Obituary

Powell. At his residence on his farm near Napoleon, on the 24th day of July, 1886, of Uraemia, John Powell, aged 79 years, 7 months and 10 days. The three score years and ten allotted by the psalmist to human life have run their course, the summons has come, the pioneer has taken "his chamber in the silent halls of death," and John Powell lies asleep with his fathers.

The life of John Powell is the history of Henry county and especially of the town of Napoleon. He was bora in Oneida county, N. Y. on the 14th day of Dec, 1806; was married to Esther Magill in Erie county, Ohio, January 3, 1831, and located in Henry county in June, 1835. The same year he was elected township clerk; in 1837 Auditor of the county; and subsequently to the offices of sheriff and Justice of the peace. In 1840 he was appointed associate judge of Henry county; in 1868 he was elected county commissioner and has filled that office for several terms since that time.

During the 61 years that Judge Powell has lived in Napoleon he has seen all the ups and downs of pioneer life. When he first came here there was no canal, no rail or other roads -- nothing but trails and horse paths; all travel was on horse back or by ox teams, and that slowly and with difficulty, requiring courage, fortitude and determination possessed by few of the present generation. At that time Napoleon consisted of one house, a log cabin, owned by a Mr. Andrews, and the deceased was among the first to put up a building on the site of the present town, being compelled to use blankets for doors and windows. Indians then composed the chief population and from the forests rifle harvested the winter's provisions.

What a panorama the pioneer's vision must present! Sitting by his well finished and furnished farm house; surrounded by his family of men and women educated, respected, learned and skilled in their various pursuits of life, grand children crowded around the knee, his stories sound like fables of Eastern land; and as he tells of early hardships and deprivations, the wonderful growth and great transformation, Aladdin's lamp seems to have been his.

John Powell has lived a manly and useful life. Faithful to every trust, he ever enjoyed the full confidence and respect of his fellow man. He was true to his convictions, and his devotion to them led him into many controversies, but his sincerity always commanded respect and disarmed malice, and it may truly be said that he died without an enemy, an honest man, respected by the entire community, and "after life's fitful fever he sleeps well."

Sad mortal! Couldst thou but know
What truly it means to die,
The wings of thy soul would glow,
And the hopes of thy heart beat high;
Thou wouldst turn from the Pyrrhonist schools
And laugh their jargon to scorn,
As the babble of midnight fools
Ere the morning of Truth be born;
From heaven of heavens above
God speaketh with bateless breath -
My angel of perfect love
Is the angel men call Death!