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EARLY SETTLERS OF SANGAMON COUNTY - 1876
By John Carroll Power

These biographies were submitted by a researcher and evidently abstracted from the 1876 History of Sangamon County, IL. Errors could occur, so one should always verify the correctness by obtaining copies of vitals and performing all necessary research to document what is contained herein.



SOWELL, STEPHEN , was born February, 1785, on the river Roanoke, Charlotte county, Virginia. Jane Hannah was born Sept. 12, 1795, in that county. They were there married and had three children, and moved to Rutherford county, Tennessee, about 1817, where three children were born, and moved to Sangamon county, Illinois, arriving April, 1828, in what is now Chatham township, thence to Cooper township, and from there to Loami township in 1830, where three children were born. Of all their children--

MARTHA, born Jan. 22, 1812, in Virginia, married in Sangamon county to William Eustace, have three children, and live in Jefferson county, Wisconsin.

THOMAS, born July 15, 1814, in Charlotte county, Virginia, married in Sangamon county, Nov. 10, 1836, to Theresa Barger. They had two children, MARTHA A. married William T. Graham, had three children, and Mr. G. died in April, 1871. The widow and children live near Chatham, Illinois. JOHN H. enlisted in Colorado in a cavalry regiment. He was wounded, after two years service, by six shots in his body, from rebel bushwhackers in Missouri, and was honorably discharged on account of physical disability in the spring of 1865. He was married in Sangamon county, August 26, 1866, to Maggie Post. They have one child, and live in Osage county, Kansas. Mrs. Theresa Sowell died Dec. 4, 1846, and Thomas Sowell was married April 20, 1848, to Jane E. Lansden, who was born April 21, 1817, in Wilson county, Tennessee. They have one child, THOMAS A., and reside in Loami, Sangamon county, Illinois.

JANE, born in Virginia, married Hollister Burr, and lives in Cherokee county, Kansas.

MELINDA, born in Tennessee, married in Sangamon county to Schuyler Goodell, have eight children, and live in Miami county, Kansas.

MACCA M., born Sept. 16, 1822, in Tennessee, married July 28, 1844, in Sangamon county to Adna P. Colburn. See his name.

SALLY, born April 18, 1824, in, Tennessee, married in Sangamon county to Willis Goodell, had one child, and Mr. Goodell died. The widow married William R. Goodell. They have seven children, and live in Harrison county, Missouri.

NANCY, born in Sangamon county, married James E. McElvain. See his name.

ANGELINE A., born in Sangamon county, married William A. McElvain. See his name.

WILLIAM H., born in Sangamon county, married Maria N. Campbell. They have five children, and live at Macon Station, Macon county, Illinois. W. H. Sowell enlisted in 1861 for three years in Co. B, 30th Ill. Inf., served full term, and was honorably discharged in 1864.

Stephen Sowell died June 11, 1863, and his widow resides with her son, Thomas, in Loami, Illinois--1874.



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