History of Central City, (Linn County) Iowa United States of America

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L. H. Powell is a farmer, Sec. 4; P. O. Central City; owns 250 acres, worth $6,500; was born in Bourbon Co., Ky., March 15, 1814; came to Perry Co., Mo., with parents, when about 10 years old, but they dying shortly after their arrival, the family scattered, most of them returning to their old home in Kentucky, but Mr. P. took to the river, where he spent his boyhood days among the rough boatmen of the Mississippi; when about 18 years of age, he enlisted to serve in the Black Hawk War, but owing to that chieftain's early defeat at the battle of "Bad Axe," he was not called upon to take an active part; in 1837, he came to Dubuque, then nothing but a city of willow cabins, there being only two brick houses in the city; at that time the Winnebago Indians were hostile, and it was as much as a man's life was worth to come to the Wapsipinnicon River, yet Mr. P., hearing of Cedar Rapids, ventured near enough to look down upon an immense Indian village, where no white man dared show his face. Married July 12, 1841, Miss Evaline Clark; she was born in Wayne Co., N. Y., Dec. 4, 1825. He made his home near Dubuque, for a number of years, but in 1844, came to this county, and settled on Sec. 33, Jackson Tp.; after he had been here a short time, he was summoned to attend, as witness, at a law suit in St. Louis; he left his wife and two children in the care of the Misquaka Indians, who were encamped near, and was gone twenty-nine days, and returned to find them all safe; Mrs. P. remarks that she felt safer under the protection of that noble tribe than she would now, were she left alone for so long; she says that white men were more to be feared in those days than Indians of a friendly tribe. Their children are Chester, Herbert, Loyd, Dewitt, Ann, Zenno, Mary, Francelia, Marcia, Jessie, George and Alva. Is a Republican.

History of Central City, (Linn County) Iowa

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