First Generation:
Walter Power (m. Trial Shepard)
born circa 1639/40, probably Essex Co., England
was a witness in a trial in 1654 in Worcester Co, MA, and gave his age as 14
married at Malden, 11 January (or March?) 1660/61
settled in or near Concord Village (now Littleton)
ran a sawmill
died 22 February 1708, Concord
Children:
William b. 1661 m. Mary Bank, 1668 d. 16 Mar 1710
Mary b. 1663 m. Lt Joseph Wheeler 1681 d.1706
Isaac b. 1665 m. Mary Poulter Winship 1701 d.1735
Thomas b. 1667 m. 1st Elizabeth ___; 2nd Mary Harwood 1702 d. unk.
Daniel b. 1669 m. 1st Elizabeth Whitcomb; 2nd Martha Bates d. after 1730
Increase b.16 July 1671 m. Hepzibah Sawyer d. unk.
Walter Jr. b. 28 June 1674 m. Rebecca Barrett 1696 d. 1738
Jacob b. 1679 m. 1st Sarah Meriam; 2nd Edith Adams d. (will dated 1768)
Sarah b. 8 February 1683 m. Moses Barron 1702 d. 1743
Second Generation:
Isaac Powers (m. Mary Poulter Winship; widow of Samuel Winship)
born 1665
married 14 April 1701 Concord
died 1735
photos of the house he built in 1716
Captain of the military
held various town offices
Children:
Isaac Jr. b. 26 August 1701, Cambridge d. 15 December 1729
Jonathan b. 20 February 1703/4 m. Elizabeth Kidder d. unk.
Gideon b. 31 Dec 1706 m. Lydia Russell d. 1784
Lucy (Luce) b. 9 March 1705, Cambridge m. Ephraim Power (cousin; s/o Wm.) d. unk
Hannah b. 21 March 1709, Chelmsford d. unk.
Tryphena b. 22 May 1711, Chelmsford m. Jonathan Lawrence 1726/7 d. 25 August 1752
Ephraim b. unk. m. Lucy _____ d. unk.
Mary b. 1724 m. 1745 Simon Davis Jr. d. unk.
Third Generation:
Gideon Powers (m. Lydia Russell)
b. 31 December 1706 Cambridge
Was a soldier from Lexington in the French and Indian War
married 1724
died 1784
Children:
Gideon b. 28 July 1731 (Amos Powers shows 1729) m. Ruth Hosmer d. 1789
Elliott b. 12 February 1732/3 m. 1st Sarah Cragin 2nd Mary Baker or Barker d. June 1783
Jonas b. 6 Dec 1738 m. Betsey Tower d. unk.
William b. 30 December 1740 m. Elizabeth Gates d. 13 Mar 1829
Fourth Generation:
Gideon Powers (m. Ruth Hosmer, a Roger Conant descendent)
note: Gideon was a 2nd cousin twice removed to Hiram Powers, famous artist/sculptor 1805-1873. Ruth Hosmer Powers was the grand-aunt of Harriet Hosmer, another famous sculptor 1830-1908.
born 28 July 1731, Littleton, MA
married (intentions publ) 3 September 1757, Acton
served as a private, 1776, in Capt. Abijah Smith's company, Colonel Enoch Hale's Vermont militia; also signed the Association Test at Temple NH (See DAR ID # 91360)
Moved to Temple NH; several children went to Bethel, Maine
died 1789, Temple NH
Children:
Gideon b. Acton 10 September 1758 m. Mrs. Ruth (Packard) Lane d. 21 Sept 1838
Paul b. Acton 26 (or 24) June 1760, Acton m. Merriel? (Miss U.?) Heald 26 Jan 1786 Temple d. 6 Dec 1797 Jaffery NH
Silas b. Acton 2 June (or September?) 1761 m. Submit Bartlett d. unk
Sarah b. Acton 13 August 1764 d. 24 October 1766
Ruth b. Acton 1 May 1767, Acton m. Nathaniel Jewett 12 Oct 1784 d. unk.
Peter b. Acton 28 May 1769, Acton m. Louise Darling d. unk.
Lavinea b. Acton 5 May 1771, Acton m. Phineas Howard 3 June 1788 d. unk.
Jonathan b. Acton 3 August 1773 d. 10 Jan 1773/4
Abner b. 17 July 1775 prob. Temple NH m. Betsey Carlisle d. unk.
Jonathan b. 21 Aug 1777 prob. Temple NH m. Lucy Bartlett d. unk.
Lydia b. 28 September 1789 (or 4) prob. Temple NH m. Stephen Saunders d. 1849
Fifth Generation:
Jonathan Powers (m. Lucy Bartlett)
born 21 August 1777
Came to Bethel, Oxford Co., Maine (much later than his brothers)
married (date?)
settled on lot in what is now Hanover
was listed as a Captain of the militia in the East Parish of the town of Bethel, 1801. The roll of Capt Joseph Holt's company drafted from Bethel 1814 for the war with England (War of 1812) shows him as a Lieutenant.
taxed as a non-resident owner of land in Howard's Gore in 1830.
shown in 1820/1830's Oxford Co, ME census in Bethel
my first clue as to where he may have been was found in his nephew Perrigine Sessions' diary: "At this time we were often visited by members of the twelve and by many elders. The twelve held conferences at my father’s house on August 12, 1835. Brigham Young and Lyman Johnson, two of the twelve, were there and talked of the necessity of gather wit the Saints in Zion. This seemed a great sacrifice to make, but my father and I began immediately to sell our property, of which we had considerable, as we were well fixed. We finally disposed of it, and we all started for Zion. My father, my Mother, on brother, one sister, and I and my family with Uncle Jonathan Powers and his family.
We took leave of our neighbors and friends on June 5, 1837. Many tears were shed by our friends and my wife’s aged mother and father. We traveled by land and water until we arrived in Kirtland, Ohio, where we met the prophet Joseph Smith and heard him preach in the temple of God which the Saints had built at this place." From there the Morman's went on to Missouri, then up to Illinois. However, according to further readings, from the Bethel Historical Society, it seems that Jonathan Powers and family returned to Maine, apparently having decided that Mormanism wasn't for them!
wife died (in Maine where she is buried?) 1839
I believe I finally found Jonathan in the 1840 census, living with his son Jonathan Powers, Jr and family, next door to his son Orson Powers and family, in Bethel, Oxford Co, ME. which makes sense, because he had given up his land to move to OH with the Mormans, and his wife was now dead...
and he left (1845?) for WI, with his son Ambrose and family...
arrived Aug 1845; died Sept 28 1845, Portland, Dodge Co, WI, probably of malaria which was rampant in that time and place. "...the summer of 1845 and until late in the fall of 1846, a period well known and long remembered by the early settlers as the ‘sickly seasons’. There were very few settlers who escaped the effects of the poisoned malaria. Fever and ague were very prevalent, being found at nearly every home. There were no doctors near and many suffered and died for lack of proper medical care and attendance that it was impossible for them to get." See below for source.
buried Waterloo City Cemetery, Waterloo, WI
Children:
Huldah b. 9 Aug 1802 m. Moses Bartlett, Jr.; 1850 census they are in Waterloo, Jefferson Co WI; d. 6/1/1853, buried Waterloo, WI
Peter b. 23 April 1804 m. Sarah Stearns d. February 1882
Ambrose b. 7 February 1806 m. Huldah G. Frost (1st Cousin; mothers were sisters) d. Sept 1845, Portland, Dodge Co., WI
Orson b. 24 May 1808 m. Sally E. Hibbard d. 11 September 1886 (in Hanover, ME 1850 census)
Jonathan b. 20 March 1809 m. Hannah H. Andrews d. unk. (in Hanover, ME 1850 census)
Elias Bartlett b. 15 December 1811 may have married a Mary White Appleton, Oct. 4, 1836, per Vital Records of Lowell MA.; d. 13 July, 1849. Tippecanoe, IN, of cholera
Joseph Stillman b. 16 May 1816 d. unk. (Believe he is the stonecutter in Ashland, Middlesex, Co, MA, 1850 census, with wife Mary and three children)
Charles Stearns b. 14 June 1818; m. Sarah Ann Hathaway; went to WI; d. 1/30/1850, buried Waterloo WI
Moses Bartlett b. 5 March 1820 Maine m. Orpha Streeter (?) 1848 Wisc. d. Jan 1893 (?) Dunn Co. Wisc.- ten children; in 1850 census they are in Waterloo, Jefferson Co, WI; See source below; also BLM records for Jefferson Co.
Nathan Bartlett b. 12 August 1822 d. 3 September 1823
SOURCES for first five generations:
The Powers Family, compiled by Amos H. Powers, 1884
A Genealogical Record of the Power(s) Families, compiled by Franklin E. Powers (1974?)
History of the Town of Bethel, Maine, by William B. Lapham
History of Temple, NH, by Henry Ames Blood
The Powers Family, A Record of Walter Power of Concord, Massachusetts and Related Families, Compiled by Lee and Viola Amidon, et al (1937)
The Hosmer Genealogy, by George Leonard Hosmer, 1928
Census data & DAR data cited; DAR Patriot Index 1990
The largest source for the generations following has been the Dodge/Jefferson County site: http://www.dodgejeffgen.com/, as well as census data.
5 June 2002: I just found this source on the Dodge/Jefferson County site. Until now, I didn't know that Jonathan went to WI! This source does not say that Charles and Moses are the brothers of Ambrose and sons of Jonathan, but I'm sure it is them, as Moses Bartlett IS the brother-in-law of these two, as their sister Huldah married him. Also, land that belonged to Charles Powers, later fell to George Powers. And Charles Powers is even erroneously listed as the father of Roenah Powers in one source. Waterloo is in Jefferson Co, WI.
http://www.dodgejeffgen.com/archive/portland_history.html
History of Portland
The following manuscript is printed as compiled by James A. Sheridan and published in weekly installments in the Waterloo Democrat from March 13, 1908 to December 4, 1908 . Much of the text is copied as written so that the facts and incidents remain as they happened. Articles transcribed by Elaine J. Gorder, Historian and Genealogist, and reproduced on this site with her permission.
*******************************************
Of the Powers' families, I think that two brothers, Moses and Charles, came in the year 1844. Moses settled on the road between Portland and Waterloo on Section 5, Town of Waterloo , where he lived for a good many years. Charles settled on Section 33, the place later owned by William Beerbaum. He lived there several years and died. I am told that he and his brother-in-law, Moses Bartlett were the promoters and builders of the old saw mill in Portland the following year. Moses came to this country with William and settled in the Town of Waterloo .
In 1845, Captain Jonathon and his son Ambrose Powers came to Portland from the State of Maine . They came in the month of August and died in September the same year. The family of Ambrose took up land just north of the village where they lived for a good many years. The homestead fell to the oldest son George, who lived there a successful farmer until 1885 when he sold out and moved to the Village of Waterloo where he died after a few years residence. His widow later married S. M. Austin, also an early settler in the Town of Portland .
Sixth Generation:
Per handwritten document "Great Grandfather Gideon Powers":
"Orson and Ambrose, sons of Jonathan
Orson Powers, father of Aunt Vira Powers Austin
Ambrose Powers, father of Roenah Powers Stoddard"
"Aunt Vira Powers Austin" is Julia Elvira Powers, daughter of Orson Powers, who married George W. Powers, her first cousin and son of Ambrose Powers. Huldah Powers' will was witnessed by three people, one of which was a J. Elvira Powers, of Waterloo in Jefferson Co, WI. After George's death, she remarried S. Austin 12/14/1894, however she is buried as Julia Elvira Powers.
Ambrose Powers (married first cousin, Huldah G.Frost)
born 7 February 1806 Bethel Maine
married (date ?) Bethel Maine
shown in 1830 Oxford Co ME census, in Howard's Gore as "Ambros" aged 20-29 w/ one boy under 5, and one wife 20-29
taxed as a resident of Howard's Gore 1830
chosen as one of 3 surveyors of roads, Howard's Gore, 1832.
shown in the 1840 ME census, as "Ambrus", in Newry, Oxford, ME., at which point he is shown with 4 daughters and one son. which means either Betsy's birthdate is off a bit, or they lost a child.
arrived in WI in Aug 1845
died Sept 28 1845, Portland, Dodge Co., WI, probably of malaria, which was rampant at that time and in that place. Buried Waterloo City Cemetery, Waterloo WI, and his wife was later buried there too. (Huldah shown as Head of Household in Portland Twp, Dodge Co, WI 1850 census; age 46)
Children (from 1850 census data; all shown as b. in Maine):
George W. b. 5/10/1830 m. 05 Aug 1872 Dodge Co, WI d. 1/13/1889 buried Washington Cemetery, WI
Laura A. b. ca 1832, wife of Abraham Pierce (Huldah's will mentions her son Charles A. Gardner)
Roenah Hannah b. Apr 1833 m. Charles B. Stoddard d. 1906
Lucy A. b. 10/15/1837 m. John Horn (this is the daughter Arvilla L. Horn, deceased, referred to in Huldah's will, 1872; had a daughter Huldah -Huldah Horn was living with her father and stepmother in Plainview, MN in 1880, age 13; also had son Ambrose, who died as an infant 1865 and daughter Alpha, also died as an infant; both buried Washington Cemetery, WI with their mother)
Betsey b. ca 1841 m. Hiram Sweet (this is the daughter Armantha B. Sweet referred to in Hulda's will); in Sac Co, IA, 1870 census.
Elias M. b. 11/23/1843 (Civil War deserter) m. 1868, Mississipi, Juliet Bancroft of NY; farmer in Iowa at time of mother's death; in Sac Co IA 1870 census; later farmer in Louisiana
Info on Elias M. obtained from Rootsweb
Note that Waterloo is in Jefferson Co., WI; Washington Cemetery is in Dodge Co., WI
The heirs of Huldah's will (her children and grandchildren) were said to be living at the time her estate was probated in: Portland, Dodge Co. WI; Ontario, Vernon Co. WI; Sack Co. IA; Vineland NJ and Plainview MN. Her will was dated 6 Apr 1872, she died 20 Apr 1872, and will was probated 20 Aug 1873.
Seventh Generation:
Roenah Powers (m. Charles B. Stoddard; WI)
Roenah (Roena) Stoddard and C.B. Stoddard on 1892 Vernon Co, WI Pioneer List
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