one female over 45 (herself).
Margaret was listed in the tax lists of Rostraver Township in 1811 with 134 acres, 2 horses and 2 cows.
In 1812 son Peter was paid $125.66
from the estate, probably when he turned 21.
In the 1814 tax list, Margaret had three horses and three cows.
In 1814 daughter Margaret was paid
$111.33 from the estate, probably when she turned 18.
In the 1815-1817 Rostraver Township tax lists, Margaret again had 2 horses and 2 cows.
In 1817 daughter Catherine was paid
$121.77 1/2 from the estate, probably when she turned 18.
In the 1818-1819 Rostraver Township tax lists, Margaret only had one horse and one cow.
On 11 Dec 1818 daughter Margaret & her and husband Michael Rhodes sold their share of her father's estate back to her mother Margaret with Peter as a witness. Son Peter and his wife Sally sold their share of his father's estate to his brother Daniel. Soash_19
In 1820 daughter Elizabeth was paid
$123.58 3/4 from the estate, probably when she turned 18.
In the 1820 tax list, Margaret had two horses and three cows. Although she was definitely in the county, she has yet to be found in the 1820 census.
In 1821 and 1822 Rostraver Township tax
lists,
Margaret still had her 134 acres of land with 2 horses and two cows. Her two sons Jacob and
Daniel appeared with her.
Margaret made her will on 07 Sep 1822, leaving 1/2 her plantation to her son Daniel and 1/2 to her son Jacob. She left $60 to her daughter Catherine, $70 to her daughter Elizabeth, all to be paid by Daniel and Jacob, omitting Isaac, Peter, Abraham, Margaretta, and Sarah (who was deceased) from the will. Soash_3209
Margaret died __ Sep or Oct 1822 in Rostraver Township, Westmoreland County, PA. She was probably buried in Brush Creek Cemetery, but no records exist for her burial and there is no gravestone.
Margaret's will was proven 22 Oct 1822. On 22 Feb 1823, letters were filed that claimed that the administrator of the estate had not carried out his duties properly because he has not collected on notes from Daniel Sowash (2A) for $40 and from Jacob Sowash (2E) for $80. On February 23, 1823 Daniel and Jacob paid off these debts in the amount of $135.13 1/2. Soash_3209
On 13 Jan 1823, there was a final
distribution of estate balance of $676.68.
On 5 Jan 1824, son Daniel Sowash finished paying $17.50 in medical bills for mother Margaret's care. Soash_3209
On 2 Feb 1824, Daniel and Jacob signed that their mother's estate has been settled. Soash_3209
On 6 Mar 1826, the heirs sold the
original 134 acre farm to Patrick Flanigan.
Soash_18
Soash_19 This land is located south of Stump's Funeral Home in
Sweeney Crossing in Rostraver Township.
Margaret and Daniel had nine known children:
B. Isaac Sowash
C. Abraham Sowash Unidentified pictures of Jacob B Sowash descendants, son of Abraham
D. Peter Sowash Unidentified pictures of Peter Sowash descendants
E. Jacob Sowash
F. Sarah Sowash
G. Margaretta (Sowash) Rhoades
Tour of Westmoreland County, PA Sowash connections & sites Daniel Sowash document packet
03/23/201