John Powell

John Powell was one of the first settlers in Henry County having purchased land in February 1835, and locating on the land in June 1835. There was one log house, owned by Andrews, when John came to Napoleon. During that summer of 1835, several more log houses were built.

John Powell was elected township clerk in 1835; county auditor in 1837 and also served as deputy sheriff and justice of the peace; associate judge for Henry County in 1840, and served for many years as a county commissioner after his election in 1858.

Among the first families of the county were the Alexander Craig, James G. Haly, General Henry Leonard, James Magill, Hazeal Strong, John Powell, John Glass, and the Amos Andrews families, all having settled between 1835 and 1837. It is said that when they arrived from different parts of the country, they were greeted by the Gunn families who were the first settlers in this part of the county.

John Powell was born in Oneida County, New York, on December 14, 1806, the son of Benjamin and Mary Rymph Powell of New York. Benjamin was born in 1774 and died in 1824.

John Powell married Esther Magill in Erie County, Ohio, on January 9, 1831. She was the daughter of Samuel and Rhoda Cain Magill, and was born in Huron County, Ohio, on December 7, 1811. Her father, Samuel was born in 1778, died in 1858; her mother, Rhoda, was born in 1785, died in 1860.

John and Esther arrived at Napoleon in June, 1835 with their fifteen month old son, Samuel Powell, having traveled down the Maumee River in a pirogue.

John built the second house in the new settlement on Front Street, later the site of Vocke's Mill. Blankets were used for door and window coverings in the Powell house.

Esther's brother, James Magill and his wife, Elizabeth Blackman. Magill, came from Huron County in 1835.

Soon after the arrival of John Powell, the nucleus of the settlement was formed into a town. Mr. Powell was elected township clerk in 1837. He later served as sheriff of the county. He was instrumental in organizing a county agricultural association and county fair. He served several terms on the school board.

John and Esther Magill Powell have twelve children: Maria, 1832-1833; Samuel M., 1833, served in Co. B. 38th Ohio Volunteer Infantry; Rhoda, 1835-1836; Hazael, 1837, served in Co. B. 38th O.V.I. as a surgeon; Volney, 1838, served in 14th Ohio Volunteer Militia, was murdered in a South Carolina massacre in 1870; Rollin, 1841? 1841; Sabrina, 1842; George, 1844; Eugenia, 1846; William, 1850; Alice, 1853; and Lee, 1857-1861. George also served in the Civil War.

William Powell was a doctor in Napoleon in 1875 and a physician in Defiance later. Hazael Powell was a physician in Napoleon, Ohio for many years. Volney Powell was appointed by Governor R.K. Scott (governor of South Carolina, 1868-1872) as Judge at Abbeville, South Carolina. Volney died at Abbeville. Sabrina Powell married Robert Lemert. Eugenia, or Jean Powell, married R.W. Lemert, and Alice married T.C. Clewell who was a Napoleon postmaster for several terms.

John Powell died on July 24, 1886 and his wife, Esther, died on December 19, 1886.

Submitted by the Henry County Historical Society, and not by the family.