Kentuckiana Genealogy: Biographies: Powell, John
| By Board Administration (Admin) on Sunday, October 29, 2000 - 12:16 pm: |
John (Jackie) Johnson and John Powell, first cousins, came to
Shelby Co., Ky. from Virginia. In 1815, together with John Powell's
wife, Nancy Mason, and infant daughter, Mary, they settled in Meade Co.,
Ky.
John Powell took up about 1000 acres of land on the east side
of Doerun Creek near the Ohio River. John Johnson took up about 1000
acres on the west side of Doerun Creek and built a cloth factory run
by water power. It was one of the leading cloth factories of that day.
While Doerun is not a pretentious stream, it furnished the power to
run the Johnson Factory into a flourishing business, and later, three
grain mills were established along its banks.
Children born to Mr. and Mrs. John Johnson were--
Nancy -- married Thomas Dowell
Edward -- married Josie Coleman
Fannie -- married James Shrewsbury.
Children born to John and Nancy Powell were --
Mary -- married to Alexandria McDonald
William -- married to Ann Green
Henry -- married to Martha Thomas
Rebecca -- married to Edward Griffee
Betsy -- married to Almond Lawson
Nancy -- married to James Cameron
Robert -- married to Elva Berry
John -- married to 1st. Sarah Craig
2nd. Mrs. Sipes (widow)
Winnie -- married to 1st. Mr. Drake
2nd. Mr Griffee
Elisha -- died young, single.
Both John Johnson and John Powell established burying grounds
on their estates. In these cemeteries now one may read on the stones
erected there, the names of these early settlers who came to Meade Co.,
Ky. one hundred and twenty-two years ago (date of writing Jan, 1937).
Also names of children and children's children unto the 5th and 6th
generations. One stone in the Powell Cemetery will be read with
interest, as it is an evidence of the sturdy and vigorous constitutions
of our early ancestors. It is that of Mary Powell McDonald, born Sept.
10, 1815, died Dec. 1, 1912, age 97 years, 2 months and 21 days. Another
evidence of this robust strength is found in the life of Catherine
McDonald Jones, daughter of Alexandria and Mary Powell McDonald,
who was born Sept. 13, 1838 and died Dec. 12, 1931, age 93 years,
2 months, and 29 days. She also sleeps 'neath the sod, with husband
and children, in the Powell Cemetery, near Brandenburg.
Alexandria McDonald, son of Allen McDonald, was born in Perth,
Scotland in 1807, graduated from a University in Edinburgh, Scotland,
and came to the United States at the age of 25, 1832. He practiced
medicine and surgery with his uncle, Archibald Cambron, in New York City
for 1 year after his arrival in the U.S. After assisting in amputating a
limb one day, being tender hearted, he decided that his temperament was
unsuited for surgical work. He then came direct to Meade Co., Ky. to
accept a position offered him in the Johnson Mill, as finisher on the
fine cloth, having learned this work in a factory owned and operated by
his father in Perth, Scotland. He put in the flowers and the fine
finish to the cloth. It was here he met and married Mary Powell in 1835,
the same previously mentioned who was brought a babe in arms by her
parents from Shelby Co., Ky in 1815. (above verified by Mrs. Jones
before her death in 1931).
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Submitted by Terry McDonald-Hauk