In the book's own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1836, Tipperary county
From History of Lafayette County, Mo., carefully written and compiled from the most authentic official and private sources, including a history of its townships, cities, towns and villages, together with a (1881)
JOHN POWELL,
Post office Lexington, Mo.; is a native of Ireland and was born in Tipperary county, in 1836, where he was raised and educated. He was reared to the grocery business, though his father, George Powell, was a farmer in Ireland. In 1863 he left Ireland and came to the United States. He landed in New York, where he was in the grocery trade for about one year. He then went to Canada and engaged in the same business. In 18T1 he came to Lexington in this county, and entered at once in the grocery business and has continued it ever since — indeed was never engaged in any thing else. He is located on Franklin street and is doing a heavy business, and carries about $10,000 in stock. In 1871 he was married in Lexington to Miss Mary Powell, a lady of the same name, but no relation. They have one child, a daughter, named Mattie P. Both he and his wife are members of the Episcopal church. He belongs to no secret order and is one of the substantial and reliable business men in the city.
As printed in History of Lafayette County, Mo., carefully written and compiled from the most authentic official and private sources, including a history of its townships, cities, towns and villages, together with a (1881). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
The printed record stops around 1881. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.