My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in The History of Crawford County, Missouri published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1888.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

* * * *

William T. Powell, who takes rank with the successful farmers of Crawford County, is a native of Christian County, Ill., and is the seventh of the twelve children of Joseph E. and Cynthia A. (Elliott) Powell, natives, respectively, of North Carolina and Alabama, who settled in Crawford County, Mo., in 1848. William T. received a good education in the graded schools of Steelville, Mo., and subsequently followed the vocation of a teacher in the public schools for several terms. He afterward studied law, and was a practitioner of the legal profession in the courts of justice for a while. At the time of his marriage, which occurred in 1871, he was engaged as a clerk in a general store at Cuba, Mo., but soon afterward began farming, to which occupation he has since devoted the greater part of his attention. His wife was Phoebe A., daughter of John and Cyrena Taylor, early settlers of Crawford County. Of the eight children born to Mr. and Mrs. Powell, five died in early childhood. Those living are Joseph W., Lena H. and Minnie F. During the war Mr. Powell enlisted in the Union army, State Militia, serving ninety days, but participating in no hard-fought battles. He now owns 163 acres of land and a comfortable home. A Democrat, politically, he has served five years as justice of the peace, and has also filled the office of notary public. He and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, and command the respect of friends and neighbors.

* * * *

This family biography is one of 117 biographies included in The History of Crawford County, Missouri published in 1888.  For the complete description, click here: Crawford County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps

To view additional Crawford County, Missouri family biographies, click here

Use the links at the top right of this page to search or browse thousands of other family biographies.