An illustrated history of the state of Oregon :, The Lewis Pub Co, 1893, Pg 1184

JUDGE RICHARD M. POWERS, one of Oregon’s pioneers, was born in Guilford County, North Carolina, June 5, 1831. His father, Allen Powers, was a native of North Carolina, and married Miss Permelia Gibson, also of North Carolina, who immigrated to Henderson county, Indiana, in 1838, when Indiana was but a wilderness, and located near Danville, the county seat. He was a boot and shoemaker by trade, but carried on the farm in connection with his trade. He died at the age of seventy-eight years, in 1876, his wife having preceded him six years, at the age of seventy. They had had a family of nine children, of whom there are seven yet living, and Richard was the sixth child. One brother was killed in the war.

The early education of our subject was received in a log schoolhouse, where the split logs formed the seats, and teaching was carried on in a very primitive way. Later he was afforded the advantages at the Danville University, and when he had completed his time at school he decided to learn a self-supporting trade, and concluded that the trade of blacksmith would suit him, and after his apprenticeship was over he concluded to join the emigration to the coast. He first went to Illinois, in the fall of 1852, where he fitted up an ox team and prepared for the long journey, beginning it in the spring of 1853, and had unusual good fortune until he reached Snake river; here his cattle began to die, and when he landed at the Cascades he had only three living oxen. At this place he sold out his outfit and went by boat to Portland, where he engaged in the blacksmith business, remaining there until the next spring. At that time Portland was a village of about 400 people, and after leaving this city he went to Albany, where he followed his trade for a short time, and then went to Eugene City. At this place he renewed an acquaintance with a young lady who had crossed the plains in the same train as himself, and this resulted in the marriage of Mr. Powers and Miss Elizabeth Winters, December 25, 1854, the bride being a native of Zanesville, Ohio, daughter of Robert and Elmira Winters. Mr. Powers resided in Eugene City until 1860, then returned to Albany, where he remained for fifteen years, following his trade. Success attended his efforts, and everything seemed prosperous until 1871, when death came and removed his faithful companion from his side. Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Powers, one of whom died in infancy, the others being: William, who resides in Weston; Charles, a printer in San Francisco, California; Maud, married A. J. Stanford, of Athena; and Richard is still at home. After the death of Mrs. Powers, Mr. Powers removed to Lebanon, where later he married Mrs. Mary Reynolds, a native of Pennsylvania, who came to Oregon in 1861. She was the mother of four children at the time of her marriage to Mr. Powers, two of whom are living, Hattie and John. Mr. and Mrs. Powers resided in Lebanon seven years, but in 1879 came to Weston, where they built the hotel Delmonico, and successfully conducted it for thirteen years; becoming tired of the business, however, in July, 1892, Judge Powers rented it out, and removed to his fine residence, on a three-acre plat of ground in the north end of Weston, where he expects to make extensive improvements, and spend the remainder of his days. The Judge has filled some important positions in Oregon, serving fourteen years as Justice of the Peace in Albany and one year as City Recorder. He has been Justice of the Peace of Weston ever since his arrival here. Governor Wood appointed Judge Powers, with Captain Humphrey and Jacob Mann, to inspect and report on the old military road running from Portland to Malheur, which required them forty days to review. Like almost all of the old pioneers Judge Powers came in for his share of Indian fighting, taking part in the Rogue River war in 1856-57. He had many narrow escapes, and took part in a number of battles with the Indians. He mentions one time when a small squad of the soldiers surrounded a whole band of Indians on top of a bluff. The latter had no way of escape, and in the morning Captain Perry, with his whole band, killed all the Indians, leaving only a deaf and dumb Indian, who managed to escape at that time, but was afterward captured. Judge Powers has spent forty years in active life, and is well known as an old settler of Oregon. For the last fourteen years he has been engaged in law business and in collecting pensions for the soldiers. He is a life-long Democrat, and a member of the Masonic order.

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Civil War Pension Index: General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934 Record

about Richard Powers

Name: Richard Powers

State Filed: Oregon

C 16 His Inf

1881 Mch 20 Invalid 418097 2131408 Ore

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1860 Census OR Lane Eugene Pg 250

Line 23

32 32 R M Powers 29 M Blacksmith NC

E J Powers 25 F OH

A. D. Powers 3 M OR

W. M. Powers 2 M OR

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1870 Census OR Linn Albany Pg 550

Line 20

48 48 Powers Richt M 39 MW Blacksmith North Carolina

---------, Elizabeth 31 FW Keeping House Ohio

William Powers 11 MW At Sch Oregon

Charles Powers 9 MW Oregon

Maude Powers 3 FW Oregon

Dick Powers 3/12 MW Oregon

Winters Jeremiah 34 MW Painter Ohio

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1880 Census OR Umatilla Weston ED 111 Pg 32A

Line 38

123 120 Powers Richd WM 59 Blacksmith IN Ireland Ireland

----------, Mary WF 40 Keeping House PA PA PA

----------, Wm WM 21 Son Blacksmith OR IN PA

----------, Chas WM 19 Son Printing OR IN PA

----------, Maude WF 14 Daughter OR IN PA

----------, Richard WM 11 Son OR IN PA

----------, Oscar WM 4 Son OR IN PA

124 121 Reynolds Lucinda WF 19 Step Daughter Housekeeper IA PA PA

----------, Richard WM 17 Step Son IA PA PA

----------, John WM 13 Step Son OR PA PA

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1890 Veterans Schedules Record

about Richard Powers

Veteran's name: Richard Powers

Home in 1890 (Township, County, State): Astoria, Clatsop, Oregon

Year enlisted: 1861

Year discharged: 1865

Rank: Sergeant

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1900 Census OR Umatilla Weston ED 110 Pg 4A

Line 41

Powers Richard M boarder WM June 1831 68 Wd NC NC NC Atty of Law

Others living same boarding house:

Samuel Morgan 49

Margaret Morgan 46

Estella Morgan 23

Olive Morgan 21

Newton Morgan 19

Charles Coker 30

Henry Duran 28

Frank Robison 20

Charley O Curtis 28

Charley Stanfield 40

Edward Ridenour 22

Charles Dalglish 27

Richard M Powers 68

Clarence Schriver 20

Walter Mcdaniel 15

Nettie Reed 16

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1910 Census OR Umatilla Weston ED 263 Pg 1B

Line 64

22 22 Powers Richard M Head MW 68 M2 33 NC NC NC Lawyer General Practice

--------, Mary J FW 68 M2 33 (8 Children 2 Alive) PA PA PA

--------, William M Son MW 51 M1 16 OR NC NC Laborer Odd Jobs

--------, harriett N Daughter-in-law FW 50 M1 16 (no Children) IA PA PA Retail Merchant Millenary

Burial: Weston Cemetery, Weston, Umatilla, Oregon⁵

Census 1: 1860, OR Lane Eugene Pg 250

Census 2: 1870, OR Linn Albany Pg 550

Census 3: 1880, OR Umatilla Weston ED 111 Pg 32A

Census 4: 1900, OR Umatilla Weston ED 110 Pg 4A

Census 5: 1910, OR Umatilla Weston ED 263 Pg 1B

Military service: 1874, Linn, Oregon⁶

Obituary: 1903, See Notes

Occupation: 1880, Blacksmith

Tax Roll 1: 1858, Lane, Oregon⁷

Tax Roll 2: 1859, Lane, Oregon⁸

Census 1: 1850, IN Vigo Harrison Pg 224(See Father)

Census 2: 1860, OR Lane Eugene Pg 250 (See Husband)

Census 3: 1870, OR Linn Albany Pg 550(See Husband)

Powers, Richard M.

Marriage: Richard Powers married Elizabeth Winter on Dec 25, 1854 in Lane County, OR.

Gender: Male

Source Location: Record of this marriage may be found at the Family History Library under microfilm reference number(s) 1033656 item 2.

Marriage: 25 Dec 1854, Lane, OR⁹

Harriet A Reynolds

Age in 1860: 1

Birth Year: abt 1859

BirthPlace: Iowa

Home in 1860: Jackson, Jackson, Iowa

Gender: Female

Post Office: Higginsport

Household Members: Name Age

Reuben Reynolds 29

Mary J Reynolds 20

Harriet A Reynolds 1

Jno M Reynolds 31

Richard Reynolds 25

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1870 Census OR Linn Lebanon Pg 656

Line 2

50 49 Dawson Hardin 37 MW Cooper VA

Dawson Mary J 28 FW Keeping house PA

Reynolds Harriett 11 FW at sch IA

---------, Lucinda B 9 FW IA

---------, Richard 6 MW IA

Dawson Wm W 5 MW OR

Reynolds Johnny 3 MW OR

Burial: Weston Cemetery, Weston, Umatilla, Oregon¹⁰

Census 1: 1870, OR Linn Lebanon Pg 656

Census 2: 1880, OR Umatilla Weston ED 111 Pg 32A(See Husband)

Census 3: 1910, OR Umatilla Weston ED 263 Pg 1B(See Husband)

Estate: 1914, Umatilla, Oregon¹¹

Marriage: Aft. 1870