-------------------------------
biography from Portrait & Biographical Album of Mahaska Co., Iowa, 1887
WILLIAM K. SOPHER, of Spring Creek Township. and one of the best-known men in the county, was born in Washington County, Pa., April 8, 1817, and is a son of Joseph and Phebe (Kenworthey) Sopher. Joseph Sopher was born in Loudoun County, Va., and his wife in Bedford County, Pa. He was a miller by profession, and followed that occupation the greater portion of his life. He also owned an extensive farm, managing and operating it in connection with his other business. He died in Poweshiek County, Iowa, Jan. 14, 1869, his wife having previously died in Pennsylvania, June 3, 1828. The grandfather of our subject, Joseph Sopher, was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, and our subject has a pocket glass which he carried all through that war. His wife, grandmother of our subject, was Catharine Cox. William K. Sopher emigrated from Pennsylvania to Ohio in 1833, and in the fall of 1834 removed to Tippecanoe County, Ind., where he remained and followed the occupation of farming until the fall of 1843, at which date he moved to Jefferson County, Iowa, with his familyÄa wife and three childrenÄand there resided until the fall of 1847, when he came to Spring Creek Township, this county, purchasing 140 acres of land and improved the same; he afterward bought 160 more. The first land was mostly timber and coal land, and was sold by him as such at a good advance on the original cost and improvements in 1882, and gave the last 160 to his two sons, William P. and Joseph. He then entered eighty acres of prairie land. In 1853 he entered eighty acres in Adams Township, now the, property of Richard Nash. He bought the southeast quarter of section 34, Spring Creek Township, built upon it a good house and barns, and otherwise improved it, and afterward disposed of it to Josiah Emmons. He purchased 160 acres of land in Jasper County, Iowa, which he gave to Abijah T. and Moses H. Sopher. He has reserved to himself twenty acres of land in Spring Creek Township, upon which he resides, and has built a fine frame dwelling, a good barn and other out-buildings, all neat and in good repair. Mr. Sopher has been one of the foremost men of his township in making the class of improvements that would best develop the general interests of his people and bring about the greatest good to the greatest number, and in all these enterprises has conformed strictly to the Golden Rule, doing unto others as he would they should do unto him. His son Moses served three years in the late war for the preservation of the Union, doing his every duty in a most creditable manner. His son Abijah enlisted, but was obliged to return home on account of disability, and, not being able to return to his command, received an honorable discharge by order of the War Department. The subject of this sketch, William K. Sopher, was married, March 29, 1837, to Agnes Hockett, who was born July 17, 1816, in the State of Ohio, a daughter of Moses and Olive (Cook) Hockett. By this union there were five childrenÄAbijah T., Phoebe, Moses H., William P. and Joseph, Phoebe and Moses H. are deceased. Mr. Sopher has held the offices of Road Supervisor and of School Director a number of times, and has been Township Trustee for three terms. He and his wife are prominent members of the Society of Friends, in which Mrs. Sopher has labored as a minister of Christ since 1852. Mr. Sopher has ever taken an active part in matters relating to Church and State, and the weight of his influence has ever been in the direction looking to the uphuilding of the interests of his fellow-men, spiritually as well as temporally. He is a man widely known and universally respected, and it is with pleasure that the publishers present his portrait in connection with this sketch. As a fitting companion picture a portrait of his esteemed wife is also given.
Portrait & Biographical Album of Mahaska Co., Iowa, 1887
Mahaska County, Iowa Genealogy