Theophilus P. Powell, 1847-1916

POWELL, EDWARDS, PEDERSEN, ANDERSON, PEDERSON

Posted By: Clay County IAGenWeb Coordinator (email)
Date: 7/5/2012 at 19:04:53

Hurt in Run Away

T.P. Powell was badly injured in a run away this morning about nine o'clock. Mr. Powell has been carrying the mail for his son Thomas, on rural route No. 2 and left the post office as usual. He was driving a big black team and when just west of the cemetery a whiffletree broke and the team started to run. He succeeded in holding them until about a mile east of the Poor Farm when the tongue came down and one wheel came off, throwing him out onto the ground. He was picked up by a passing auto and brought to his home in this city. He was in a dazed condition and at this time it is impossible to ascertain just how serious his injuries are.

Source: Spencer Reporter, Spencer, Clay County, Iowa; April 5, 1916.

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T.P. POWELL SUFFERS A SERIOUS ACCIDENT
SPENCER MAN INJURED ABOUT NECK AND HEAD IN RUNAWAY ON WEST RURAL ROUTE
CONDITION STILL CRITICAL

Last Wednesday morning T. P. Powell, one of the best known of the older Clay county residents and a justice of peace, was the victim of a serious runaway, one that proved almost fatal. For the day he was acting as rural carrier on the route going west of Spencer, substituting for his son Tom, who was suffering from an attack of rheumatism. Mr. Powell left the postoffice, with the horses trotting at their usual pace. As they passed the Gruchow farm just beyond Riverside cemetery, it seems the singletree became unfastened, falling to the side of the road, and at the same time the tugs were loosened. The horses, frightened and half-crazed, tore across the bridge, the neck yoke slipped and just as they passed the old Rose farm beyond the bend of the road Mr. Powell's grip on the reins relaxed. The tongue of the cart was caught in a rut in the road and as the horses went plunging on, the wagon "turned turtled," hurling Mr. Powell five feet in the air and a distance of about fifteen feet from the wagon.

William Carmean, who was coming from the west, saw the entire accident and knowing he could not curb the horses, drew aside, thinking the rut might stop them. As he saw Mr. Powell fall he ran to him, hailed a passing automobile and saw that he was taken to his home on Grove street. When picked up the Spencer gentleman was unconscious, remaining in that state for two days. The attending physician found that one side of his body was paralyzed and the back of his head injured which led him to the belief that possibly the strain of checking the horses had partially paralyzed him while still in the wagon, and that when the tongue fell to the ground he was helpless and could not jump.

Source: Spencer News-Herald, Spencer, Clay County, Iowa; April 12, 1916.

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Condition About the Same

The many friends of T.P. Powell in this county, who was seriously injured in a runaway accident a couple of weeks ago, will be pleased to learn that he is no worse, but also sorry to know that he is making no decided improvements.

Source: Spencer Reporter, Spencer, Clay County, Iowa; April 19, 1916.

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DEATH FOLLOWS ACCIDENT

T.P. Powell Succumbs Monday to Injuries Received During Runaway More Than Two Weeks Ago

Today at one-thirty o'clock the funeral services for one of Clay county's most widely known and beloved residents, T.P. Powell, will be held at the home on Grove street. This brief service will be followed by one at the Baptist church on West Fifth street, of which he was long a loyal member. Rev. J.W. Williams, pastor of the church, will conduct the service, assisted by Annett Post of the G.A.R., after which interment will be made at Riverside.

Death came as the result of a runaway which occurred more than two weeks ago, when Mr. Powell took the place of his son Tom on the latter's rural mail route. From that time until he passed away at two o'clock on Monday afternoon, April 24, 1916, he never truly regained consciousness. He did ________________ that he had been in an accident and was never _____.

Born in Pennsylvania

Theophilus Parry Powell, the only son of Thomas T. and Margaret Powell, both natives of Wales, was born near Scranton, Pennsylvania, on May 26, 1847. His father was a miner but when their son was five they tired of mining and, along with others, moved to Iowa county, Wisconsin. Here his father tilled the soil, taking a homestead, and, as was usual at that time, his son assisted him with the farm work. In the winter he attended the old-time schools in the county and there received his education. He remained quietly at home, doing whatever he could to help his parents, until October 1864, when, as a mere boy of seventeen, he enlisted in Company K, Fiftieth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, and served until June 1865. The admirable characteristics he showed as a soldier in the War of the Rebellion are no better seen than in the fact that when he was honorably discharged he held the rank of corporal.

At the close of the war, Mr. Powell returned to Wisconsin, once more taking up his work as an agriculturist.

Came Here in 1881

On October 19, 1869, Mr. Powell married Miss Emma S. Edwards. In the spring of 1881, believing that there might be better opportunities in the states further west, Mr. and Mrs. Powell and their children left for Richardson county, Nebraska. But here the did not find what they wished and so in the following November they came to Clay county, settling in Douglas township. Here they lived happily, improving their two hundred and forty acres as the years went on until, in 1892, they moved to Spencer.

This removal to Spencer was necessitated by Mr. Powell's election to the office of county recorder, a position which he filled creditably for eight years. His election to this office came because of the efficiency with which he had filled other offices before, those of township assessor, of school director and others. Mr. Powell was elected on the Republican ticket, the party to which he adhered throughout his life and of which he was always a loyal supporter.

Long a Church Member

Loyalty, in fact, seems to have been one of Mr. Powell's strongest characteristics; to the Baptist church, in which he had long held his membership, as had his parents and grandparents before him, he was steadfastly true; to the Union in the time of the Civil War he showed his allegiance by fighting though a mere boy; and after the war, as a member of the Annett Post, G.A.R., he worked with his wife, who was a member of the W.R.C., for whatever end his comrades wished. Above all, Mr. Powell was a true friend. No one ever found him wanting; always ready to give service or money, always "true blue." To his sons and daughters, and to his adopted son, who was as much to him as his own children, he was ever ready to lend the kindly hand and to assist them in all their needs. As a justice of peace, an office which he held steadily from 1910 until his death, he was regarded as an impartial judge, always strictly fair.

Mrs. Powell passed away June 11, 1912, and since that time her husband with his son, Thomas Edward, a rural mail carrier, and his adopted son, Royal Brown Powell, have made their home in a pleasant residence on Grove street. Of their eleven children, only Thomas Edward, Margaret Sarah, now Mrs. Andrew Pederson of Spencer, and Charlotte Louise, the wife of Albert O. Anderson of Peterson survive.

Source: Spencer News-Herald, Spencer, Clay County, Iowa; April 26, 1916.

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OLD SOLDIER MUSTERED OUT

T. P. Powell Died Monday At His Home In Spencer

Our readers will remember that on April 5, T.P. Powell suffered injuries from an accident while driving the mail route for his son, Thomas. The accident occurred by the county farm and Mr. Powell was brought to his home on south Grove street, where it was found that he was suffering from a stroke of paralysis from which he never rallied and died Monday afternoon at two o'clock.
Theophilus Parry Powell was born near Scranton, Pa., May 26, 1847. His parents were born in Wales and raised in that country, coming to America in 1846. When but a young lad his folks moved to Iowa county, Wisconsin, where Mr. Powell was reared to manhood and obtained his early education. Mr. Powell followed farming for an occupation until October, 1864, when he enlisted as a member of Co. K. 50th Wisconsin infantry and served until June 1866, holding the rank of corporal.

After leaving the service Mr. Powell returned to Wisconsin where he continued farming until the spring of 1881, when he removed to Richardson county, Nebraska, in the southeastern part of that state, but not liking the country the following November he came to Clay county and bought a farm in Douglas township, where he resided for many years. In the year 1892 Mr. Powell was elected county recorder and served for a term of eight years, being succeeded by W. L. McCown. He moved to Spencer and has since resided in this city.

On October 19, 1869, Mr. Powell was united in marriage to Miss Emma S. Edwards. They were the parents of eleven children, but eight of the number died in childhood. Those living are Thomas Edward, a mail carrier in Spencer, Mrs. Margaret Pedersen of this city and Mrs. Albert O. Anderson of Peterson and an adopted son, Royal Brown Powell. Mrs. Powell died in this city on June
11, 1912.

Mr. Powell was a devoted member of the Baptist church in this city, and took great interest in the activities of the church and Sunday school. While living in Douglas township he held a number of township offices, and when he died was justice of the peace in this city. In all his career as an
officer and private citizen he was upright in all dealings and universally liked and respected.
No man in this community was more respected than was Mr. Powell. Noted for his honesty and fairness in all dealings, and in his public life as being an honest and trustworthy public servant of the people.

It was only a few weeks ago that the Sunday schools of the Baptist Methodist, Christian and Congregational Sunday schools gave a banquet at the Baptist church, and Mr. Powell gave a short address, telling of his early training received in Sunday schools, and the good that came from
being a member of a Sunday school. He never grew old, only in years. His heart was young, and he was a broad minded and public spirited citizen.
As a member of the Grand Army of the Republic he took great interest in the work of this order, and was a regular attendant at the meetings.

The funeral for this good man will be held this afternoon at the Baptist church at two o'clock. There will be a short service at the house at 1:30 o'clock. The services will be conducted by the pastor of the church, Rev. Williams, and the members of the Grand Army will attend in a body,
members of the post acting as pall bearers. The body will be laid to rest in Riverside cemetery.

Source: Spencer Reporter, Spencer, Clay County, Iowa; April 26, 1916.

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LARGE CROWD AT FUNERAL

A large crowd attended the funeral services of T.P. Powell, who passed away on Monday of last week as a result of injuries received during a runaway three weeks ago. The services were held at the Baptist church last Wednesday afternoon at 2:30 and were conducted by Rev. J.C. Williams, pastor of the church, assisted by Annett Post, G.A.R., of which organization Mr. Powell was a member. Interment was at Riverside cemetery.
Between twenty-five and thirty old friends and neighbors from near Linn Grove attended the services as well as others over the county. The capacity of the church was taxed to its uttermost in handling those who had come to pay their last acts of respect to the deceased. Among the out-of-town visitors were W.J. Powell of Mineral Point, Wisconsin, a cousin of the deceased, and Mrs. Floyd Goodrich of Humboldt, Iowa, a niece.

The following tribute to Mr. Powell was received by The News-Herald last Thursday:

Editor News-Herald;
Spencer, Iowa.
Dear Sir:
I wish to express my appreciation of your obituary notice of Mr. T.P. Powell's death, and to add my tribute of love and recognition of Mr. Powell's high qualities. His home was my home when the needs of the work brought me to Spencer for brief periods and no man ever proved his true brotherliness more. We Baptist people here at Webb were looking forward to his being with us at our Association gathering in June. Your paper was the first in my home this morning to announce our brother's passing and I feel very keenly the personal loss. But our loss is his gain. He has gone to be with his Lord.
William R. Barbour,
Pastor Baptist Church,
April 26, 1916.

Source: Spencer News-Herald, Spencer, Clay County, Iowa; May 8, 1916.

Interment in Riverside cemetery
 

Clay Obituaries maintained by Kris Meyer.
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