Frederick (Zavering) Sovereign (1714 - 1805)

Born 14 Feb 1714 in Heiliges Römisches Reich

Husband of Ann (Waldruff) Sovereign — married before 1750 in Strasbourg, Alsace, France

Husband of Lavinia (Colver) Sovereign — married after 1767 in New Jersey

Descendants

Died 25 Oct 1805 at age 91 in Waterford, Norfolk, Ontario, Canada

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Biography

Frederick (Zavering) Sovereign was born about 1715 in Germany.

Frederick married Ann Waldruff (<1724 - <1768) in 1750 in Strasbourg, Alsace, France. Their children were:

1. David (Zavering) Sovereen
2. Jacob Sovereign
3. Leonard Sovereign
4. Frederick Sovereign Jr.
5. Anna (Sovereign) Heath
6. Elizabeth (Sovereign) Clouse.

Frederick married Lavinia Colver (~1738 - 1817) in 1767 in New Jersey. Their children were:

1. Henry Sovereign
2. John Sovereign
3. Morris (Sovereign) Sovereen
4. Catherine Sovereign
5. Philip Sovereign
6. Eva Sovereign
7. George W Sovereign.

Frederick died on 25 Oct 1805 in Waterford, Norfolk, Ontario, Canada aged ~90.

Frederick Sovereen was probably born in Germany^[1] (probably spelled Zavering, Zafrin or Safrein), emigrated to America, and settled in Warren County, New Jersey. He may have been the son of Johannes Soeffrens, who landed at Philadelphia 19 September 1734.

Several researchers, including Robert Mutrie in "Sovereen of Townsend Township," state that the first six children of Frederick Sovereen were children of his first wife, and the remainder are children of his second wife, Lavinia Culver.

Frederick Sovereen bought 240 acres of the Ebenezer Large survey on Schooley's Mountain, Warren County, New Jersey for 125 pounds from the Large family heirs on 10 May 1768. They sold the property to Garret Lake on 21 May 1801 for $2,400. His name is signed on the deed as Friedrich Zofrin. He built the old Sovereen house there.

When the Revolutionary War broke out, he espoused the Loyalist cause. About 1801, the family migrated with several others to Upper Canada, settling in Norfolk County, in what is now Ontario. In 1802, Frederick was at the pioneer home of his son Frederick in Charlotteville, where he rendered some assistance in laying up a rail fence around a turnip patch. The town of Fredericksburg, Norfolk County, Ontario, was named for him. Fredericksburg is now Delhi, Ontario.

He died in 1805 and is buried in Waterford, Norfolk County, Ontario. In the early 1900's, little children were taken by their parents to view two mounds which marked the spot where he and his aged wife were buried.

A probate record for Frederick Sovereen is abstracted in the "Wills of the London District 1800-1839, London District Surrogate Registry:"

"Frederick Sovereen the Elder, Townsend: Died 25 Oct 1805 at Townsend, intestate. Petition of 5 Nov 1805 by David Sovereen, yeoman, & jacob Sovereen, weaver, and note re Levinah Sovereen, "the Widow of the within named Frederick Sovereen Deceased, being aged and infirm". Inventory consists of "Notes against" Ephrem Serrels, Morris Sovereen, George Sovereen, John Sovereen, David Sovereen, Leonard Clous, Jacob Sovereen & Frederick Sovereen."

Sources

1. ↑ During the troublesome times of Maria Theresa, there lived in Germany four protestant brothers of Dutch ancestry named Sovereign. One of these listed in the King's Life Guards under Joseph II, and died single. The other three emigrated to America about the middle of the 18th century, and settled in Morris County, New Jersey. Shortly after, two of the brothers died.

• "Early Germans of New Jersey" by Chambers.
• Long Point Settlers, Ontario Pioneers Genealogies.
• Find A Grave: Memorial #156340527 Find A Grave Memorial #156340527.
• Some data obtained from Pat Reece in Austin, Texas, who has done substantial research on the Sovereen families.