Partial History of Powers Family
.....-.:....-.
.
,'.....~ l.la.
. .~... ....:'...:-' ~ ~,.."
A~S1i~~l,~,,!1~~~,9.*:.<O:t,. the Power8 ;~17
'.;, " , :,. . " " ""':":".::,~.~l: ,~,.".P~nr8. ',,; '.' ",' .'
, '5:<),'t:",10q >at:t&r;.the.'1&ii~:~~;1;he:,:P11gr1ms 'at P'l7mouth.roek;o4the
e'aa~rn GO&8t,~ot." __."'''~,'~,~,1;' :~8"lari!," r,ool0n7 .\mder.: the leatterab1p: o-l .Tobu
WU1~br~Pl&ft,~~c(;t~,.'~~.{f~:::'AiDer1.o8 to..f~(l~ 6 n~weOl0W.. ,',' ,
.: ' !he7l8l14e.t:,at.,~:l!1~~tt' "1i~t':i~l1e7;118JIe4~Boston, O~~8.Bq >~e.n,d they
n~ad~be .newrG,o-I0,M. "l~' Jl88Ii~..::S@7;~:,9ol~D7.A1aqngt~.;'peQlQ.eUll1.' .,
't~~".o~ODiC~':~:~~~.:t"-jfji~,,'a;'fOd.t..powers. ,'8JId .Cha1abe~'ft!D~ '
*' , ,','< :..:," '~:Aa[,ft1Re:' p6if~e~Lc)n":'tb.ir.::,i8re:'born t() ':thes.e "people m7<.srm4~, '
panntS".;Jf8Urlee.: 'Power&~'ft:i1I~::1i4'1Ph'::;:Wh1te'~": "Kaitri oe' p.ower~t.-r.ne4~;,lfanCl7
~1:irl.ri ~a: t(f...tbem~.;~~Qrn;'~T.er ,obil.a;en ...~dtb.7,;~8.d' ~tl'ieili
O~.~horge:,~. iaM.....l~~;:,}Ji.a4~~: ?Q~ja.,: ,OrtnA1ed 'w~en!'he
htC12- ear8~:014~._:1t&~,.a&jmt-BhUnt'1'''''_$l1l1Jl;CJr.a.ll . "t~8~ ,~enee~he
pjJ:iAi4:....~.8,.~i~,!iftir;-ldiI::ilt~.'~jfi.n'..aUcl.,:1;b.ti~o8tut: .':::41".b8:rP\l~_4\..
sb~'f;~b1~;;~b;1i~~:~I~8to~~1~~f~~~;J>oii.ij():litu;~_j'l=l'e4:Jt. ~.:;~;.jt1:~_.
:..ancr'j~'to:~tli8.::_re"bGril:~:5N;~~S~t.6.7'-iDa.~JT~t<c~';It8%7. POWera'iiSirle4
.' ;ur~'.;1LY;K1nne;:8iid .' ~to"the.~'-:1fer:'JJ'o~ 'ir~~Jl8iD1:~' George"~' :ana:,',Cl'ijT~noe.
. Edmtnd Powers went 1nto. .t1ie::~7 8lld ~ou8ht all thru tbe, war d,t tbe
Rebell1'on. and wnen l1e Game out:he W88 not v,ery stron& but he 11',j8d to
a gooB old age. HG' neTer got married but spent 'his. time traTel1ng' tarn
all of the s't81;88 in the Union. Ge.or8~ 11870 Powers married Philene.
Thite.the dAughter o'f Ralph mute. Ralph White had four other oh11-
dren, L3II8l1. George. Deborah.and'.9,o,rde111l. . Ge,ctrg.e .:Wh1te marrielUs8.
Jennie L1ndand thei' had" three. CJb1ldren.Hern.Jr~tCt. anti, Dollie.
L:vmsn mP.rried .ana..bSd but one-~o;n.l18B1e4 ,Hugh;. ~borab Kar,:ied. a Mr.
Leach. '81id' the:r.~ Wfff.- born.to t)1~1a., _C~~!~~.C):t&t'.~S8,.8l'1d Lena.,.... .
.' COrdCt11a m&rr1ea. JIr., A.W.Latbam e.na,'tiho7. bad "f:l.TO .h1ldr~n.Ralpb.
Lena, D&sle .Hall1o. and Rutb. '; ." '. ".' .
, iQ' 6athe~ lias born on. a:(ant' not' 'far' :t'rom1:l~1chertown Mas~.
8:ft~r finishing hts comon sohool education 'he winit to college' and ' srad~
uated with honors. JGy mother Philena Wb1.'te,wcnt. ~9 fUld.,grad~6t~dat
l4oll1':1t'Ro17oke Csllege.sn4 80an, 8~or grlldueting t~~ro.,8be DlotlDJ':;~~:tber.
GctO,.. R.Powera. end. 1 t proTed to be love sot first sight. fb81' beoame
e~&,d. 8t1d;~he7'..~r~~.e.xp~.~1j1g. soon to~ _ ~o4.: ", ,qfa~~eJ:;:: ~d',:'
.btt.~n':~~a41ng'aboutthO' ~;"oliancte8,1n the Vi'e8t:f'9~ ;young,~n;"espechl;Y
. 1J,1." :tb. e - n~w. ",.f~rtJ0%70~>JIi.. J1Ji~. and" 1\.0. ~,4" yd., ,th ; 1DJ'~mot~e?::.:, ~1;.o.:...:gtl.:.,<:to,;' Minn.
end..bu11d~ 8'liome.: for Mr. and, tbenre. .' en4:Bt8n7 her tind. ~l':~,e:r;:,
then. t,akfit b~r." toMs new home. . It' WQ8 alow ;trayelng at .th8't~1.~e. 8S
be had to. travel by atase,nver end bi ox to.. :. He 1'1n811:r ,o~e~t.p
a. little villi1ge, on: the 88st )jsnks 01 t,be II1ss1aslFPl ri.,er<t~t.:they
had. named, st~Anthoni'..wherehe:st8id for 8,' few ~8YS. .He tbe~.or08~~~
t118, :J:'1-rer to 8. trect".,~ba.t tb~Y-,~.a4' n~.d: Ji1.nn88P9U,-. . Ther~" ha.~~.,!!,~!,n
bUt, one 11"le oo.t;t8@~"bllfl't o~~that. ~1de of ~be: riyer an(l, tl1.a1:_Jiil~:~een
bui1 t"b;y' 8" Colonel,. SteTeris~ ,,~'..,:~fbe~'liuitl'Was, .ye%j',pr,tt741n:.1i~t ;il,~ij~~::'
tl.ou:'8rtd he thot 'tb-At,.he' wol1ld'11ke'to.llave. 801i1e~ of'1"t';1Rtt.t~~i.,~:t,~d
tb8~,1.t.':~~~d:, s11*bee~:p1:etntmB'~::.b.l";"~:"!:#c/~.C?~k;~1.oW ~J1d. ~:nf1,t:;b~~l G~~~A"
n.o,.t .J~a~,!~.:~ ~_. !'fAt!', ':""'., ~1.l!~i;~fJ~~~:lt;'9Y~d. .to,:" ~~ ':'8.rl1~ ,;,bp.~::.~tJ~Jll~i' :~)
ha!~f.,;be~!l:8.gooll..tbing:~q:t,jJR,,:~~~b~r,'~,~;'1 ~~:, want~~~9~V.e~:" gQt,),(k-:~t~"".'ft;m.a,
t.~~", ~h~::"l~~~ !U';~lU1d "~DA~~lli.?~~.,::U~~:~~rt; tUX'Jk, ou t,'t9,; good('I1'Q~.. :!a~ng.
-"".," ...;;;.~~t~~{l:,a... tre.1.~,-:~4~~~.m~~~;~r;.\!,~t~Jw.;ff117' be~.c~:' .tp, a. b~8Ut1'ful.~',.1alte
tbS~i:~,: fl~~~rwar4 ~~e,~L~~Iro~tp8!.l~~;~b.~z:' hEt':ifo~d ~bRt.," tb~:r~,;~4
le.:tel)".been' e.n Indian 'battJ~f;J(ttwiten' th~...;S1.()UXtmdCh1:pe~ Jnd~ ~8...,'
8lid~;~tbe":Sioux",Ma~' d2:1:veii::'tl1B:.::Cl1ipjm:::Ii1d1~fJ/awat..: ,1'hei"~:,~eft. . "
their'oanoAa on" the Bhrir~--:8nd )~l1'ather . took' two, o:t.tbem.and" et~er .Jlld-
ing.Ptlo. o~'tb~m he :f;~9k,'th~. oth~r,..and.l?8~~1~d,..~F.'~,I1!,~..-;l.l!..~Pp~);::.1~~..
!V~er~~tL Q~ed~'p'Ve;;,~,$~~...'~:.~~~c:XF:~,~~!~,'\ !~~" ~:~~!bJ~4.1an~ f!O~:t,~'~,r.e~t
ana:t!tet :;:w1,t~''the' ~7: n'?~Qes::~~:;t~e;;;~~s:;8.l!~1:~r:r,b!;~8: ~cl" iuA~):s
kept . 'h:tm8~e' tbe- most' o:!. the" .~Bb~. ....., .A~on~,"~~m~:J;rb~n.b~, was.. ,.ne,~~7
a.1J~eep. a Ideer'camer SjDSsbin,g"':tbri.::tlitf:':llriieh&i1cl: m8de~.1i~m 'w1 de,..' sWske "again'
~ - .,. . .
-
~., .
~Sit~~~i '
" ......'... :-~"j ~. ~.~ ..
: I~~:
"
't
I.\~.f;
.,t
11
,
~.~i
;. '-~
..,
. i:~~
,
r.'~.:.
~?t:
..Ii;;
~~7.
~l'
~t
~~;:
~>
.~!~.
~,'J
~~'~~'"
.:. .i4
, ',l
.' " ~~'~~~-'
,i.1\;-:.
! ~'~i
I. ,,:,.-1,
:,:~j
I '
.'.' '"
'. "
,,- . .
.
'"',,
. ,
, " { 2 ).,\ '. ,..
!be. .,next 487 wa1k1D8' 80Ub4 west be fii18117 .8118 to traot o"l ,land tbat-
been kept 'burne4'oTer b7 the Indians 'and be thot ,t'Ra1; 1t would be. good
land and tbat1t_woul4 be e8s7.to set -1t-.,nnder CliLtifttinn. fber~ wall
- a beautttui 11.tt1e'lake just soutb o-r'1t which' W88..81'terward neme4,
lskit Haseltine'foZ' a beaut1:tu.l 7omig....1M7 .,mo -settled on its sbore.
Her'.. he~8ta1ted lout biB' el81m end. 80on, .ste:f:tedtobui14 a oabin out of
t8Jl8%oa~k'1.08e<.:tllat be. eut in 8 ,nearb7: sWailP.. !hie .W88'~ '.the.7ear'
la5.+:,!~cTe%'7,sOon-nei8bbor8 ,.began t~ come:1n ~ar b1Jl ana,_~lllt1: p1.8m1ecl
to .':go.'.toge:t)er:BJld ..belp :escbotber 1n tbe' br88k1ng o~,;tbtt lana. . !beT
800n':.:1t~11't,~te8l!l18'ofODn and a large brealdng plouah sndwitb four
.t&UJ8;:o:to:z:en .tbe7 p10wed the .1811d.plow1ng undertbe smaJ.lbrush just
. a8::-.one.',wOul.dplow grass under. . He W88, often' tro.-bled ': 191th tbe !D.di8D8
c,o~P.~~.8!14<'~Bg1.n&..,~~~::toO,d .,811d' at ',one time be:' bal, Me. ~~~'.tbe:1i l,!e
:"j:;l~g~{p~0'1en,:troJl~:h18 oyan. ,He ~e~4 :foun~-,ft~:'P8Dllllbere'<.tb.
1lld1Wj~:~?bad;:t;'tbJ:own the. 'awq. ~ . Here fIfI :father.. worn. 1:or. aearlJ:,two
iears::a'iiti;Wli~ntb.eoabln' Was 1n80oa shape 'llIla: alL was- read7~:he: Went
back .to Kesa. snd married my moth~r.Phxlena wbite. nel' Boon 8t81'ted
west and 08D1tl. to the .c:tude 1.1 tt1e home that father bad made ~or them.
, Here they 11 'Yed for Bome time and 'the7 were Terz- hapP7. but tho7
needed more room and before m7 s1ater Ora W88 born} father bad built
e. larger 1.08 cabin. Here m:z sister Ora was born in 1867. In the
year 1859 I was born on July tth. At that time we. Jlsd only tallow
oand1es . for llgbtiq our home .811d taJ.low candle l~te~ for lighting
our wq:ar~d outsid6V. . We did eJ.1 of our work ldth' oxen' and W'8 went
to. oburoh'.Witb our: 'OX team. '., In 1868 on 'JuJ.7, 20 m:r. brother b'ed
. W88 born~and 8%801;17' tbree' years later' ..,. brother,.4imuid oeme to :us.
About .tbSt.time.1I'q :f'8ther'~ bought 8 bars. te.~ 'and 11; 8ee~d good
to ge around with bOrses.' . -hther bought mother a 81~e saile antI she
used ..ride on 'horsbaok agreat 4e81. . We ~d ~amed the horB~8 Billie
and. do117 and Billie learned to 10Te my mother T9ry much and when she
wou1d want. to get on himahe wouJ.d Glomb onto a fenoe and BtJ7 oome Billi
and be oome 'to ler and turn up to the fence so that she oou1d olimb
on him. ,Later on rq mother would so~t11l88 let- me go witb her and I
would' go .' :four or' f1 Ta 1I118s b8nging on to tbe stirup;' 1,ots of' the ..
t1me I would bar417 ..'tu'bh tbe ground when. th~ horp., Tl88 running fast.
.' In'1866 8 dear little' s1 ster' oeme to us. and' tbe7 nemed. 'her KanJ.
after :fatber' 8' sister il8r7 Kinne. Jlc.ri- -w8s' neb 8 deer 11 tt1e girl
snd lovea tbe out of doors somuah. As sbe got olCler she would go
out into tbe wbeat f1e14s and go to eleep. One time we oame Te17
near outt1ngber to death wi tb the reaping maobine but we saw ber just
in time to SSTe her Uf8 Itt Feb. 1669 the triplets wer~ \1ol:'11.ell
o:tthe tbree, were bo:rs. We were ~o':rar-;:8T187 from a Dr.' and father waS
not e.b1e to get -one 1n time and" rq dear"motber bled. to deatb be~ore
tbe Dr. oould get tbere~ rhat was:'a 8sdtime in our fem117.five ,G1I811
ohildren.and three beb7 b078 en4no ~motbfJ%- to oare for them. A Jdnd
.'.Ju~1ghbo~~" Jlrsi:'Bost tbe one tlie:t., we b8a: ri8mec1 AlbU't..eritfJlrS ~pd,n
took' Clarence, and .. kept George. . My GrendlUi.lD;V' :lathers . motbe~ . was
li"Ving with U8 at. that- time' and she "coUld: help' some 'but she 'Wtu( so old
. andwe8kt~t she could-not Ilcl much. , . 'Fa'tberaucoee4ed 1nget'tina
a Mrs. Simmons: to come' and work for us' and We . got 810ng 101'. 6 time' in
tbat .wq. .. She bad a l1ttlo;'g1rl that W8s alwqst'ind1ng,.1su],:t with
'US ob11d:t:en end she kept ritnni"g. to bei'~'mot1ier:'1dth her. complaint.s.
We came to dislike her very- Dl\ich and tbo. father l'.kad lira Simmons and
I am sure Krs SiDllOns loved my 1'atber.:father saw th81; it would not do
for :b1m .to ~b~r.'.; About 81x mont.b8'~e~..J~u?tl1er' l:l death. father
went. to 'LeSUeurto'~'1'is1.t: a womanwbo'bsd-,l1 ved.in".our'>fam117 when I
was 'quite 8 fttnai-i.:.bo7....;~~t. 1188 'Krs~. ThODl.P~on~tl1cl:<,.~l1118hter .of,JosbUa
1ioor~. . Sb~ 'ba4t8'llg~t:;pur public 8oboolen4..;~~14t}:i~~.:;~11 T1~ .
with us :rather had :'Mip~d her 1n doing work that' she 'a1d not ~derstana
- . - .. .. _.~..", ',,- .~ . .
. ." . ~ - .
. r' .
.
.
.,
('.)
~
. .I.wss old enough' to know that" thq J.4arned to' lOTe es.nother Tery. un:rel1"
bu1:. :rather was' a1.W878 true :to"JI7JD.otber-~ and, sh&1msnot jeelous' at ani
.time.." After that nait tQ-~,tbe~:la:4;rt~at..was. afterward. to' beeome. rq
step' IlOtber ,,:r-ather.. .or1spG1fdet\~:,id,th: her and' before the' end of the year
be wen1;- 8g811ft(),-LeSl1.~:';:.8ridlR.8rrl"4111rs-'.;IiSrlette Kati:l'da' :!'hoarpson.
: ,,~.:.,:<:'.Mr8 !hoDtp:sOn~::wa8 th.;~a.aught'er'o:r.- )Ir'.: Joshua Moore', who cemeover
from eng1snd::',in'.;t1ter"7ear..185Zt~:aPd,8e.t.tled.on." &'"01:81.: riear..our b.ome,
"His:tam11y oonslate.d,:o~y MS',r'W! fe-,EIi.zabetb.,and-fi ve ch1l<lren.' Frank,
Jes8e.,.lqui1la',R~'i'lah;K8rT.a.n4--'Hariet,te;"-- . ltfirriett Moore'maned Mr.
Louis~ Thomp.son ana.'::,thai?8e.t.~lid'ln';'EXcelB:1or~'where li~ wOrked' a8 '8 oar-
penter~In' time::tb.e7~.b,ad:~bi1dreJi~three' boys ,and one.' girl,.. .
:Whel1: the' bOJ's,we~".qu1tll~:;yo~;..t4ep'w88' '8li'epidemie:"of' diphtheria, '
.and:.the' thre~;;'bo78,~:d1.ed ~'l:ea'Ttii-~;oii'l~~6'i~'h*lD7" gt'rrtba't;.. th.8i' :l1a4: 'i1amtt4
. 0181".8',. " . J.b~u:t. :a:'<:l'earJ1.&t~r,;JI:i::~'JiLoui8: flulJi'p8on;.w8~': tnken,w1 tb.--qUf:.~
- oonsumption' 'and be" soon..d1e4-..')\.)h-s....nompson 'then moved ~o'Jler:f~:t'h-
era. ,home and: .that 1'swbere. my .:f'ather ~ound .ber,. Wo J one.: ,an 'doubt
that she loved my fatber wben she"merr1ed' him for she had' to oomeinto
a family with a grandmother,arid seven children,besides the daughter
she then had. Clara W88 8 beauti:tn.l ohild end aJ[ gOod a88he, Was
beauti1Ul. We all' soon learned to love her very much,and thowo some-
times tried to plague her,she.neTer rsn to her. mc;>>ther to eomplain.
. 'As long I:.S she l1.ved: we lo~edher8s mueh 8S we:.41d' our 9rE brotbers
and, sisters. I, can not unde~stand 'how my mother ooul'd.,all the'
work,that she, did in caring' for our large ~am11y~but'Imlmow,.t'hRt .he
went to. (;Od. eVJ!Jq'J.,.7 for help. tmd';Bt~~n8th~and the' gr~at: ~ove: .tli8:t
ahe had for mi"~He'1ped her very muoh. 'c.When' Albert, who' was one o:f
the triplets ,ms two yea.rs old he beoame'siok with pneilmoriiif and'1l:1ed,
leaving onlJI seven children in the i'am117. We all went to oar ..die- .
triot sohoo1 taking our 1unohes with us. Our school ho~se was.' about
a mile i'rom our home and the path led thru the woods almost: allot:
the wa..y end it was 8 Tary beauti:fU1 walk, ,- We were very'poo'r at'that
time-&nd we had verl'-l1tt1e meat 'to eat,so I Used 'to eetmiares'o~-
my.to and ~om Bohoo1 to "lrateh 'rabi ts. .' One winter I', :turnished near-
ly a110:f the meat that we bad' to' eat. We . bad lovelY'ne1gh.b~rs'and
there was 8 very :fine 10t~ o~ oh11dren"in our sebool -". ",
'-Al tho my own mother snd ~ather, were, .oollege graduates ~nQ~ -one
of their ohildren had more that a high sohool educat10n.- Fathe~:WBS
too poor to send'us to oo11ege. The sohools-thruout our county
were not very far advaneed-and'many-of the.teaohers were 'no m~re than
l11gh school graduates, end eo 'intime some of'us :~re able to-get,'.:
schools to teaoh. "When ~I ~Wr,a 20';)lel}rs old "I . seem-ad Ii' aohc)ol~ to'
teaoh~ :It W8S about -ten--m11ee :from our 'home. . M7 'contract o81~ed for
.my'making a110i' the:f'1r~s,oerrying al.l o~ the :'wster :.i'or ':63 .'~ch~11ars
from.':aDeigh'Dor 'almost a ,quarter of.;-a"D41e aW8Y.8weep1ng:811":the~':B~hool
r~om ..in'~h1Clb:.'I ,bad...to move .tbe .'hea.\7' "deSD ~tb8t seated two children,.
For"tb1s t w~r)e-:.l ,was to 'rsoe1vetbe: sum ofP$30.-0q 8.:month. I :Doar4ed
wi tb a. 'iovely'fsm1l7.,wno . 11\'ed . two . and "one half'mles,away from the
sohoolbouse,: Three' of .tbe :ohildren. in that family 'went' to sa'liool',to
me : and they- we're 'a.'-great help tome. ' SeTenof the,:big bOJfs _we;e,:'old-
er:tha.nIK'w8sand Ih8d "one boy 27 ,years "01d. ~ :.thiJik ,that..the~rk
that I {'did '-tbat'winter ''Was tbe ',hardest 'that I "have -'do'Iie ,in mY~1i'e;as
some o~'tbe sohollars ware almost as far advanced 'in their Btua~~s as
I was and so --I had ,to study e-very evening. . I 'walked en ave'rage' ~1'
46 'ni11es sweek beside's ,being om illy "feet8J;l day.' . I was ,ve'rY;t'llf.n
and:worn ~out 'when the 8obool term. Was"donebut':1 went .on>su.zvey in .tbe
spri'ng 'end 'being out' of 400rs ~a1l o~ .tlie time ~ got str~ng.arid' ~8:t -.
8gUD,;" 'I afterwsrdworked- on the .farm duringtb.e summer and in the
,'~aJ.1., I' '1.1.") - . , .
4
"
.{ ,
----.
..I
i
(0) . (4)
(.AJ-went tp the JlinnesPolis AcadeBl7 ~-. -In' the spring t went ~8ok to work
. on the f81'll ~ werli. 'fhe next'. winter I taught a.bool' agsi11 8114-.111
the- following- spring' ~"went to m1nneapo'lis to:t.1nd work" ~or JD78el:r-.
- I. bad,: bought. an organ' for' the. fami17 80 that the: glrla'oould learn.
,to p1q. on.-.Iii and. we- ha4 enjoyed" 1 t. 80. much. "!wo' of: the girls l'es%'ned
to plq 1 t andl'lh1le I was at home we aiwatB used to 8ather around
the orgsn,ana' 8il1g after our JBeal 'until: we bad. to go to'> werk. ' So. '
. wh1tb. what- 1. b8d let Jq, father h~Te of JD7,'l1onq: I had' but- ~Te dollars
, to -p:lS8 . until .1 could.find work. ,One o:f ,t)loset dollars I bad ,to spend
_ . . 1n:getting. to tinneapo;Lis,' and.. upon a~"1ng -.there' I' :found a. pleae
. wl1e:1". _8: I., Gould bO.arc:1. for thr,ee:,:dOllars~.a.~~'-~'P~'d one weekS," bo~d .
.anc1;::th~:. 8tart.ed::~ut, to,.;find,:,wQTk."''' I,., ed 'to-~et lIOrk.b; a'JI8abine
..~,'snop; and. learn '~o"'.be &:mach1ni.8t:'-but:~::'W88C~o1;;'alleCIJeiJ8M;~'" As'"tlie,:'dqs
:'~~w~~1*~ b;y:' I -S81f,~that Ih&d to'" do: some:th111&,.tol get'mOney::to': pq '87: board
_ end ~o I.:tound places that, I ,801114 olean the -lards' o~ tbose who wan-
ted belp- in that way,. One da7 I ran ecrOSB a :friene' o':t my :rathel" s
and,. I t'0-14 him o:f my not being e.ble to get .tbe work' that' I wanted'to
do. He told me,tha~ he ~ew of 6 man ~bo was building houaes end
that be thot that he eould get him to take'me on as a helper. He
took me in, his buggy to thepaace' where the' man was building end there
1.o)tained a'job. '1 was to reoeive $1.50 8 day. 'I . then- bDnted"a' ,
" !>o~d1ng p1ace. I found a .good plaoe' to board and 'then walked bao~
to:, the~ place where I had been living. I bsd borrowed 8. wbeelbarrow
o~ a very wealtby lIlan' who was in the. milling bU81neil8~and I',took'that
barrow sndwhee1ed my t~k aoross the-long ~xtent1on.br1dg6' into
South East l4iJq18QPo11s, t.. miles and tben took the- barrow"home. Mr.
~.' Crooker had found out that 1 ~d gone and he was - afrMa' tb8t 1
had stolen' biB bArrOW and, when I ret1.'lrned 1 t he was pretty glad to
get)b.gain. . I went to work and enjoyed it but I :found'that the
man I. worked :for' was do1ng Tery poor' work:. One d87 a' !!r'. ' stevens
oame t9 me and had 8 talk with me.' He said th8t I would never'become
ageo_d.workman if I ats1d'w9rldng :for.'. the mail that'I waa-with,'then~
I asked him_1f he could gi Te, me work and~ be' sSid that he would' take
me- and, teaoh me as fast. ss be,' could' but. be eoul~ not" pay me' more than
one dollar 8 day. I went to. work 'for him' imd I ba...e-r 8l ways been
gl~d 'f;l}at I.~ did as' he- WsB - very partieu1ar bow I---d1cl JAY' wor~. In the
fall.I-went.out-to South-Dakota to take'up a c18im~'I'went'out on
Milwauke and St.' Paul R.R.f.the roed,that I'bad helped to'surVey and
I st()ppe~ oft-at a-11ttle town of Bristol. . I finall,- found a Tery
fine-:-J.60 aeres 8~out-f1'Ve miles from the etation,e.nd'filed upon it.
I beceme'~Qquainted'w1th a'I!18nwho was living in s sod cabin that he
had ,~made ,and he let me atay with him. The' two weeks that I 11 Ted' ·
. -,w!tll..b1mw&-had~nothing.to eat. but_boiled potatoes vdtb'.salt on:them
:,a.nd-wbite.oraclJ;ersa t - I. was :well'andbung:f.y' snd,'tne:v~81watB tasted
" gC?o~ ;to me. ~". - - That winter I-taugh't-sobool again 'and ""In the'sp'ring
,-~hen,-1 t o~e' time foJ;" me to go out -and ~aettle"on':IDj'':ei1aim, tbere 'creme
a very hard snow' storm and. thtfR.R.-W8S 1Jlocked' -:for-about a :week~ :
.A~ :-8.oon as the trsi-ns: ran I went ,-baok .to -:Brist01 and I, 'found "that.
~ · ,.th~'~ame.-~man -that I '-had -paid to ,plaoe me dm'1IJ'1' .clall1--lJad --jumped,! t .
,and,p);aced "another man Qn;1 t. .'c'- I ~:found tbatI,'crouJ.d do nij-tbing- 'n-
l?outi t ,so ,I hunted for another piece o:f ~snd. - Ihed 'a.1:r.eady lta8'd
- ~:homeBte8.d right:and 80 I had ,to find some one'wbo-would'11ke to
-,~eU.~Qut .bis right to me.. ,I found 8160' just 'south of-toVln that
-J~e);oI!Bed taman wbo was 11 ving 1n Watertown, about ..t50 miles sou.th'~"
-ea8't7;,q~-:-there~ - ,.,_1 went to Watertown, to ~ind ,b1m.andwhen I arrived
I.:';fQUll<< tbat'.he had gone 'east 'and would notbd lracrk for a week:.or more.:.
Ifq~a . 8 :place to' :-stay . and as It was Wednes. evening' I bunted-lip ~i
a~:h.urob. where 1 oou1d go to prayermeet1ng. I :found one in a Kethodis;t
oburoh waera we bRc\ It "8rv ~noc1 meflt1na. wnA'n +.,,_ a............_ __ .._~ - ,.is
--.
.
" ~ (5)
I met a YOung~hRt I liked and I told him how I was stranded there
and.I did not know what I ooulJ do 811 o.t.,the time.that I bad to..wait.
I told him tnat ,1 'had. neverloafe4 in my, 'lifo" and I .'JoUld re.t11er work
for,.nothing thap. to bang e.roun~~ )te 'told ,me to~ ~ome ,around to .tbe
stol1e wbenhe :19Oked and: it might b~ that,the. owner ,would give mo.,work.
Ynu~n I fOl1l1db1:m .ho.i said, that I -.m1ght;,go to. ?fOrk, and he sot..me. to
oleaning the'shelves . 611 d'. m~v1ng the things' on the ehe~~ea ana plaeing
them in better .ondition. _ ...1 worked attbat.. for aome time snd,tben'
b~. ahowed me his trade.nnd.pr1oe.markes and he let me open'and mark.
t~e. prices onth" goode.'~ 'ne ,.third dliY be.let me knOTl the, comb1ns'ti1on
t~ .:the money drawer and we1 'f;. on austQD1era. . ',At Boon wnen.the otb~rs
were ,s.Vf&Y for. ,their lunoh., I' wes .ie:!t,:the :on17 cme..1n-the 'store. and I
fe.l tq~ to p;qu(I', tb~.~~h~7 . tru.ste4::,me.':so..muoh. ,When the man. that I' /tis
was...waiting fo:t'-oam8 'ho~e,_..I ','f;o14::'the . owner. that I was g01ngto-leaT8
'him. ,He told D1ft. that." he wanted,to.keep me and' that. he would g1 Te 'me-. .
good we.gea if I. would stay id th Mm. I told bim that I would -not, stay
~or lQTe 'or'mon~7 as 1 bad come to Dakota to Bet lend. I paid the .
men $350.00 ,for his homestead-right and.wentback.to Bristol. I'naTe
often.wondered about what my. life wouldhsT8 been 1f.Ibad staid with
him. Watertown was a fast growing town and wi t11 my knowing how to
build and working in the store I might. have done.very \'7el1. After
getting Qack to Bristol r went ,to work ,emd built-a warm eoaysbnnty,
and 'h1~~a soma Ono .to plow 8, tract foz. me to cuI ti vate. . I had a good
e;:l:r:de~ .8nd.afine ,tract of potatoes, whioh when they should bave readT
to dig.I vmnt into the garden and begin digging fox: potatoes. l' could
not ~1nd ~~re tbsn.tbree potatoe8~', I ~ound .that t~e go~~a had'dug
them and carried them all 8way from underneath .8l1d s~ored them where
I _could nO,t .find them~ Tb~,t summer we .bad started a Sunday Bchool
in the8c~001house in Bristol and I Wp.s made Superintendaht. We had
ha~py times there tha.t summer. end I hope that there was mucbgood 'done.
I buUttwo. homes for: peop~~, that summer besid~smy 'homework, then
went back _to Minn. and tsught, school agBin. When spring oame I . was-
b~ck:i~~Bristol again and hui1ding.s'part of ' the time..' Where'l -was
building th.eyha,d. dug shal~Vi: we.llanear' some sl~w end we. had very:
poox: :,water t~ drink. !b.at..after a t1me a:ffeeted rq.- health .and ,I b.eoame
a1ok.., . I .leept up for a time then was. con:fine.d to my. bed all alone in
my ee.bin. I .think that. I )'01110: h8.:ve died .there if. a :friend of mine .
Mr. Stev~8, bad not 'heard of i.t and co'meend insiated that he 'would
taka me home with bimand C8276 ~or me until lwas well" Mr.sndMra.
Ste~en3wer3. fine paop1e and they had two 'fine~ little ohildren,and
be~pgw1 t'h:pepple. ~dbaviJig good :food. ,end ,wstermade ~e. soon:want .to
li va, .ag3in.' As. I. got stronger tbeylet" me take. care .of the ohild.ren, for
rIr3 board .end .later., haput me. tOYiP"rk .plowi~g ~or h1m. . ,That fall I,.'
prove'cl. up., on my, lsn~; a:n.~ ~of't Dako.ta ne-verwan:t-ing. to' aee 1 t a.gain.
Al tho I, was well ,enough to . teach' aga.in ~hat Wint~,r mjs,to~ob 'J?a~' be,~n
80 badly tnjure,~ that it._ DeTer has~ ,bean strong ~1nce. ' ' . - ' . ~
B.ef01!e l.oav?-.ng Kalto:ta I. had tried .to. s~ll mY ,oottage but. no one would
buy ~ t, t'Q..ey. :w.ere .suro. that, I would not ever come out. there to live
and~'). ~ WO:a~d be' ,oheaper to steal' 1 t. th~n~ to.. buy. it. , .. !rl1e't- thing p~roved
true' aa..1 twas,': t.ak.en away aoon after I left. ,The next.- summer I worked
on th.e .farm. as Dllloh. as 1.. was ahleend sf'terthe h arve'at was done I.
went' tOe Colfax Springs. In. Iowa for my heal,th. Instead, o'f helping'
me' 1 t. made me worse and 1110mB down. witli mala.rial fever. I went to
my Ul1.o1e Zinne;r's 'and 'staid there until the Dr.- aent-worR 'to my 'father
that.. I . oould no:t poaa1bly, 1i1& long. end told him if be wanted to se.e
~. alive: he'lin18t.come.a~ter me,rigbt ewai. . I Was.so.eiok that I. d~d
.not want .to live but~when,'f8ther. eame there an4 told me wbat my broth-
ers ,?iefe doing baok on the farm,! wanted to get 'baek home before x .
died'. Father took mebaek 'on a streoher end it was so good to be at
home: A&e>-4....
)~.
. ~
.
( 6)
.
~,
\:
. .
I lingered aJ.ong for some time . and ,the beat Dr~.~ol~ .JQ"..father that
. I ,could n~t .poes.1b17 '11 ve. m~re _ than a.y~ar., One lIlOrmJ:lS 71f3 d~ar ~oth-
er' aameto me . and told,lIe..'tbat~sbebad had.~ T18~o1;1..1n ,'the night,_ She
said' tb8t'.1 t:'wss Sundl17 ~~n.g.' and s~e W8~. in., ~h~ 'd1 j'\ ~ngroom', wllen.
I Game doWn stairs Wi.tb mt, new suit that 1 b~d ~ough~, be:fo:r;e 1. e8Jll
down: sio1t~8i14' told be~ ,tb8tI '\!8s, going t~ ol1~.h.8lfd:.wantedto ,b.ave
her go ,~tb biiv.. ' I:tol~ .h~r:~h8:t.<I. would.never,:put tp~t.lJ~1t'of" ,
olothes ,; on again. , ,I _ waa' ~ 'iIl"~;J.~d :f'<?r, fwo . 7e~r8 :but., ~b,,:,_ tl~e ~ did
oame ,when I did put 1t. on and camo' down ready to go to. G~ur~h.. .}loth...
threw. up "b~r-b.ab.ds, and orie'd C?tit..~hat~8 just' aS,1 saw you1n that vis-
i()n~' Not' long 8f~er tbat wq, f~ther ,d~ed., ~ehad ,been .in a runsWll7
w1t~'~O~8'.O~~8 tqat ne W8s.t~ai~n~,and. they h84,~.1nto' ~~fence, ,
and oue.,of' ~be atu4t1t had. struck bim 1n.~the 'stomaol1~ ~bst:bru1$e,
a8used'~i '.ans.r'~to .1'om~tb6re':.'wbi.ch fin8117 , took..l1ts'lt::t..~, After~ .
fa:tberi 8 .death mot1ier~w8Jitec:,. to'l18.ve me ,atai and.~ the :r~'.~o: I',
oonsented .:t'o staY'UntiJ. we' eould eelJ. tbe ple.ae. For' thrt!8 7esr8~I
worked: :tbe :r~ pey1ng'myself.$25.00a month. . Itsugbt tbe.home
senciol during.the winters 80 that l'oould.be,at hQmeand J.oolt after
the work.' motber and I 'were very dear to e~ohotber and. she did
not want to baTe me go wi tb any 10ung ,lad1o thAt lmignt fall in love
with.so I had very little to do with.the ladies., Whe ye8~ .before
we ,:80J.d 'our fe.na;motbert a niece ,Ha.rr.iet Matilda l~Qor~. the daughter
of ' her faToritebr6ther'Jesae. and mtber's name B~e,o~e to visit
us.-'YotherJ.oTed ber~erymucih's.nd so was not Jealous.tohave.me
go wi th her~,:' We were tog~tber a:-gTt'tst' deal 8.l1d' l; le8rned .to ,laTe.
her dearly;.Mo;thcr.Rarle~te;e.;d ;,. vi~ited 'the ..W~rld' ~ Fair at Obigo
that. fall and :liefore Harlet.te. went home ,to _COnn. WGl19re ,engaged to
be Jliarried."" We planned that 'she would ,go back 'home andteacb until
Christmes "and '1 would come for her a1tor the first of the year.
That fal.I. the farm was sold end :t wen1; into business wi th my .broth-
er Fred ,inJ4ilineapo11a. . In the ..sarli part o,:! January I40ther and I
went East "stopping at Wa.sbi'Jigton. and then 'on to Cheshire Conn. .
Hattiea.nd: I w~re 'married'in.the :f1.r..at Methodfa-t 'Chureh. of .:Bi~ins-
ha.m';'~' . 'Ratt"ie' .had' taught in :the~gh &,~bool' .of: .that. a.1ty,.for many
ye~8 ~d~ ,1;_bo' .people hB:.ted to 'h:ave her le.avet.he." , I had'.~ good
sc'oldiIigs~but ~t' di6. not '~rpuble ~ch. ' ; In 8,fe.'w 'd87.S. we started
boine.' coming' by boat: to' New York, tbe'n:, ~p ctbe RUda,on,to Albany ;then
to liia-gra "falJ.s. '.. .. We ,arrfvr-e~: there ju"st in. time to see t11e ,:talls in
a .moat oeautj.fu.1 snowstorm. " The great nak.es .o'f snow falling .snd'
the trees' 'alid baJiksof the r1 ver cOTered with snow end ice made it
ve.ry'he,aufi'fu1. 'As we wer~ 100Jdng at . ~he .beauti:ft11 seentbe.sun' oame
out ~lre1u'~ ~d: tlie B.igbt. wes be~venly,., S.inoe' .then ..I~ llave- 8~.en ,.thQse
falls'severeJ. times but have never seen them wben so.. 'beau..tiful... ,
" : WllenWe ,reaohed' ~nn6apo~~ s We mO,ved. in.to, ~lt~,'. .home of~ome., .
friends of: 'mne who. w.e-,:e ,8~).ii'gto. pe_ away .:fpr aom~' montbs ,and ,the7-
wer.e w1~}.inJ! ,t~, h'8.~e. u.s.~ive~1lr tb.eir ~pme. wbile..tlley 1Jer~ away.~ _.
.. .: ~~: ~f.t~r.ward ,:rente~8.l!, ~ppar.tr.n~n.t u})sttd,r:8$t 31~_sout~ Lyndale
ave, :wh~!~. .'.~ 1.1:ved a: ~~b"r ..~f mont)1a .~TJlen 1 .:hought. fl 'c(}ttage' st '
2816 G.arfi el:d Ave. where' we' ,11,:ved :for many_ ye ars and tl1at L wnawbere
111"'0f- oUrebil"dren were b'orn.' : When' we' bought that, bome' wQ bad no
ru:nlrl.nk;;~tertout'-We 'had's gpo'a well wfth a 'pump on' ourba_ck'.po~.ob..
We ha.~:'n'o~'ga1f o~'ele9'h1-ei tT.~~:: ha.d'";,to tight the bouse' wi th lamps.
We pa,d a. gO,od .1ar~' b~ on tJ'l6c b~ok part of: our lot SIld ;r Boon..bought
a hor~e; an~l.?u:ggy t.o. g~~8round wi tb. _ Befprewe .bad. ollr 'hors~.. ....., had
h8..d, bioyolftB~ t~ 'go 'around 'on.' ',Hettie was nO,t a b~ t sj;;r.ong wh~n, I. '
first: married' bar: and' she oould not .walks. ba1:r of. a' m1leL wi tliou1: be-
'1ngtiredout. "Then 'we firat'rode on our bioyoles we would only
'. " .' '. _ L ,. .- . ' . .~....." -. .. ...." -
go a sbort dist~ae and wnerev~r tbere' was an upgrade I wouldbave
'.
I
1
I
I
t
,
.
,
!
I
J
1
I
!
.
;.
,
(7) "
her walk up and I would push the wheel. By being oareftll that way
she soOn~eQa.8'8tronger and in time we Gould take long'r1des.lal-
-ways had her 'get. of:t at the b11ls'8Jid I 'pushed the wheel up the bill.
.' . ~ ,'Wa were "nq'nappytogether, end in . oUr ohuroh . work. but there
was one thing that 'we . longed:, for that God )iad not' Selen . f1 t to "give us.
We both 'wanted 8 obi1d and 'we "began to ..thinJt' that Go'd was not going'
to give us one. -!'he 'Dr; told us:-tbat my wits.was not stronge1;iough
to bear 8 eh1~d.' One d8Y I was. ta1king'''to an old friend in: the atore
and, he asked me why we' clid not b.8T8 'a baby. ,~I ,told him' 'how: Dr.1cn 'we wan
. ted' to haTe oDe 'but tbat the Brnad ~old'me that mw'w1!e could not bave
one~.. He told me t11at bis'wife'-lisd been.that wtiT'wnen thej were mar-
ried and tbat 8n'ol~'Indi8n 8quaw-bad g1Ten'~a're~fpe'to~e a
medicine tbat would strengthen her ~d': 1 tbad worked out . just as' sbe-
l18.d.:to1.d b1Ja.'. "He. g8Yeme:'1ba.t "recifpe:-'and-=I mans.',it and ltattie took
. 1t":811d it. str~natllt'n6d:~be~''tar;V':mtich''''\' Be:rore' 'lolig.,-GodgsTe':us .8' dear
little be.b1' b01'.8114 'wS 'wr.r:Ter7'happt~end'We~'named"hfm'1'SheldoD1loore
?owe~.' III a little.'over twOyesrs God gate \l8' anotber son arid wQ
named him Dwigbt William Powers. . AD out two years late? God gave us
our third' son and we named him KennethC81vert ?ower6. ' .
, 'As the ohildren 'grew"older we felt that we need a place where
we . could take our oh1ldren a.wRy from the ci ty and when we had dr1 van
out to Exoelsior we would drivethru a' groTe that I hid knovm anout .
sinoe I "was a'-boy ;and I .Dad'always 'wisbed ths.tsometf~e I .-miSht" orm
it. I 'afterward bought the place and'in the spring'we 'moyed out:end
lived' in '8'larga tent ~or"tents dUring that suImier.iThenext winter
I bought a"oo.ttag8 on fie lakeshoie'and'liad it,'moved oritoour ~l~e:
property..... :There we~liYed 'summers ss'long as 'the dear mother'lived,
and we were a"1.1 very hSPPY'in 1t... As .the b07B grew 'older'l faIt that
we o~ght to haTe~some land that.we could oultivate and I bought a
tract ~h~re 'we put 'out "an orchard and nada lRrgegarden. Here th.
bo'ys' helped me to -raise -t~e frni ts. a.nd veget!l,blea, fI.nd "the bOlS wouild
take them snd'sellthem to the oottsgers along the shore~' 'One,'half
o~ the p~oaeeds ~B to 'go to.the 'mother'Rnd the other half was to bo'
d1 vided be't'1geen 'the lloys~ . the boys were expe'eted to keep at .work
d~1ng'''the "JDO~~rigs, !m.d"in "the. afternoons theY-could use ':tlieir ll.oa.t
or :~ario~ on the lake.They ..vera all 'exeelent. s'w1"mmers 'encl. tbeir moth-
er 'didn~'t .bave ,to vrom sbou.t. them. '.' Latar toe:?," bad their B\\d,ngs, '
tennis -'oolirttand:ffrialli their...golf'grounds....toplriy in. -" Altbo we
lived" on the b'ee.ut1:f'q.l lake sliore of !UnriEitorika. the ohildren always
wanted to go 'o'amping'dliring "a pert of the sumin~r, and BO wo would toke
our'tents and to "BOme '-of tnenor.t'her'n '1~e8 'of Minn.' and spend a time
oroup'i'ng' ai1dfialiirig~ :': 'Later3h~ld_on:and Dwight would make 'eTuises '
by .'themse1 ves .taking .t'b.e'ir '8an'-oe'.wi th .tnem~ .' _ ~. _ . .
'. ::About -fiTe ye'a:r'siifier our .tbfrd8on "W88 'born we 'w~re' made' very .
. happy 'by:'.God's 8eri~lng.u~..8:~ear ~t~l~ ,b8byg1~f.. ,'ll~;~ed 1J.~r .',
Alice' El:1Ji8~e't~e.UI:9' . .Poj7er8....~.~ ~ 'A~""one . time ''When :.Alice'),ss ;e' s,mall1
gi'rl ~:ber'motlier Was. ttaken very"sic-k'and "sbe di'd '!iiot think'tha.t she'
woula-.];1,ve:t~"ge~. 'we~i';8h~' "~e,s~le~.~eto .'ber~d :to~~ me .~'that ,~)ie wen-
ted'~u''Promiseto marry 8. 'desr 'friend ,Miss Ang~~etteStoI1e-.. ao:.th&~:'
th~ ohfidren..wQuld b.~ve 8 'good 'mother. :110 Dr1ngthe~up.e,fter Sh~'was
gone'. . I laughed 'at' ber r!mtr ~8aid.that alie' was goi'ngto bring' the
children 'up nerself.' ~he.'wouid not 'be'put off and I finally prom-
ised tq do what'sbe'w~.nted t9' ~ if Mis8stone Would 'agree to 'ft.
Rattie got weIland lived to S€le Alice nearly thru 'ffigh School,fU1d
:thOS9 years were 'very 'happy ones . ' Alice "learned .to wwi~ ,when .she
. was "two ye1U"s:ol.d and ....she '.tookto the water t:nd 'was as. ~ch' a.t home
in ft' 8a 8 muahat. ,'tlie 'bOY-8 .thot tliFtt she ought to ,do every stunt
that thoy could' do "and''-8lie'' could dcinssrlj allo:! ~bem~ This exeroise
n~d tbe life out of doors msde. ,her atr'Orig":and" '~ell.e.rid.8he weB a fa-
I . . w _;' .
-, " .
.
.
"
,
,t,
;..
k
~
.'
'f
~
~..'.1 .
k~
t'"
~,
~,.'
;;-.'
'#' I
tt'
~~ j
~; .-
t.1;.
It,-
I"
~!
I.....
U
.
.
C 8)
vor1 te ~ ~~h :~~i:'- t~e " ~~~g."psopie around .and :in' s~bool.'~ Wheb,She was.
ftfte-enyesrs.-old.1n the ;'spring Qf thtl7ear her.m~tber~I~88, qui to poor-
1Y1sn4 the ,Ar.. ...told: me t'ha"tlle'.:t11.ot..that if,W8 ~ould.~take hElr up into.
;the.:norlbern .part .of ither-ste.te~ and o~p'.out i tW9uld.~make ~her get .
stronger4 .:We wai tedunt11: July and. we started 'out tor.have n.- :few
weeks. camping and fisbing. . '. .'we set JUp:-our (lamp '.on the, ahore. o:f~ a beau-
t1 h1 18.ke and '. :fQr' ~ ::few. days. we . ~ho1i ". that tho mother. was improving.'
Alice and.~ b~d'been ou-; g~the;,ing.:.frogs to" fish. nith and:'W8,hadtbel!l
in the ten~.with,.a':,Gloth. tied:'o!er,ths"pail to :keep.'them 1n.--, 'W-ehad
_].e:ft~ tho tent p'ut .&;sJlort disteno.l!when -we beard. a 80ream~ .We rusha.:i ~/J.
be:ck to. tlie.~tant. and ,wo found the mother .onthe floor where .she..had"
faip':~ed a~.;: ~;,5:ha,'.~d' been': lying gnthe .bed. and she Btw.the ,frogs ..
preakingtheir way. Ol1:~ of - tb.e pa11.~and . she. -had jumped up. to'stop,-them
an~~, tlle " ;fr1g)1.~ ~J;':' t~~, ql1i,ak mQvelJlent,.ha4-ca1i188d':.~r .t~ouble. .'. ,. ::. .We ;'
Wer~p,ao}tetd,,~t::~o~1ng.;.o~tti t t1-ght::~wQ' ,.and .b;l1ot ,the'Jj1otl1er.-'b.ome; ._" :-
'W~,t1i;.)J.~.t~t~~ .Qou~d 40 fo;::, 8he'~did not gat..,better"and.we wore.;.".
told qfa p~ivate,hospita1 whera.theY.Qaving great sUoco8a~1n M1nneapo1i
The o?ner Dr. )lidell. O8Ille .to aee Hattio and,.he to1d ,us ,tl1nt he 'was
sure .that he oould help her. .,A1ioo and I took 'her to 'the hoapi'tal
and.laarriod her thru the1ard.and up a long flight of stairs to hor
room~then we went ba.ok.to the lake.home and paoked'our'things and coved
into-our city home 80 as to bo near the mother. Fq~'8ix weeks I.
workodat home, during ~he daY and spent the.nights'wi'tb' her ,until .'
ahe .died.. . I \'?8B aqwo.:rn. out and di'Boouraged ,wben:sha died: that I :..
didnotwant.to live.but I ,saw that forth~ ob1ldren,l~onght not to
feei,a():~ ',,: '" We bun'8d the mot1'ser, in the.ObsIlhaeuen ':o8JDetery not :far '.
f~~m 'the ~place wh~r~,r' Wss.bo:r.n.and' where 'my ,:father 8..'"'lcl1!1other we:oe.
1aid-,away.:::: , ,i, The ne~ ,ap$g A1ioe iiniehed.her....oourde in .West
High School and. we .plannadto ,oarry out the mother's,wilhea that'abe:
migb.~ ."go .~o :Pomona .qollege in.. Calif'.. . I sent her there in the fall
and. aS800n as my work was -finished at the lake. home ,I."went to, Galif.
tob~ n~ar htir-end to live.~Witb.tByBon J).W~a're and family.That. ,
winter-.I met ~B. F8.noh8r.~be lady who had M1,es--stcme years-.bofore. :'
S~a. .,hu<! :married Yr.: ,Fanobetr ~4 ..h~ had 11 ve(i: ;~on1y two '70a.r.8 ,dter :.tbe
man;iage.. " :.She h8~_ la1fet: co~e- ,~o Long ~~f'..oh.:G~l~:e1;~ 11 ve ~.;- ~n,old..
frl endsh1p .was' t~~naw~id: e.n4'M.6~ore . go1ng,baokto-. ..rrry lake-home.- jn.:.M1nn.
I lind asked her to marry ~.... She. would ,not -promse ,todo-~~t -saiK:
that .Bh~ was going beok '-to -Vigft in .Minn. that-" summer anti: she -woulti.
think about.i t. A110e arone back ,tol!1nn.. 'du.ring ,-tbe .vacation'--,and
that 'enuiimer -we 'saw Mrs'Pa.noher.q1.ite often,and.the ohildren "Ofl.P10 ..to
kno.w her and liked . ber. : In the.fall she, -prommsed ...to 'mal'n: me ,and:, ,
after -Alioe had gone. baok to sohool .weI.,.\7e.remarrted....--Thus ",the "tdshe's .
of. A1.ioe.',s.. mO,t'h:ar ~ere oarifed out. and'she, had.a' gciod ,mo,t'her :~tO"'guide
and" 1161p :he'r _~irithe yoxrs'ahe ne-ede.d a ,motherso.much. : .'r have D.ever
been ',somth~t' ,I. sent Alioe to'oo~lege at Pomon~~Qj4be .,made: ::8~{;ma~
n"i dE'-8r..j'r1~nde .:whicb . will. b,e a. joy :t,o ne.r all .of ne,%' life', and. e8pe'Q~
~al} b,~.O~86:8he, there met ,8. young man.-fbomas ,.Bo-s!s.wnow&s'. 'a.:profos-
or ':.i,n ~~ ~ri,the 8.~1~eg~. . T~e~. :t:~1l.:,in love W1t~es.ohe.~~~~and ~e:re
ma~rle_.d. .- It proved to .be a varynsppy ~lon and Jnow..tbey' bl!!&- tliree
fine ,olrl:~d~en of 'wbioh we are .all very proud.Robert.~l':rWid Maloom.
_'; ,Aft~r- .-our; ooming to Calif. toli ve'Kenneth Powera marrfed ,e. :very
dear':'Bi~1.Lli:fa8 'Johnson;, :Tliey have bad no ohi]'dren~o!~the1r "oWn but
bave. -adopte,i('a. TSr,J' 'dear b'sby 'that they have nmned .Lol-A-~ ' She :J.s~, __
dearoabY.girl and we all love her. Dv,d.ght .B.nd:nfi...;;.~t vdfe 1rlatlhii..
. had,-.&_,d.e.fiX' Ii tt~6 rlrlj}iii't' wealJ. 'loveveT'J'_riC1if~i__lit" a:ft-~:rNard~. .~:-:;:...~
m8.r~ie:a 'Y~~s.8'-KJ~ioe :.B~gga:~i~~ij;"~e~r-gi'rl',:nnd'~~js'~ ~:V.~A t~em.'two, .
fine boy~.Trent .and Drake PoWers.:., .' . .... ..,~'" ~ .',
-- Th~ thi~tee~ye'p";s that'1 'have 11 ved with my present 'wife' have
~ery hapP7 ones. T
, I
...----~---- -~ _._....._-..~.:..-_-- ---
.
.
(9)
The ob11dren all lo'V" thetr mother very much and. 8be could not 10v8
tbem~8D4 d~.moX'&' ~Qr them if she'was their own1iaotber. . ~e.ha.ve' all
o:t 113 h~d BO ~ happy times togeth~r and I thank God.. f]very a~;1 :for
the .1Dan7. bleee,ings :'th&t have come,1nt? Iq l1:re~ ': '.
. . . ,.'... ., '.
How I.h81id WMte"~owers..muf'born in Ch~.i1h8B8en~UarTer,'Cottnt;r,
. Minn.' . I D8 "the"oidest 801i o:f Goo'. )(~.Pow8r8' and:' Philana- Wl'.1~te.'
I was born- 'On '"1uJ.7 8~1859.. '~On ,J'an~1l:.1894' I marriedlties' ffis..rrittt-t
J1a't11da 'Koore~ the d-anghter ot' Jesse Koors.ot Cheshire Conn.~, who wae
born in B1rm1nghsm COM.' on.' ~'t~. 23. 1861..... We, were merr1e:d in the
Firat iletbodi8tCh~4hof131~ngh8Dl Conn."Just aoross' :tbe r1"fe~ 1'r'om
. Cbes'hire.' J.fte% we ,'Rare' wanied v...'. 'a1;ald:'vdth"'}isr' .Cfatber ~or~a :row
daystben. ir_:' to'il1Deapo111r">~'Ximi.i'..: '-:"e.;~~~a"l'~1Te(li:iif the'. :ltome~ o~
ODe' ot JflI' fl:1eada '.who'~~re:,','nay:':t'Ju)mhOme-"~ojf'&"'~ew ~weeks~ tbenlio"Ved
into an spartmBnt 8i:~1 S6Ut L1nd81e.~1nn&8~dlia. Thare we livod a
number of months when we b9ught a.home ~t Z816 G~eld Ava. Minneap-
olis. Tharct we' lived and '\mre very happy with our many :f'rienda.FJ1d
tbere 811 o~ our ~hildrari '>>era born. OUr first chi1d,Sheldon Moore
Powers, 'fias born o~June 17. 1897. Eft wsa a very pretty habY.8lirong
and ath1eUc.and 8s'tirno went on hA became quite noted thruout the
etate of Winn. 8S an a11arOltnn athlete. He graduated at ~e8t High
sohool,then wont to tho Univars1ty of Minn, taking a Mining OOUGO,
After two 7earB in that sehoo1 he went to the School ot mines in
northe'r.n Mob.. where be graduated as a HiDing engineer. 500n after
be ~ini8hftd Ms 6duoation He'marriad n lovely girl,Karien Reed,s girl
that be had loved and BQn~ with since he started ti school at the
1'estH1ghSobool .' .
On Jnl7 12, 1899 God gave U~ another 80ntDwiBh~ ~il1i~ Po~era.
He was a. VAry lnrge ho.hy .,~aighing 13~ :pounds. He nOVtlr W8S 80 81>17
and athletio as his broth~r Sh~ldon but he was strong ~~d robust.
Al tbo 8.8 time want on Dwight \ftiB stronger than Ms' brother 'Saeldon.
still Sheldon oot1ld alwayaooma out ahead in a tusa1Et'. He went to
tbe West High School and grad~ated'at tho same.time 'that. Sheldon did.
." rbe next ;rear he started to 3ohoo1 at the Un1 varsi ty 'of1finn.
tiling up tbe~'-studY' o:f sgT1cnltllr~'~. After #me and a half years work
therd hG. wanted .to go into the arroe~ ns A. marine. ' Both his mother
and I'did nO~:'"Rant 1;0 have h1m gQ as he wes only 17 years old, but be
insisted end we let him 80. When he came out of the ermey we wanted to
have go bao~ and ~1nisb his achoo1 work but he want~ to go into bus-
iness. He started in 8S a 8s1eamnn and has kept'at that busineso
eversincre. . He beabeen married twice;he-v1ng ona daughter,Key Pow-
ersby hin first wit'e. He 8fterward married .Uice Bftggs end God baa
g1 veD them two sona, Trent andI>re.ke. .
On Apr. 28.1901' God ,gave ~':our third son,and we named him p/Jj.-
,.~-;ft Kennoth Cal v.r~'lowors~. ,He:' was' not 8~ forwareJ, as. hi s brothers
ball -been but ha bEld, 3: love17:die!iosit1on 'and overy one 'loyed M!l.
Al1:1;bru bis school -WOrk i1e~mis'b8ndic6Ppe4 b7 poor'eyesight end ~e
did 'not know 1 t unt1n be entered,fiest. Hian School. end then ,hie tesoh-
eratound i 1; out and told: ';18 ~:~eobte.in6d g188S0"S that helped him
veri muoh, but his oyes have 8lweys troubled' 'him." ,., ',He ir6duated from
1;6St 'hiGh aono01 t'hen took }t1ning r-l1g1neering a't=tb&''UlJiTersi 't7 of
Minn. end finiShed hi schooling in the sdbool of ~1neB in Northern
Mich. Ha a:f'terward married 8. deer girl.tI1les Jobnson o'f fltoel-
81or,~. They. did not have snychildren of t~~1r Own,BO theyadopt-
ed 8 dear ,baby: girl when ahe was 'fi ve(8)'s' old.. ":;':::Bhe ~s ~ dear baby
and we 811 'love ber. On may Slat 1906(;04 gave ellS&. aear baby girl'
and'wei1tU1ie~.her A1.1ce Elizabeth Powers. Sh~'l1keberbroth&:r:& wss
stron8;~~}:heal'thi' and 88 aha grew o).der sha dfd not. want to have .
. ~ ... .,." .-' .: .:. . .....~. ...;.... :-.-' '.' .....;- :... ~ - ~ . - .
" ~ '-j
I
!
~
4
'{
".
.
.
'.
., ".
~ ~..,
...... ..
, r:'/f~';-_ :.''7,1 iC1.~::'i~:;;?~f~;;~'>t.,;<;:,,'g CIOl,(, '. 'I ., ,'. ,",. ::.; ,"~.._'.':' ';;';~;':',. '
, he~~)ro:t~~",ftO~.':JlnytMuc tb~.t,3h&, could n~t ;.~o., d1p-e, .~~~.~e~~~;b:ro~~,er
" , ':Sbel~$?jti;~'S;;'"i;y-~~.t.b'l~t1 (J 811d '. t1'1e. work" end: plaT, that,; ;~'h~','i~'~~,1_n ':tb.,~ ", .
'open::fl1r Mde.b,T ilrtl'Ol1g tmd.b~sl tltY.. Eaf'n:r:'- p-"r, ,~t;~!.r:.~(tcl~:"-~l~ ,', ,
8btt.l7R8: sti.l1:,=;go1ngto,'Weet High Soneel. sbe hnd p1.a1me:4,w1t'h "b&r'moth-
:,o:r::L~~o."'$Of,ftQJ!tJYhlst;:ngb:$eb.ool,. e.ft~r gr~du~~1n~ t~ ~pa~jr;:,<;o.11e~~"1:n '
: "'C1a::.mrmntt:asa'f:~!';:.1'~fQ:;'J;bp1;i,Col1~g.e~ :she: att,rw~~: ~yrelJ$~':in4.ft~fti'~ti!:-:' '
tJt6.~l'.:th6t.'.."s}le .J1ej;-;~ ~:f'.41.: TMma~:Be68$i~bP. {W88t~~~9~"'#;M;i,rO~, "
:te88()~8; ~:t,~be" col1eg s'f: :tJ1.e.~: 'ttrn~..~,. 1J.'be.~~ '~(m. J'8~:.p,~~n.t~~';.:Yt!.J.:1..:~'h.apP7.o
one~~ -Goa, beA 'bleeaea tj'\.lm1.:~Y B1,~;lg .t~1I- t~~~ ~ne,.l1~.a.1-J:h1f, .eb,1).dren.
R'~~r:t.Al1c1,.a.~(hH81o,OlI1:1Je!Ba.: .,. !,,: .'..,. . '. :ti- t',,:: j~'~i(}~:~,,_ .:,':-.: ",
~_!; :~ht'1r"n~eJlent;',II()1i11~~ and I. lov~ ',e.1;L:,~f lo~~1Ulftr.(t:p;~~d..~:t}1.1..~, ,.' " .
~:, SX'~~t~~~~~~h,!.t~t '/~b_e~ mn7 be. '~one.~~ npr.1g~~:',~aU!t@i~.i:~~.,~~J1e.:t:::/~:
our:!Br~~oJl:.1,;~~:~ "l1tt.J>rot.",up t~~_~~.~ ~,~:lO~1,O~;:~r~~~l~.~!.;-~~!;
,- , - ,,; ';;: :'~/'tl :f'.,'.i' .';': ....-.. " . ; .:" ''';'',' - -~'.' , .-:.~ ;;.r-i ;":-:;~;Y;~~:~?:t~/i~~~t"''':-.:~:::~;i.~.:~~l1!fr'
. . , ~ ,,'.,--
- .,.,.
.
. .
~"~..
,.
Wr1 +.ten this April ~O, 1939.,
Fr~nk ;V. Powers.. . ...
~~'JJV: ~~,
~'
. ..
, ~ .
1 . ~
. .,
;;(
. ,
. . , . ~.'
:';-~'.' i~~, ~if~,;q;~7/.,,~~.'~.'
-ri ,', ~ -. " .. "" ;'~!""7, ,_4,., ~ ~...:
~ ifc' . ~(~ I?'S-( ~ .,.",:+'.. ':..:'
i~ A.:.fr ~ ' \ :,' . .--: :.~'" '
, -. ;,.;,,:tJ.~ / ~~ (r;:J." .', ~,.~~
. ~~" , . ~ '-<~. ~.F:/cP3J..' u -.;'" ,"j',
, ~ ,t.Cf J~a ' '. ,.,-. ,"
.. ..... .' . ":IJJJ~~';C'~'i t;',' - .' "4 i~~~7;;:: ., "".fPi~';?i-iJ;"
~r~" '~, ~.'f (tf".i?-~r~itjE!t'~. -rem
. ~ ~"" -4d,t3 .jO'G/ .' ~ 'J.~:h-~ .... .
~, 13 ~ If ,~ 6 1tP6?, "-:7':.;'~::" '.
..' ....
r ..'
--.. . .-. ... .
. ~
~ .. . . ...1 _ . . .
.
~. . -. :
'~"t: .'. .(.!
"
" ., i
t . . _ ~
..., .
~ .....
,.
, "
. .,; f
. ;.i"
;-! ~': t.'..~
, !
i
i' . .
I ..' ,
'. ; .
.....:T.: -.
,..t ......~..,.
. :~.i i~'(,i.? :
-;
~'. ~~ ......
, .
.~i.
:;..