**************************************************************************** File contributed to the Fulton County ILGenWeb Project Copyright 2008, all rights reserved. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format without the written consent of the author at http://fulton.ilgenweb.net. **************************************************************************** Source: The Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of Fulton County Munsell Publishing Co., Chicago, 1908 **************************************************************************** The Biography of John R. POWELL [Surnames: ADKINSON, AULTIZER, ENGLE, LITCHFIELD, OGLETT, POWELL, TARRY, TURNER, WADDELL, WAGGONER, WALTON] JOHN R. POWELL [The following is an abstract taken from the biography] John R. Powell arrived in Fulton County, IL in 1839. He was a soldier in the Civil War. He was of Scots-Irish ancestry. He was born March 5, 1833 in Adams Co. OH His parents were Thomas and Margaret (Engle) Powell. He came to Menard Co. IL with parents in 1835. They settled on a farm north of Astoria in Astoria Twp. His father Thomas died in 1840. His mother remarried to a man named Aultizer, and died in Mason Co. IL. There are but four survivors of the seven sons and three daughters in this family. Curtis, the oldest son, was a minister in the Methodist Episcopal church for 40 years Rev. Dr. William Powell, resides near Baders, IL; he was a preacher in the M. E. church for 25 years John R. Powell has been a leader in church affairs since before the Civil War Martha A. married Jacob Oglett and lives in Salem, Oregon David is a retire merchant of Mason City, IL Jefferson S. is connected with the Fair Grounds in Salem, OR Thomas is deceased John R. Powell enlisted in Co. H, 85th IL Volunteer Infantry for 3 years was part of the Army of the Cumberland. He was wounded during the charge at Kenesaw Mtn. 29 June 1863. He was wounded at nine in the morning and left on the battlefield for dead. He regained consciousness at three in the afternoon and attempting to rise was fired at again by the enemy. He was taken to a hospital Nashville, later granted a furlough and subsequently rejoined his regiment at Chattanooga TN. He married first to Julia Litchfield, native of OH They had 5 children: James Curtis and Ransom B. who d. in infancy. Lorenzo D. a resident of Long Lane, MO. John W., a builder of Chicopee, KS Aretta, wife of H. C. Walton of Antioch AR Mrs. Powell died 9 Sept 1870 His second wife was Mrs. Eliza J. Adkinson whom he married 4 Feb 1871. Eliza was the daughter of Samuel Tarry, who was born in OH and was an early settler in KY where he married Miriam Turner. He came to IL in the pioneer period. By her former marriage Mrs. Powell had 4 sons, one of whom is living--Johnson Adkinson of Pittsburg, MO. To Mr. and Mrs. Powell have been born 8 children: William, a farmer in Woodland Twp. Samuel, a resident of Oakville, IA Thomas, who lives in the vicinity of Mason City, IL Nellie, wife of John Waggoner, farmer in Woodland Twp. Ida, wife of Frank Waddell, of Oakville IA Robert Lincoln Benjamin, of Oakville, IA John R. was politically a Republican. He maintains his association with the IOOF.