Thomas J Sowers 1850 - 1924

SOWERS, HUGHES, YOUNG, BALLARD, GILMORE

Posted By: Linda H Meyers (email)
Date: 5/31/2008 at 10:39:59

ANOTHER PIONEER CALLED BY DEATH

MR. T. J. SOWERS, FOR 70 YEARS A RESIDENT OF COUNTY, IS DEAD.

Mr. Thomas J Sowers, 74, for nearly 70 years a resident of Story county died very suddenly at his home in Gilbert, Sunday afternoon at 12:30 as a result of a stroke of apoplexy which he suffered an hour previous.
The funeral services will be held Wednesday morning at 10 at the church in Gilbert and interment will be in the Ames cemetery, under the auspices of Nevada lodge of Masons.
Mr. Sowers was the second son of Mr. and Mrs. George Sowers, one of the pioneer families of the northwest part of Story county, they having come out here from Indiana, April 14, 1850, Mr. Sowers came here when a lad of four years, was raised here and married to Miss Mary Smith, daughter of another pioneer family. They have always lived in Story county with the exception of a short time when they lived in Des Moines.
He leaves behind his wife three sons and three daughters. The sons are Bert, John now in California and George of near Gilbert. The daughters are Mrs. Alta Ballard of Winterset, Mrs. Myrtle Gilmore of Gilbert and Miss Dorothy Sowers of Des Moines.
He also leaves one brother, James W. Sowers of this city and three half brothers and two half sisters. They are Charles Sowers of Hereford, Texas, Elmer and Delbert Sowers of Ames, and Mrs. Sarah Hughes of Kelley and Armanda Young of Primgahr.
Mr. Sowers had lived for a number of years in the northwest part of the county, later located on a farm over near McCallsburg where he lived for some years after which he removed back to the old homestead near the Pleasant Grove church. Leaving the farm they moved to Des Moines where they made a home for their daughter for a few years, after which they returned to Gilbert where they established their home.
Mr. Sowers had been in his usual health until Sunday. He was about the home during the forenoon but about 11:30 when into the basment to see to the furnace, when the stroke seized him. He went up stairs, told Mrs. Sowers that something serious had occurred to him and within a few minutes he passed into unconsciousness. His doctor was hastily summoned, as was a family physician, but within minutes he had passed on.
He was a man who was always active in public affairs and took much interest in the Republican political caucus of the county. He will be remembered by the people of the county as a man of character and substantial (unreadable word) and the family and friends will have the most profound sympathy of ours in their hours of deep bereavement.

--probably from the Story City Herald or the Nevada Journal