St. Clair Powell

ST. CLAIR POWELL, one of the enterprising and prosperous farmers of Liberty township, residing on section 35, was born in Marion County, Indiana, January 31, 1842, a son of Lewis B. and Jane (Smith) Powell. His parents were born and reared in the State of Virginia, living there till after their marriage. They were early settlers of Marion County, Indiana, where they made a home out of the dense forest, both dying at their pioneer home. Their family consisted of four sons and four daughters, of whom our subject was the seventh child. Only two besides our subject are now living: Mrs. Frances Morein, living in Hiawatha, Kansas, and John B., the youngest of the family, living in Grundy County, Iowa.  St.Clair Powell was united in marriage in June, 1862, to Miss Savilla Shinn, in Henry County, Illinois, and to this union were born two children – Merrick, who died at the age of thirteen years and Adella. In August, 1862, Mr. Powell enlisted in Company I, One Hundred and Second Illinois Infantry, and in November, 1862, was broken down by a forced march of his regiment, going to the relief of Frankfort, Kentucky. After an attack of bilious fever he rejoined his regiment, but failing health necessitated his discharge at Gallatin, Tennessee, in March, 1863.  Mr. Powell located in Grundy County, Iowa, in 1865, buying property there with the intention of improving and making a home, but his wife’s health failing made a change necessary. He then sold the property and went to Coffey County, Kansas, where his wife died in October, 1867. Mr. Powell then returned to Grundy County, Iowa, with his two children, where he remained until coming to Clarke County, Iowa, in March, 1871.  He has brought his land from a wild state to a well-cultivated farm, and has made all the improvements on his place. Not a tree had been planted nor a furrow turned. Now his buildings are sheltered by a fine maple grove, raised from seed planted twelve years before, the trees being now fully twenty feet in height. His fine farm contains 400 acres of as good land as can be found in the township, and the products of the farm are used for feeding his stock, his attention being devoted to stock-raising. September 8, 1872, Mr. Powell married for his second wife Miss Maria J. Barnes, and to them have been born seven children – William J., Lottie M., Annie B., Charles, Frank E., Bertie and Hattie. In politics Mr. Powell is an ardent Republican.  He is a member of Unity Lodge, No. 212, A.F. & A.M. of Woodburn, and is a highly-respected citizen of Liberty Township.

SOURCE: Biographical and Historical Record of Clarke County, Iowa, Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago, Illinois, 1886 p. 333