Friends, I am Michael's sister Carol and since his death in May 2017, I've acquired his research and have been trying to catch up with his level of knowledge.
Though he was the primary researcher, we were working together on our family lines. We were researching two family names that were in Steuben County before 1860 - Sowle (a early pioneer) and Kope/Cope.

The SOWLE family of Broadalbin, Fulton Co. and Venice, Oneida Co. in New York then Wayne Co., OH came to Indiana in 1837. The patriarch is Joseph Sowle who along with his wife Rachel (Allen) Sowle had a land grant for his paticipation in the War of 1812. Along with them came most of their family of fourteen children, including two sons Abel & Francis Tripp, who bought orginal land in Steuben County,Indiana.

The KOPE family came from Pennsylvania in 1822 to Cannan Township, Wayne County in Ohio. The patriarch is John Henry Kope (sometimes spelled Cupp or Kopp) and his wife Ann Magdalena "Mary" Van Han or Van Hern. Henry became a successful farmer while in Wayne County during 1822 to 1852. Henry, Mary and their son George Fredrick, daughters Elizabeth Ritter and Lucy Ann Ritter and their families came to Steuben County, Indiana in 1854 and settled in Pleasent Township on a 128 acre farm.

Friends, I am Michael's sister Carol and since his death in May 2017, I've acquired his research and have been trying to catch up with his level of knowledge.
Though he was the primary researcher, we were working together on our family lines. We were researching two family names that were in Steuben County before 1860 - Sowle (a early pioneer) and Kope/Cope.

The SOWLE family of Broadalbin, Fulton Co. and Venice, Oneida Co. in New York then Wayne Co., OH came to Indiana in 1837. The patriarch is Joseph Sowle who along with his wife Rachel (Allen) Sowle had a land grant for his paticipation in the War of 1812. Along with them came most of their family of fourteen children, including two sons Abel & Francis Tripp, who bought orginal land in Steuben County,Indiana.

The KOPE family came from Pennsylvania in 1822 to Cannan Township, Wayne County in Ohio. The patriarch is John Henry Kope (sometimes spelled Cupp or Kopp) and his wife Ann Magdalena "Mary" Van Han or Van Hern. Henry became a successful farmer while in Wayne County during 1822 to 1852. Henry, Mary and their son George Fredrick, daughters Elizabeth Ritter and Lucy Ann Ritter and their families came to Steuben County, Indiana in 1854 and settled in Pleasent Township on a 128 acre farm.