A. W. A. Sowle
Source:  History of Steuben County, IN  (1885) p. 690 - 691

A. W. A. Sowle is a native of Montgomery County, N. Y., born Jan. 20, 1806,
a son of Joseph and Rachel Sowle, natives of Rhode Island.  His parents were
married in New York about 1800, and to them were born fourteen children,
twelve of whom lived till maturity.  The father was an old-line Jackson
Democrat.  He died in 1862, his wife preceding him ten years.  When A. W. A.
was fifteen years old his parents moved to Oneida County, N. Y., where he
worked on a farm till twenty years of age, and then learned the trade of a
carpenter and joiner.  In 1830 he married Experience Whaley and moved to
Jefferson County, N. Y., and embarked in the hotel business at Evans' Mills,
but two years later resumed work at his trade which he continued till 1850,
when he came to Steuben County, Ind., and purchased land in Fremont
Township.  When he came to Steuben County he was in limited circumstances
but he pursued patiently the vocation of farming and accumulated a good
property.  He lived on his farm about twenty years and in 1871 moved to
Angola and embarked in general merchandising.  A year later he sold out but
subsequently opened a grocery store and in 1877 became established in his
present business.  He has been identified with the interests of Steuben
County thirty-five years, and has been one of its most prominent
benefactors.  When he first came to the county he raised wheat and hauled it
to Hillsdale, Mich., with an ox team and sold it for 45 cents a bushel.  He
stopped at a hotel where he paid four shillings for supper, lodging,
breakfast and two drinks.  Mr. and Mrs. Sowle have had eleven children; but
five are living -- Sarah A., wife of J. L. Benedick; Orin, Dwight, Leander
and Julia.  Mr. and Mrs. Sowle have had a peaceful married life of
fifty-five years.  In 1880 they celebrated their golden wedding,
entertaining 200 guests.  They received many valuable presents among them a
purse containing $50 in gold.  In politics Mr. Sowle was originally a
Democrat, casting his first Presidential vote for Andrew Jackson.  He
subsequently affiliated with the Free-Soil party, and is now a worker in the
Republican ranks.  He has never aspired to official honors, but held various
local positions in his native State.  He has prospered in material things
since coming to Steuben County.  The farm he paid $1,100 for he sold in 1871
for $9,000.  It is now one of the finest farms in the county.