December 10, 1885 – May 14, 1939
Sophia was born the eighth child to Dumas Maness and Emeline Strickland on December 10, 1885, in Sheffield Township. She attended the St. Phillips Episcopal Church School. Sophia attended New Zion A.M.E. Zion Church until 1917 when Bear Creek Congregational Church was established. She then moved her membership there where she 
worked as the Church Clerk. Sophia never married. She had one daughter (Aggie Maness Dowd – left) and they lived with Dumas and Emeline. Sophia died May 14, 1939, of heart disease and is buried in the New Zion Church Cemetery.
Summary provided by Stephanie McCrimmon, daughter of Dorothy Vascille Barrett, Granddaughter of Tom & Ada Maness Brower, Great Granddaughter of Jesse & Mishie Maness
Pictured below are members of Aggie Maness Dowd’s family.
Aggie Maness Dowd, daughter of Sophia Maness (Generation 3) 
Back – Aggie (mother), Children – Olillian, Herb, Floyd Dowd (Generations 3 and 4) 
Olillian Dowd Shamberger (Generation 4) 
Olillian Dowd Shamberger (Generation 4) 
Floyd & Irene Shamberger Dowd (Generation 4) 
Floyd & Irene Dowd Floyd- Back Left – Floyd, Brain, Kent, Front Left – Irene (wife), Daughter Becky. former husband, daughter Sharon – Generations 4 and 5 
Herb Dowd (Generation 4) 
Jerry Dowd (son of Olillian Dowd Shamberger) Generation 5 
Jerry Dowd & niece Chrystal Dowd Singleton (Generations 5 and 6) 
Jerry Dowd (Generation 5) 
Jerry & Janice Dowd (Generation 5) 
Boyce Dowd & Family (Olillian’s son) (Generations 5 and 6) 
Chrystal, Olysa, Kelley (Boyce Dowd’s daughters) Generation 6 
Chrystal Dowd Singletary Family (Generation 6 and 7) 
Olysa Dowd Family (Boyce’s daughter and grands) Generations 6 and 7 
Kelley Dowd Family (Boyce’s daughter and grands) Generations 6 and 7 
Jalisa Roark, daughter of Olysa Dowd, Carter, CaLeah, and father, Joshua Roark (Jalisa – granddaughter of Boyce Dowd, great, granddaughter of Olillian Dowd Shamberger – (Generations 7 and 8) 
Sharon Dowd – daughter of Floyd and Irene Dowd (Generation 5) 
Jonel Ritter – son of Sharon Dowd, grandson of Floyd & Irene Dowd, great grandson of Aggie Dowd (Generation 6) 
Atalyah Ritter- granddaughter of Sharon Dowd, great, granddaughter of Floyd and Irene Dowd, great, great granddaughter of Aggie Dowd (Generation 7) 
Becky and Randy Cheek – daughter of Floyd and Irene Dowd, granddaughter of Aggie Dowd (Generation 5) 
Randy, Michael, and grandson Bryson Cheek – Husband, Son, and grandson of Becky Dowd Cheek, grandson and great grandson of Floyd & Irene Dowd and son-n-law (Generation 6 and 7) 
Roger Thompson – son of Becky Cheek, grandson of Floyd & Irene Dowd, great grandson of Aggie Dowd (Generation 6)