SOWAR, Edward J., Lawrence County, IN., then E. Feliciana Parish, Louisiana
Submitted by Mike Miller
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Sowar, Edward John, merchant and postmaster at Norwood, was born at
Mitchell, Lawrence county, Ind., Dec. 21, 1866.  His ancestors were from
Alsace, Lorraine.  He is a son of Joseph H. W. and Elizabeth (Wehrle)
Sowar, natives, respectively, of Zanesville and Newark, O., who moved to
Mitchell about 1858, the former dying in 1872, and the latter now living at
Brazil, Ind.  They had the following children:  Joseph, a merchant in
Brazil;  Florence, died in infancy;  Alwin, died when 19 years old;  Edward
J., the subject of this sketch;  Frank, a merchant at Muncie, Ind.;
Ethela, in Brazil;  Katie, deceased.  E. J. Sowar spent the first 6 years
of his life in Mitchell and then moved to Brazil, where he lived until
1889.  He received an elementary education in the common schools of the
latter town.  At 13 years of age he began work in a woolen mill, where he
remained about 2 years.  Then he labored as a coal miner for 2 years
following which he was about 1 year in a bakery and confectionery shop.  He
was then taken with a desire to wander, after about 2 years spent in
Kentucky, Ohio and Kansas, he started, Oct., 1887, for the South, and after
going through Missouri and Texas, to New Orleans then to Mississippi and
other places, in Jan., 1889, he came to East Feliciana parish, La.  He came
to Norwood and clerked for Norwood & Bell, merchants, for 2 years.  In 1903
he took charge of the mercantile business for H. W.Dunning & Co.  In Jan.,
1904, this business was sold to the Norwood Mercantile Co., and Mr. Sowar
went with them as a clerk and remained there until Jan., 1908, at which
time he began for himself the general merchandise business.  This he
continues at the present time.  In July, 1906, he was appointed postmaster
at Norwood and now holds that office.  He is a member of the Catholic
church.  In Feb., 1889, Mr. Sowar married Sallie A. Walche, of Amite
county, Miss., and they have the following children:  Katherine, now Mrs.
John C. Carpenter, of Baton Rouge, La.;  Frances Alwyn, now assistant
postmaster, at home;  Joseph, working at De Quincy, La., for N. O. T. & M.
R. R. as stenographer in the dispatcher's office;  Edgar, attending L. S.
U. and working for Welsh & Levy in Baton Rouge, La.;  Irene,  Anna and
Lela, attending public school in Norwood, La.

Source:  Louisiana: Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events,
Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form, volume 3, pp.
741-742.  Edited by Alc e Fortier, Lit. D.  Published in 1914, by Century
Historical Association.