[316552.ftw]
directly Northeast of Spotsylvania County lies Stafford
County, Virginia. In William F. Boogher's book,
Overwharton Parish Register, published in 1899, many of the
counties' births, deaths, and marriages from 1720 to 1760
are recorded.
The Register first mentions Charles and Elizabeth
Powel September 20, 1731, when their son, John, was born.
In 1733, a son Peter was recorded; followed by Elizabeth in
1735 and Martha in 1736. But most important to us, on May
26, 1740, Charles Powel came into this world. Peggy Powel
was born April 8, 1744. Before Peggy was a month old,
April 30, 1744, her father Charles Powel died. The
following year on December 3, Elizabeth Powel married Duke
Whalbone. Duke and Elizabeth had a son, Thomas, in 1746
and a daughter, Nanny, in 1749.
The Powel family remained in Overwharton Parish for
over 25 years. Elizabeth Whalbone's son John Powel married
Margaret McDaniel, February 10, 1752. Soon he and Margaret
had daughter Jemina, followed by Patty in late 1755.
Martha Powel married John Goldsmith January 19, 1756.
John Powel was on the Quit Rent Roll for Staf ford
County for the last time in 1764. This is about the time
Sarah Powel said Charles rode into her life with "only a
horse and his wearing apparell." Between 1764 and 1777,
John moved to Caswell County, North Carolina.
The Powel family in Stafford County spelled their name
with one L as our own family did until after the Civil War.
Many have always felt this Charles born in 1740 was our
ancestor, but we have never been able to connect the family
to ours. Recently, I made a discovery in Caswell County,
North Carolina. This discovery has convinced me the
Overwharton Parish Powels are our own.
On the tax list in Caswell County, North Carolina, in
1777, a Margaret Powel is listed in the Caswell District,
which lies next to the Virginia State line and Halifax
County. In 1781, John Powel is listed with 760 acres in
the same district. In 1782, John is listed with 320 acres
and James with 100 acres. In 1783, John has 82 acres and
James 340. In 1784, they are listed with the same amounts
with the land being on Hogans Creek. The last listing for
John with his 82 acres is in 1786; afterwards, Margaret is
listed in '87 and '88 with the same 82 acres. In 1789,
John (this would be Margaret and John Powel's son) has 100
acres in Caswell District, Caswell County, Peggy Powel has
260. James Powel has 228 acres in Caswell and 240 in
neighboring Rockingham County. The last time Margaret is
listed is 1790 with 380 acres. During the years 1791-1804,
the following Powels are listed at varying times in Caswell
County, Caswell District: John, two James, George, David,
Peter, Abner, and Francis.
The name Duke Whalbone also is listed on the 1777
Caswell County tax list. Thomas Whalbone is listed (he
owns no land) in 1784 and 1786 in the same district as John
and James Powell. The names Thomas and James Whalbone both
appear on later lists in Caswell and Rockingham Counties.
Maybe Margaret is on the tax list in 1777 because her
husband John is away fighting in the Revolution. Likewise,
Duke Whalbone could be listed for Thomas because Thomas is
at war.
John Smith's will was recorded August 5, 1779 in
Caswell County with his wife, Mary, executor. He had a
daughter, Bety Jerrell. He left something to Duke and
Elizabeth Whalbone. The will was witnessed by Thomas
Duncan and Thomas Wynn, and it mentioned William Jerrell,
probably Bety's husband.
In December Court 1780, the children of Winny Edwell
were apprenticed to John Powel. Their names were Sarah,
Jonathan, Judith, Elizabeth, Joseph, and Robert.
John Powel's will is dated November 16, 1786, Caswell
County. He mentioned his wife; daughter, Elizabeth; sons,
James, Charles, and John; and the rest of his children.
The will was witnessed by Charles Powel, Jacob Guttery,
James Brown, and Thomas Walter or Warltoms. This name
could be Whalbone. In 1793, Joseph McClain, qualified as
administrator of this estate. Bonding him were Tillman
Dixon and Isaac Clark.
A sale was held that year with these purchasing items:
John Powel, Peter Smith, Charles Price, John Chilton,
Nathaniel Durham, Ezekiel Waters, Joseph McLain, James
Powel, Robert Harris, Thomas Bastin, Jepthah Rice, Simeon
Ford, Will Lyon, Will Greenbough, Nat Dickinson, Paul
Chappin, Thomas Dixon.
Margaret Powel married Peter Smith in Orange County,
North Carolina in 1796. That same year, John Powel and
Peter Smith together sold 252 acres in Caswell County to
Archibald Carter. This was probably John Powel Sr.'s land.
Also, in 1796, Joseph McClain divided the estate proceeds
among 10 heirs.
James Powel brought suit against Joseph McClain in
July 1804 and had his letters of administration of the John
Powel estate revoked. James Powel's own will is recorded
in Caswell County in 1841 with Edmund Powel as
administrator.
From marriage records in Caswell, I found Peter Powel
married Patsy Carroll in 1802; Peter Jr. married Frances
Phillips in 1832; Barzilia Powell married Betsy Poteet in
1825. In Halifax County, Virginia, Charles Powell married
Sally Nelson in 1794; David Powel married Sarah Winn Smith
Johnson in 1791; James Powell married Polly Turpin in 1788;
Betsy Powell married Fleming Hodges in 1793.
From the Stafford County, Virginia and the Caswell
County, North Carolina records, I have surmised that John
and Margaret McDaniel Powel probably had ten children
living in 1786. Probable names for these children are:
Jemina, Patty (Martha), Elizabeth, John, James, Charles,
David, George, Peter, and Margaret.
One of the daughters surely married Joseph McClain;
one a Lyon; and one a Dixon. Either widow Margaret Powell
or her daughter, Margaret, married Peter Smith in 1796. In
1804 the John Powel estate had not been completely settled
because James Powell sued Joseph McClain then.
These Powells and Whalbones lived within a few miles
of where our Charles lived south of the Dan River in
Halifax County, Virginia. They seem ed to have moved to
Caswell about the same time the Gholson's and Charles
migrated from Spotsylvania. It has been comforting to me
to find relatives of Charles Powell, especially his mother,
Elizabeth, living near him in Virginia. Many more clues to
our puzzling family tree surely lie in the records of
Stafford County, Virginia, 1720-1770.[576008.ftw]
irectly Northeast of Spotsylvania County lies Stafford County, Virginia. In Wil liam F. Boogher's book, Overwharton Parish Register, published in 1899, many of the counties' births, deaths, and marriages from 1720 to 1760 are recorded. Th e Register first mentions Charles and Elizabeth Powel September 20, 1731, when their son, John, was born. In 1733, a son Peter was recorded; followed by Eliz abeth in 1735 and Martha in 1736. But most important to us, on May 26, 1740, C harles Powel came into this world. Peggy Powel was born April 8, 1744. Before Peggy was a month old, April 30, 1744, her father Charles Powel died. The foll owing year on December 3, Elizabeth Powel married Duke Whalbone. Duke and El izabeth had a son, Thomas, in 1746 and a daughter, Nanny, in 1749. The Powel fa mily remained in Overwharton Parish for over 25 years. Elizabeth Whalbone's son John Powel married Margaret McDaniel, February 10, 1752. Soon he and Margaret had daughter Jem ina, followed by Patty in late 1755. Martha Powel married Jo hn Goldsmith January 19, 1756. John Powel was on the Quit Rent Roll for Staf fo rd County for the last time in 1764. This is about the time Sarah Powel said C harles rode into her life with "only a horse and his wearing apparell." Betwee n 1764 and 1777, John moved to Caswell County, North Carolina. The Powel family in Stafford County spelled their name with one L as our own family did until a fter the Civil War. Many have always felt this Charles born in 1740 was our an cestor, but we have never been able to connect the family to ours. Recently, I made a discovery in Caswell County, North Carolina. This discovery has convin ced me the Overwharton Parish Powels are our own. On the tax list in Caswell Co unty, North Carolina, in 1777, a Margaret Powel is listed in the Caswell Distri ct, which lies next to the Virginia State line and Halifax County. In 1781, Jo hn Powel is listed with 760 acres in the same district. In 1782, John is liste d with 320 acres and James with 100 acres. In 1783, John has 82 acres and Jame s 340. In 1784, they are listed with the same amounts with the land being on H ogans Creek. The last listing for John with his 82 acres is in 1786; afterward s, Margaret is listed in '87 and '88 with the same 82 acres. In 1789, John (th is would be Margaret and John Powel's son) has 100 acres in Caswell District, C aswell County, Peggy Powel has 260. James Powel has 228 acres in Caswell and 2 40 in neighboring Rockingham County. The last time Margaret is listed is 1790 with 380 acres. During the years 1791-1804, the following Powels are listed at varying times in Caswell County, Caswell District: John, two James, George, D avid, Peter, Abner, and Francis. The name Duke Whalbone also is listed on the 1 777 Caswell County tax list. Thomas Whalbone is listed (he owns no land) in 17 84 and 1786 in the same district as John and James Powell. The names Thomas an d James Whalbone both appear on later lists in Caswell and Rockingham Counties. Maybe Margaret is on the tax list in 1777 because her husband John is away fig hting in the Revolution. Likewise, Duke Whalbone could be listed for Thomas be cause Thomas is at war. John Smith's will was recorded August 5, 1779 in Caswel l County with his wife, Mary, executor. He had a daughter, Bety Jerrell. He left something to Duke and Elizabeth Whalbone. The will was witnessed by Thoma s Duncan and Thomas Wynn, and it mentioned William Jerrell, probably Bety's hus band. In December Court 1780, the children of Winny Edwell were apprenticed to John Powel. Their names were Sarah, Jonathan, Judith, Elizabeth, Joseph, and R obert. John Powel's will is dated November 16, 1786, Caswell County. He mentio ned his wife; daughter, Elizabeth; sons, James, Charles, and John; and the rest of his children. The will was witnessed by Charles Powel, Jacob Guttery, Jame s Brown, and Thomas Walter or Warltoms. This name could be Whalbone. In 1793, Joseph McClain, qualified as administrator of th