John Newton Sowell was born in 1819 in Davidson County Tennessee to John Sowell and Sarah Rachel Carpenter Sowell. With his parents and siblings, at the age of ten or eleven, he settled in Green DeWitt's colony in the town of Gonzales in 1829.
By some accounts John participated in the Battle of San Jacinto in 1836, but if so, he was a mere boy of the age of 16 or 17. Family lore relates that his name was accidentally entered on the muster rolls as John Lowell (or Powell) and thus there is no documentary evidence of his service.
In 1839 and 1840, John served in the Gonzales Rangers with his brothers Andrew and Asa under Captain Matthew Caldwell. On August 12, 1840, John and his brother Andrew participated in the Battle of Plum Creek. In 1847 and 1848, he served for twelve months under Captain Henry McCulloch, first as a private and later as a sergeant, in the Texas Mounted Volunteers. He was described on the muster roll as being six feet tall, with dark complexion, dark hair, and dark eyes. Unfortunately, there is no known photo of John.
He married Elizabeth Nichols, daughter of George Washington Nichols and Mary Ann Walker Nichols on April 10, 1840. To them was born two sons and one daughter.
In 1847, John bought lot #4 in block 31 in the town of Seguin. There he built his home and the old and well-known Sowell blacksmith shop where, among other smith work, he repaired guns as his father had taught him. The location is now on the southwest corner of Walnut Branch and Goodrich Street on West Court.
John died at the home of his brother Asa J. L. on September 31, 1856. According to the Galveston Weekly News (October 14, 1856) his death was the result of a hemorrhage of the lungs; he was a mere 37 years of age. His nephew, A.J. Sowell (the author), who was present at this burial, gave the information that he is buried in the San Geronimo Cemetery at the front right (northeast corner) of the Sowell plot, a portion of the grave now being under the road. His wife, Elizabeth, preceded him in death in 1855 and is believed to be buried next to John in an unmarked grave.
John and Elizabeth had the following children: James Asa, born 1841, William Newton, born 1848, and Jennie, born after 1850.
By some accounts John participated in the Battle of San Jacinto in 1836, but if so, he was a mere boy of the age of 16 or 17. Family lore relates that his name was accidentally entered on the muster rolls as John Lowell (or Powell) and thus there is no documentary evidence of his service.
In 1839 and 1840, John served in the Gonzales Rangers with his brothers Andrew and Asa under Captain Matthew Caldwell. On August 12, 1840, John and his brother Andrew participated in the Battle of Plum Creek. In 1847 and 1848, he served for twelve months under Captain Henry McCulloch, first as a private and later as a sergeant, in the Texas Mounted Volunteers. He was described on the muster roll as being six feet tall, with dark complexion, dark hair, and dark eyes. Unfortunately, there is no known photo of John.
He married Elizabeth Nichols, daughter of George Washington Nichols and Mary Ann Walker Nichols on April 10, 1840. To them was born two sons and one daughter.
In 1847, John bought lot #4 in block 31 in the town of Seguin. There he built his home and the old and well-known Sowell blacksmith shop where, among other smith work, he repaired guns as his father had taught him. The location is now on the southwest corner of Walnut Branch and Goodrich Street on West Court.
John died at the home of his brother Asa J. L. on September 31, 1856. According to the Galveston Weekly News (October 14, 1856) his death was the result of a hemorrhage of the lungs; he was a mere 37 years of age. His nephew, A.J. Sowell (the author), who was present at this burial, gave the information that he is buried in the San Geronimo Cemetery at the front right (northeast corner) of the Sowell plot, a portion of the grave now being under the road. His wife, Elizabeth, preceded him in death in 1855 and is believed to be buried next to John in an unmarked grave.
John and Elizabeth had the following children: James Asa, born 1841, William Newton, born 1848, and Jennie, born after 1850.
John Newton Sowell was born in 1819 in Davidson County Tennessee to John Sowell and Sarah Rachel Carpenter Sowell. With his parents and siblings, at the age of ten or eleven, he settled in Green DeWitt's colony in the town of Gonzales in 1829.
By some accounts John participated in the Battle of San Jacinto in 1836, but if so, he was a mere boy of the age of 16 or 17. Family lore relates that his name was accidentally entered on the muster rolls as John Lowell (or Powell) and thus there is no documentary evidence of his service.
In 1839 and 1840, John served in the Gonzales Rangers with his brothers Andrew and Asa under Captain Matthew Caldwell. On August 12, 1840, John and his brother Andrew participated in the Battle of Plum Creek. In 1847 and 1848, he served for twelve months under Captain Henry McCulloch, first as a private and later as a sergeant, in the Texas Mounted Volunteers. He was described on the muster roll as being six feet tall, with dark complexion, dark hair, and dark eyes. Unfortunately, there is no known photo of John.
He married Elizabeth Nichols, daughter of George Washington Nichols and Mary Ann Walker Nichols on April 10, 1840. To them was born two sons and one daughter.
In 1847, John bought lot #4 in block 31 in the town of Seguin. There he built his home and the old and well-known Sowell blacksmith shop where, among other smith work, he repaired guns as his father had taught him. The location is now on the southwest corner of Walnut Branch and Goodrich Street on West Court.
John died at the home of his brother Asa J. L. on September 31, 1856. According to the Galveston Weekly News (October 14, 1856) his death was the result of a hemorrhage of the lungs; he was a mere 37 years of age. His nephew, A.J. Sowell (the author), who was present at this burial, gave the information that he is buried in the San Geronimo Cemetery at the front right (northeast corner) of the Sowell plot, a portion of the grave now being under the road. His wife, Elizabeth, preceded him in death in 1855 and is believed to be buried next to John in an unmarked grave.
John and Elizabeth had the following children: James Asa, born 1841, William Newton, born 1848, and Jennie, born after 1850.
By some accounts John participated in the Battle of San Jacinto in 1836, but if so, he was a mere boy of the age of 16 or 17. Family lore relates that his name was accidentally entered on the muster rolls as John Lowell (or Powell) and thus there is no documentary evidence of his service.
In 1839 and 1840, John served in the Gonzales Rangers with his brothers Andrew and Asa under Captain Matthew Caldwell. On August 12, 1840, John and his brother Andrew participated in the Battle of Plum Creek. In 1847 and 1848, he served for twelve months under Captain Henry McCulloch, first as a private and later as a sergeant, in the Texas Mounted Volunteers. He was described on the muster roll as being six feet tall, with dark complexion, dark hair, and dark eyes. Unfortunately, there is no known photo of John.
He married Elizabeth Nichols, daughter of George Washington Nichols and Mary Ann Walker Nichols on April 10, 1840. To them was born two sons and one daughter.
In 1847, John bought lot #4 in block 31 in the town of Seguin. There he built his home and the old and well-known Sowell blacksmith shop where, among other smith work, he repaired guns as his father had taught him. The location is now on the southwest corner of Walnut Branch and Goodrich Street on West Court.
John died at the home of his brother Asa J. L. on September 31, 1856. According to the Galveston Weekly News (October 14, 1856) his death was the result of a hemorrhage of the lungs; he was a mere 37 years of age. His nephew, A.J. Sowell (the author), who was present at this burial, gave the information that he is buried in the San Geronimo Cemetery at the front right (northeast corner) of the Sowell plot, a portion of the grave now being under the road. His wife, Elizabeth, preceded him in death in 1855 and is believed to be buried next to John in an unmarked grave.
John and Elizabeth had the following children: James Asa, born 1841, William Newton, born 1848, and Jennie, born after 1850.
Inscription
State of Texas Memorial Inscription
John N. Sowell
Born in Tennessee 1819
Came to Texas about 1829
Served in the Army of Texas 1836
Brother of Andrew Jackson Sowell and
Son of John Sowell who participated
In the Battle of Gonzales
Died in 1858
Erected by the State of Texas 1957
Family Members
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Records on Ancestry
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