Evan W. Powell

As printed in 1880

EVAN W. POWELL, farmer; P. O., Mt. Gilead. Among the influential self-made men who settled in this township from the " Old Dominion," the above named gentleman is worthy of more than a passing notice; he is the second son of Peyton and Permelia (Fox) Powell, born in Loudoun Co., Va., March 15, 1822; he spent his youth on a farm, and at twenty-three had the oversight of a plantation for two years. In the fall of 1847 he came to Ohio, andere long was engaged to teach school in Congress Tp., of this county; he accepted the position with some misgivings about his qualifications, but by hard study his labors were crowned with good success. The wages at that time attained the modest sum of ten dollars per month and board; he next engaged to work on a farm some six month at the same wages, and during that fall cast his first vote for General Taylor, having been disfranchised before by the " property test,'' in his native State; he then returned to Virginia where he taught subscription school; having some pupils whose attainments were equal to his, he worked on bravely, sometimes until two o'clock at night, to keep ahead of them, thus catching the spirit of the true teacher; with his matter ever fresh in his mind, he took his pupils through without their ever suspecting the trial it cost. In 1849 he attended the boarding school of Franklin Taylor, during the spring and summer, and continued to teach until 1851. He united his fortunes with Miss Elizabeth Everett, Sept. 20, 1849; she is a daughter of Eli and Nancy (Davis) Everett, born in Harrison Co., Ind., March 21, 1827; her father was a surveyor and settled in the Hoosier State very early. In the spring of 1851 Mr. Powell set out for Ohio with his family, arriving May 2, at Williamsport; he at once began looking for a home; he visited Indiana, but soon returned and located on the present place, which then consisted of eighty acres; in June he purchased it of Elijah Whistler, who had settled there some seven years before, and made small improvements. Mr. Powell has since added seventy-three acres to his first purchase and erected substantial and elegant buildings on the same; his estate now includes about one hundred atid thirty acres of tine farming lands, on the south branch of Owl Creek, also valuable timber lands. Mr. Powell is the father of thirteen children, nine of whom are living — Mary E., born Oct. 2G, 1850, married William Virtue, a carpeifter of this township; Louis K., Feb. G, 1852; graduated at the Otterbein University in 1875; he read law with Olds & Dickey, and was admitted to the Bar, in 1878; he is at j)r(S('nt Mayor of Mount Gilead, and School Kxaniiner; is a young man of brilliant promise, and the partner of Thomas Dalrymple, attorney-at-law; Ora Virginia, born June 1, 1853; now- Mrs. James McCammon, of Gilead Tp.; Margaret P., Oct. 4, 1854, married John Rus- S(>11, Treasurer of Morrow Co.; Charles R., March 5, 1856; Walter P., Dec. 5, 1857; Frank, Aug. 12, 1859, died Aug. 27, 1861; infant daughter; Frank E., Apr. 17, 1862; Evan W., Dec. 29, 1863, died Oct. 2, 1865; George W., born December 3, 1865, died March 7, 1867; Thaddeus S., May 16, 1867; Anna B., March 4, 1871. The home of our subject he has striven to beautify with the culture and refinement of the age, and the high social standing and moral worth of his family attest the wisdom of such a course. Mr. Powell early united with the United Brethren in Christ, and is now Trustee of the Williamsport Ciiurch. He was a Whig in the days of old "Rough and Ready," and joined the Republican ])arty at its organization. His parents were both natives of Virginia. His father followed the trade of blacksmith, and served in the war of 1812; in later years he was a miller of the soil. He departed this life during the late civil war, and his companion followed him in 1867; both had reached the lime allotted to man of three-score-years-and ten. Ten children were born to them — William, Amy, Elizabeth, Evan W., Margaret, George, Charles, Thomas, Gurlev and Harriet.

As printed in History of Morrow County and Ohio (1880). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.