Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1915
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 897
JOHN F. POWERS

It is not an easy task to describe adequately the character of a man who has led an eminently active and busy life in connection with agriculture and business and who has stamped his individuality upon the community life of Harrison county in one of the most exacting fields of human endeavor. Yet there is always a full measure of satisfaction in adverting, even in a casual way, to the career of an able and conscientious worker in any line of human endeavor. Among the truly self-made men and representatives of Harrison county, Iowa, none ranks higher than John F. POWERS, an honorable gentleman who is a conspicuous figure in the agricultural and civic life of his community. He is a man of tireless energy and indomitable courage, qualities by which he has won and held the unqualified esteem of his fellowmen.

John F. POWERS, farmer and stockman of Washington township, was born on October 6, 1869, in Johnson county, Iowa. He is a son of Richard and Nora (POWERS) POWERS, the former born in 1835, in County Waterford, Ireland. Richard POWERS was reared on a farm and when a young man, came to Iowa City, Iowa, where he worked as a railroad laborer until 1876. He then came to Harrison county, Iowa, and bought a farm of one hundred and sixty acres, in Washington township. His first improvements upon this farm were considerably more modest than improvements since made. The first house was eighteen by twenty-five feet and only one and one-half stories high. A small stable with a straw and hay loft has been replaced with a large barn. Mr. POWERS added land from time to time until he now owns three hundred and twenty acres. He retired in 1903, but is still living on the farm. Richard POWERS' wife was born in 1837, in County Waterford, Ireland, and now lives with her husband on the home place. Both are strict and devout Catholics. They have been the parents of six children, Morris J., a farmer of Cass township; Anna Hayes, who lives in Washington township; John F., the subject of this sketch; Richard, who lives in Douglas township; Mollie, who is at home with her parents; and Mrs. Nora A. Wear, who lives in Washington township.

John F. POWERS has always remained on the farm where he now lives. He attended the district schools of Washington township and the Woodbine Normal, where he was graduated with distinction. When his father retired, John F. took charge of the farm and has been very successful, both in farming and in stock breeding. He makes a specialty of Shorthorn cattle and is well known throughout the entire country for his success with this breed. He has made a similar success with Duroc-Jersey hogs and Percheron horses and has exhibited corn at different times. The photograph, shown in the prospectus issued for this volume, shows some of Mr. POWERS' corn exhibited in the 1913 Prize Corn Show. Mr. POWERS won first prize on yellow dent corn and sweepstakes. He owns two hundred and eighty acres of land in Thurston county, Nebraska, and is a shareholder and director of the Persia Savings Bank. He was elected township trustee in 1908, which office he has held ever since. Mr. POWERS is not married.

He is a Democrat, is an ardent member of the Catholic church and a member of the Knights of Columbus. In every sense, John F. POWERS is a leader in his community. He is much admired for his energy, his ability for leadership and his splendid success in everything to which he has applied himself. It is upon the careers of such men as John F. POWERS that the stability of our republican institutions must depend.

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