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Robeson County, North Carolina

John William Powell

I have traced my Powell roots to Robeson County, North Carolina, where William G. Powell lived before moving to Jefferson County, Florida in the 1830s. William G. Powell, his wife, and one or two of their children died within a year of each other in the early 1850s. Their oldest son, John William Powell (my ancestor, born in 1828) moved with his brother Moses and two younger siblings to Carroll County, Mississippi after the other family members died in Florida. John William was in his early twenties at the time of the move. The three younger sibblings lived with a Daniel Powell (presumably a relative) when they arrived in Carroll County. John William lived and worked on a neighbor's farm.

Powell joined the Confederate forces at the beginning of the Civil War when Company B of the 15th Mississippi Infantry (the Winona Stars) formed in Carroll County in March 1861. He served until April 1865 when his unit was a part of the surrender of General Joseph E. Johnston at Durham Station, North Carolina, weeks after Lee’s surrender at Appomattox.

Much of his service was spent in the Pioneer Corps, working in advance of the infantry to re-build roads and bridges and various battlements.

On his return from the war, he married his first cousin Virginia Herring.

He died July 16, 1914 and was buried with Confederate honors in the Bethlehem Cemetery near Winona, Mississippi. Virginia’s Confederate widow’s pension application indicates he owned property worth $250 at the time of his death.

I would be very interested to hear from anyone who might have any information concerning this branch of the Powell family. In particular, I would like to know the origins of the Robeson County, North Carolina Powells. I assume they came from Wales (Powell is a common Welsh name), and I would guess they arrived in the United States in the middle to late 1700s. I am also interested in learning more about Daniel Powell who may have been among the first family members to arrive in Mississippi.

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Permalink Reply by Stephen R Powell on September 20, 2016 at 3:50pm

Do you have a Pleasant Miles Powell (b. 12 July 1805 / d. 18 August 1860) in your family tree? Pleasant was born in Richmond County, NC. Pleasant was the son of Col. Robert Powell and Ann Chambers

Permalink Reply by Ann Richardson Davis on February 5, 2018 at 11:38am

I will just post here snippets from my working file. Some of these went into Robeson County. I have more but haven't got them on my computer yet. I am trying to find those who are perfect ydna match to my Powells (haplogroup R-M269) The Isle of Wight Powells. Some of these family trees are a mess and contradictory. However, I think This Douglas below is supposed to a son of :

John Powell, b. 1670 Beaver Dam, VA, Isle of Wight, VA, d. 1731, Isle of Wight – married (1689 or 1695) to Deborah Hearn, b. 1670 Isle of Wight, d. same 2-18-1730

Douglas Powell – b. ca 1730 Brunswick, VA, d. 1779 (note: his probate was done July term 1789 in Duplin County, Douglas Powell, Vandue, Duplin County, son Restore bought items from estate, (Some say Sampson, but Duplin county according to descendant who states he is buried on Powell Plantation there and probate records in Duplin. He owned land in both counties), NC, Known sons of Douglas: Ydna indicates a kinship with ours.

*Nicholas Powell – b. 1765 Duplin County, NC, d. 7-20-1821 or Sept 24, 1821, Marion, Miss. Marr. Elizabeth “Betty” Martin, b. 1768, d. 1846.

* marriage records of Robeson County, NC shows another Nicholas Powell married Elizabeth Lewis on 10-19-1826.

Another Douglas Powell? - married 7-28-1820 Robeson County, NC to Susan Bradshaw, b. 1731 d. 1780 in Wayne County, NC.

Known son of Nicholas: Evan Augustus Powell, sr. b. 1810 Fairmont, Robeson Co., NC, d. 1888

Restore Powell, shown as buyer in estate records, July 1789 term, Duplin County. Died 1803?

Robeson County, North Carolina

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