Bio of Powell, Thomas J. - Grady County, Oklahoma Transcribed by: Gene Phillips 30 Jul 2006 Return to Grady County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/grady/grady.html ========================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ========================================================================== THOMAS J. POWELL. Occupying an assured position among the enterprising agriculturists of Grady county is Thomas J. Powell, of Minco, who was for many years actively identified with the stock-growing interests of this region, but has more recently turned his attention to the raising of registered swine, being advantageously located on land adjoining the townsite of Minco. He was born March 1, 1878, in Fremont county, Iowa, near Riverton, where his father, Thomas A, Powell, located more than forty years ago, when that country was comparatively new. A Virginian by birth, Thomas A. Powell was brought up on a farm, and when a young man enlisted in the Confederate army, and served as a soldier throughout the Civil war. Subsequently leaving his native state, he located near Riverton, Iowa, where for ten years he was employed in agricultural pursuits. He moved from there to Mobeetie, Texas, but finding neither pleasure nor profit on the arid plains, he tried life in the Chickasaw Nation for awhile, being located near Silver City, on the Canadian river, and is now pursuing his favorite occupation in New Mexico, which is much more to his liking. He married Caroline Barnard, who died, in 1886, in Iowa, leaving four children, namely: Elizabeth, wife of George Taylor, of New Mexico; Rosy A., wife of Elmer Warner, of Grady county; Thomas J., of this sketch; and Charles C., of Grady county. Growing to manhood in Iowa, Thomas J. Powell received but limited educational advantages. Coming with his father to the Chickasaw Nation, he, with the family, lived first on the farm of James H. Bond, and there obtained a practical knowledge of the cattle industry, and subsequently embarked in the business on his own account. For two years Mr. Powell was in the employ of the "X I T" Cattle Company, and in 1897 drove for them a bunch of cattle across the country from Texas to Miles City, Montana, passing through Kansas, Colorado, and a corner of Nebraska, starting in April, and reaching his point of destination four months later. Returning then to Oklahoma, Mr. Powell was for a time with Ed Johnson, of Norman, Oklahoma, later with Johnson & Campbell, final1ly forming a partnership with Mr. Campbell, himself. Subsequently Mr. Powell was interested financially with Henry Johnson in a bunch of black cattle, and out of their bunch of six hundred magnificent steers they exhibited at the Fort Worth Fat Stock Show one load, which captured the first premium in the two-year-old class, and also carried off sweepstakes, a feat that marked the firm especially as successful cattle raisers. From his share of the proceeds when he and Mr. Campbell, in dissolving partnership, sold their bunch of a thousand steers, Mr. Powell purchased sixty acres of land, lying just south of Minco, and has since been actively engaged in the raising of registered swine, an industry in which he has already made a most encouraging start. On April 28, 1907, in Minco, Mr. Powell married Stella Gillum, a daughter of William H. Gillum, a well known grocer, who came to this place from Texas in 1893. Mr. and Mrs. Powell have one child, Elizabeth Etheline. Politically Mr. Powell is a straightforward Democrat, and fraternally he is a Master Mason. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to Grady County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/grady/grady.html