John L. Powers (1807-1892)

POWERS, FARR

Posted By: Dorothy Gosse (email)
Date: 1/17/2011 at 09:26:50

John L. Powers, whose illness we
noted in our last issue, died shortly
after the paper went to press The
cause of death was the grip. The funeral
services were held last Saturday
at the Scott Center school house being
conducted by Rev. L. Ellingwood,
and the remains were interred in the
Oelwein cemetery. The deceased was
born Nov. 9. 1807 in Bennington county
Vermont, where he lived until twenty
years of age, when he removed to
Pennsylvania, and in 1833 was married
to Melissa Ann Farr, who survives him.
From Pennsylvania he moved to Ohio,
where-he lived until 1837, when he
went to Boone county Illinois, where
he lived until the fall of 1857, when
he moved to Fayette county. Iowa,
where he has since resided. He had a
family of eleven children, eight boys
and three girls, of whom nine are still
living, six of them being present at
his funeral. He also has forty-five
grand children and fifteen great grand
children. Mr. Powers served as an active
pioneer in three different states,
and voted at every presidential election
since Jackson was elected president
for whom he cast his first vote. He
lived to be eighty-four years of age,
retaining all his faculties to the last.
He was always ready to aid in any
good cause no matter at what inconvenience
to himself. At his home the
latch string was ever out and a hearty
welcome was given to all. Though he
was commonly called Uncle John, to
thousands he has been better than a
Father.

Oelwein Register - 3 March 1892