Joseph was a son of John Sowry (1804-1878) and Hannah Howgate (1806-1872)

Joseph 1st married to Hannah Strother (1837-1879) in Leeds, Yorkshire on 13 Dec 1858 and they emigrated on the 'Zealania' which left London 3 Feb 1862, arriving in Lyttelton 24 May 1862

Joseph was an architect and a builder
He was the 1st MAYOR (of 19) of Woodville
He formed the Woodville Small Farm Association at Waipawa
He built and opened the 1st Post Office in Woodville
He died at home in Grey St., Woodville at the age of 66

they had 12 children
1859 - 1861 Annie Sowry
- Annie died xmas day in Leeds aged 2.2
1861 - 1934 Arthur Sowry
- married Sarah Ann Wills in 1886, married Marion Upton in 1910
1863 - 1932 William Sowry
- married Elizabeth Jane Thomas in 1893
1866 - 1917 Albert Sowry
- married Laura Wills in 1898
1867 - 1931 Herbert Sowry
- married Eliza Thomas in 1892, buried Mangahao-Ballance
1868 - 1868 Mary Sowry
- died aged 6 days, buried Bolton Street
1869 - 1885 Hannah Howgate Sowry
- died aged 16, buried here
1871 - 1938 Ernest Sowry
- married Kate Julia Carter in 1890
1872 - 1941 Marmaduke Joseph Sowry
- married Sarah Annie Jane Noedl in 1897, died 7 Kensington Ave, Petone, cremated Karori.
1874 - 1875 George Sowry
- died aged 11 weeks in Waipawa
1876 - 1897 Walter Joseph Sowry
- died aged 21
1878 - 1879 Wilfred Leonard Sowry
- died aged 2 months

In 1874 John Monteith and Thomas Fountaine arrived at a site that was to become Woodville, they found the log hut that Tom and Alf Grammer had erected some time earlier. New settlers had referred to this sight as the planned "village in the woods"
By 1880 the new farm settlers had taken up their land, there were eleven houses in the town, a hotel and stables had been built four years before. A clothing store, butchery, bakery and boarding house and a boot-maker were all in business. A school building had been erected and served for many community group meetings. In 1885 the Town Board under the chairmanship of Joseph Sowry was formed and in 1887 Woodville was constituted as a Borough with Joseph Sowry elected as the first mayor.

HANNAH died 16 April 1879 and was 'removed to Old Gorge Cemetery on 3 June 1892 (do not know where she was buried prior to that)
UPDATE ~ thank you to Leslie who wrote (2 Sep 2016) I understand that Hannah was re-interred from the Pinfold Road Lawn Cemetery (Woodville Cemetery) from where she was first buried in 1879. Kind regards Leslie

Joseph next married Marthe Mathilde Willing (nee Mortenen 1852-1890) in 1879
they had 4 daughters
1880 - 1954 Evangeline Anna Marie Sowry
- married Robert Anthony Noedl (1881-1972) in 1901
1882 - 1961 Lavina Fredricka Sowry
- married John McCormick in 1905
1887 - 1912 Mabel Beatrice Sowry
- married Francis Joseph Malcon in 1907
1889 - 1889 Ivy Woodvine Sowry
- died aged 7 days

MARTHE died in Palmerston North of pneumonia in 1890 and buried at Old Gorge Cemetery

Joseph next married Rhoda Mitchell in 1891
Rhoda was born in Brighton, England, on 14 July 1851. She came to New Zealand at least seven years before she married Joseph. After their wedding, they lived at Rose Farm, Woodville. In about 1897 they moved to a new house in Grey Street, Woodville. Rhoda signed sheet 499 of the suffrage petition. The couple did not have children but Rhoda was stepmother to Joseph's children from his previous two marriages. The eldest son, Arthur Sowry, married Sarah Ann Wills (1857-1909) in 1886. Sarah had moved to Woodville in 1885 to keep house for her brother. As Sarah Sowry, she signed sheet 500 of the suffrage petition.
Joseph died in 1904 and Rhoda next married Thomas Treliving Joll (1845-1919) of Hastings in 1913. Rhoda was widowed for a second time in 1919, when Thomas died in Hastings.
RHODA died 21 Sep 1933 in Porirua & buried Porirua

HAWKES BAY HERALD, 15 March 1904
Late last evening one of Woodville's pioneer settlers peacefully passed away, Mr Joseph Sowry.
Some twenty-six or twenty-seven years ago he applied to the superintendent, the Hon J. D. Ormond, on behalf of some 33 would-be settlers for a piece of unsold bush-land of 2500 acres on the north side of the township, which was granted to what was known as the Woodville Small Farms Association in lots of from 50 o 150 acres and with only two or three exceptions these settlers and their families are with us still and are doing well, the credit of whose selection is greatly due to the late Mr Sowry. He took a lively interest in all that concerned the progress of the settlement, in its material, educational and oral advancement. He took an active part in forming a road board and as the township grew, it was formed into a town board and ultimately into a borough and in each successive stage he has acted as chairman and mayor for a number of years.
In the early days he also represented the Woodville riding of the Waipawa county. Latterly he was Inspector of Works for the Borough Council and it is to his foresight that many of the improvements in the town are due.
Through failing health his resignation was received a few weeks ago. He was also chairman of the Woodville School Committee for many years evincing great regard for the welfare of the children of the district.
The cause of temperance found in him a staunch friend and advocate and through him the Rechabite Tent was established in Woodville. His religious zeal was also conspicuous. In the brave days of old when the roads were uniformed an in some places were nigh impassable (McLean street North to wit) even n horseback, he opened his house on the Sunday afternoons to the occasional visits of Methodist ministers to hold services and this was continued until the school was built and the roads made Passable. Thus were laid the foundations of a settlement which, although small, is a credit to the colony and in all this he had a part.
The deceased was 66 years of age and leaves a widow and several sons, daughters and grandchildren.
Others too will mourn that he is gone