...are both children of Welsh coal mining families who emmigrated to Pennsylvania's Schuylkill and Carbon Counties in the early to mid 1800's. Samuel's father, Joseph POWELL, according to his naturalization papers which are housed in the Schuylkill County Courthouse, emigrated from South Wales in 1839, landed in New York City, settled first in Schuylkill County and then Carbon County. Catherine's father, David REES, according to his naturalization papers which are housed in the Carbon County Courthouse, emigrated from Wales in 1852, landed in New York City and settled in Carbon County. David is noted on the 1860 and 1870 census as living in Mauch Chunk Twp, Carbon Co. and working as a miner. In 1875, the Carbon Co. Atlas Business Notices lists him as the proprietor of the Miner's Home on Catawissa St., Nesquehoning. David passed away from asthma a year before the 1900 census and is buried with family in Nesquehoning's Protestant Cemetery.
Joseph's son Samuel married David's daughter Catherine 5 August 1865 in Nesquehoning, Carbon Co.; just a few weeks after Sam's company was disbanded at Camp Copeland, PA, 12 July 1865. There's a good love story there is. Wish I had some of their love letters. Sam and Catherine lived for many years in Carbon Co. and raised 7 of 8 children. Little Ida passed away young. They are on the 1880 Carbon Co. census, the 1890 census burned, cannot find them on the 1900 census, but by the 1910 census they are in Steelton near Harrisburg, Dauphin Co. Sam started out as a laborer in the mines, by 1880 was a mining engineer and by 1910 was a watchman for the PA Steel Company in Steelton, Dauphin Co. My Dad remembers his mother telling him that her mother Catherine said to Sam at some point of crisis, “If you don’t find another line of work, I’m taking the kids and leaving.” Sam agreed.
...is the ahnentafel system. My starting point, the "first" generation, is all the children of Samuel Evan POWELL and Catherine REES. They are all ascribed the number one, generation roman numeral one, " I.1." A person's father is two times the person's own number; their mother is the next number; thus Samuel Evan POWELL is "2" and Catherine REES is "3"; both in ancestral generation II. Sources for each bit of information are listed in brackets after the information. Where there are, for instance, conflicting dates for an event (or sometimes a source will provide only part of a date) I list each date with its source. This at least clarifies the problem if not the answer. In some instances, where I have updated data, I have left the older data on the tree to remember what sources I have checked and to see how the work has evolved. "Documents" means everything from an original official certificate to a hand written scrap of paper from a distant cousin. Keep in mind this is a working "tree" and not meant to be a certificate of proof.
Most all the legal documents I have found so far spell REES as "REESE";whenever I am quoting such a legal document, I will spell it as it was originally written on the document. However, apparently Verlie Ray and her mother made it emphatically clear that tacking on an "e" was not proper Welsh. Thus in deference to their objection, whenever I am not quoting a "REESE" spelling, I will spell it "REES".
| III.4. Joseph POWELL = 5. Mary WILLIAMS |
| III.6. David REES = 7a. Jane WILLIAMS, = 7b. Mary RICHARDS |
| II. 2. Samuel Evan POWELL = 3. Catherine REES |
| I. 1. James S., David Lloyd, Jane, Ida, Sarah E., Samuel R., Elizabeth, Verlie Ray POWELL |
III.4. Joseph POWELL
born circa 1811 / 1812, South Wales [date a guess, Joseph’s naturalization papers 1840/44]
born circa 1813, Wales [age 37 on 10 Sept. 1850 census]
born circa 1815, Wales [age 45 on 16 Aug. 1860 census]
born circa 1810, Wales [age 60 on 28 July 1870 census]
married III 5. Mary WILLIAMS [Sam E. POWELL’s death certificate 1917]
emigrated circa 1839, Schuylkill Co. by New York City port [Joseph’s naturalization papers 1840/44] from Cardiff, according to a family member [email 8 April 2008]
employment: miner 1850, miner 1860, coalminer 1870, no occ. 1880.
died 10 Feb 1881 [Sam. E. POWELL Civil War Pension Records]
bur ?
WILL: no will or estate papers listed at Carbon Co. Archives, Jim Thorpe, need to check other counties.
CENSUS RECORDS:
1840 ? Shenango, Beaver Co. PA. POWELL, Joseph btw 20 & 30; 1 female btw 20 & 30; 1 male under 5.
1850 Sep 10 Mauch Chunk Twp, Carbon Co, PA, POWELL, Joseph 37 b. Wales, miner; Mary 35 b.Wales; James 14 (?sic) b.Wales (?sic); Mary 14 (?sic) b.PA; Samuel 7 b.PA; Isabella 4 b.PA; Jonathan 2 b.PA; Mary & Samuel in school.
1860 Aug 15 Mauch Chunk Twp, Carbon Co, PA, POWELL, Joseph 45 b. Wales, miner; Mary 44 b. Wales; James 19 b. PA (?sic); Saml 17; Jonathan 12 b. PA; Isabella 13 b. PA; Eliz. 9 b. PA; Erasmus 7 b. PA; Deborah 1 b. PA; Abigail 4 b. PA; Ida A. 1 b. PA. ?Evor is missing.
1870 Mauch Chunk Twp, Carbon Co, PA, POWELL, Joseph 60 b. Wales, US citizen, coalminer; Mary 55 b.Wales; Jonathan 22 coalminer; Elizabeth 19; Vavasor 18 in school; Efor (?sic) 16 in school; Abigail 13 in school; Ada 11 in school.
1880 June 9 Lansford Borough, Carbon Co. POWELL, Joseph 68; Mary 65; Evan 26 son (must be Evor) laborer. Next door is their son Samuel, wife Catherine and 5 children.
1900 cannot find Mary
Joseph’s naturalization papers: signed by himself, one dated 19 Oct.1840 and one dated July 22, 1844, are archived at the Schuylkill Co. Courthouse, Pottsville, PA. On the 1840 paper, Joseph notes his age as 28 and that he is a native of South Wales. On the 1844 paper he answers yes that he has resided in PA for at least one year past and in the U.S. for at least five years past.
Children
THE QUESTION OF MORGAN POWELL. Family knowledge has it that, “a brother was killed by the Molly Maguires”, however it's possible Morgan was related to our Joseph in a different way. I am aware of it from two separate branches, a distant cousin’s family, and my Dad recalls his mother/grandmother told him this. I have two paper connections between Joseph and Morgan. One is Morgan's estate papers listing Joseph as owing Morgan $40. The other is Samuel POWELL's funeral "Record in Memoriam" in which is listed a Mrs. Hetrick as in attendence. The naturalization papers I have listed below are NOT PROVEN to belong to this Morgan POWELL. Joseph POWELL signed his Schuylkill Co. naturalization papers with his name, not a mark. Morgan POWELL had risen to inside mine boss; then to foreman at the time of his murder in Dec 1871. Did he learn to write after he came to America or do the Carbon Co. naturalization papers below refer to a different Morgan POWELL? More research is needed.
? Morgan, brother to Joseph according to family, but may well be related differently
born 1827 [Summit Hill Presbyterian Cemetery monument]
born circa 1833, Wales [age 37 on 28 July 1870 census]
born 1831, Wales [souvenier newspaper published by “The Times – News” with the Jim Thorpe Tourist Promotion Agency to commemorate the movie “The Molly Maguires”.]
married Mary, born circa 1838, Wales [age 32 on 28 July 1870 census]
emigrated ? “he came to this country when quite young, and after travelling about for some time, finally settled in Carbon county.” [souvenier newspaper published by “The Times – News” with the Jim Thorpe Tourist Promotion Agency to commemorate the movie “The Molly Maguires”. original souvenier paper]
employment: 1850 ?, 1860 miner, 1870 mine boss, 1871 mine foreman [census records]
died 2 Dec 1871, Summit Hill, Carbon Co, PA, murdered by Molly Maguires [Pub. of the Historical Soc. of Schuylkill Co., p270]
buried Summit Hill Presbyterian Cemetery, inscription: Morgan Powell, age 44, 1827-1871 “…in the 1960’s the old Presbyterian Cemetery in Summit Hill was converted into a town park…The following list is only a partial listing of those buried there…” [internet copy of cemetery records] Although all the other headstones are gone, there is still a monument to Morgan Powell, but I don’t know if this marks his grave. On one visit, I did surreptitiously scrape some sod off a flat “stone”; it may be that the headstones were not removed, but simply buried flat.
Will: died intestate, estate papers at Carbon Co. Archives, Jim Thorpe – xerox a few pages naming wife, children & note of …”acct. ags’t Joseph Powell - $40.00”
Census:
1860 July 10 North Penn PO, West Penn Twp, Schuylkill Co. POWELL, Morgan 32 b. Wales, miner; Mary 23 b. Wales; Chas 2 b. PA.
1870 Aug 1 Mauch Chunk Twp, Carbon Co, PA, POWELL, Morgan 39 b.Wales, US citizen, mine boss; Mary 33; Charles 11; Gwinnie 9; William 7; David 3; Morgan 2. Charles, Gwinnie and William at school.
Other Documents:
[article about his murder, Mauch Chunk Coal Gazette, Dec. 8, 1871 – Dimmick Library xerox]
[follow-up about his murder, Mauch Chunk Coal Gazette, Dec. 15, 1871 – Dimmick Library xerox]
[Summit Hill Odd Fellows recognition of his death, Jan. 26, 1872 – Dimmick Library xerox]
[Carbon Co. Naturalization Papers 1853, 1858 – Carbon Co. Archives xerox, Arrived NY 18th Oct 1850, age “about 22” in 1853, birthplace Brecon Shire, South Wales, may not be our Morgan POWELL]
Note: The Morgan POWELLs had a domestic servant living with them in 1870 [as per census, name illegible].
III.5. Mary WILLIAMS
born> circa 1815, Wales [age 35 on 10 Sept. 1850 census] [age 55 on 28 July 1870 census]
married III.4. Joseph POWELL [Sam. E. POWELL’s death certificate 1917]
died 4 Jan 1890 [Sam. E. POWELL Civil War Pension Records]
Census: 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880 with Joseph POWELL
Children: John, James Lloyd, Mary, Samuel Evan, Isabella, Jonathan Tudor, Elizabeth, Vassar Erasmus, Evor Aneurian, Abigail, Deborah, Ida Amanda.
III.6. David REES
born 4 Mar 1819, Wales [Sam. E. POWELL Civil War Pension Records, copies] [old xerox of birth & death pages of REES Bible]
born circa 1819/19 [David’s naturalization papers 1857/9,Carbon Co, Courthouse *see other documents]
born circa 1821, Wales [age 39 on 15 Aug 1860 census]
born circa 1819, Wales [age 51 on 14 July 1870 census]
birth place Wales [Catherine POWELL’s death certificate 1933]
married III.7a. Jane WILLIAMS [Catherine POWELL’s death certificate 1933]
married III.7b. Mary RICHARDS [source?] [Mary on 1880 Carbon Co census record]
emigrated 1852, arrived NYC port from Liverpool, 1st 3m 1852 [David’s naturalization papers 1857/9 Carbon Co, C.H.]
died 24 Feb 1899, Nesquehoning, Carbon Co. Pa., asthma [Carbon Co. death record 1899] [old xerox of birth & death pages of REES Bible]
buried Nesquehoning, Carbon Co. Pa. [Protestant Cem. on Center St, headstones not clear – photos]
buried26 Feb 1899, Nesquehoning [Carbon Co. death record 1899, xerox]
buried27 Feb 1899, aged 79y 11m 26d [Sam. E. POWELL Civil War Pension Records, copies]
Will: none found
Census:
1860 Aug ?11 Mauch Chunk Twp, Carbon Co, PA. REESE, David 39 b.Wales miner; Mary 39 b.Wales cannot read/write; Cath 14 b.Wales ; David 10 b.Wales ; Thomas R. 13 b.Wales ; Thomas R. 8 b.PA; Mary 4 b.PA; Sarah 1 b.PA. Cath, David, both Thomas in school.
1870 Mauch Chunk Twp, Carbon Co, PA, coalminer.
1880 county record, need federal Cannot find on ancestry.com which is odd because it doesn't list any David Rees/Reese in Carbon Co.
Other Documents:
~[xerox of map noting a property of David REES on corners of Catawissa St, Mill St. and Douglass St., Nesquehoning, Mauch Chunk Twp, Carbon Co, PA.
~[1875 Carbon Co, Atlas Business Notices – Mauch Chunk, listing for a “REES David..Propt Miners’ Home, Catawissa St.” copy of abstract from internet, geocities.com/Heartland/Pointe/5335/CCMauchChunk.htm]
~[naturalization papers, 2 pages, one dated 17th Mar 1857 & one dated 3rd Oct 1859. David notes his age as 34 in 1852, born in Wales, emigrated from Liverpool, arrived New York 1st Mar 1852 to settle in Carbon Co, PA, made his mark. Witnesses on the 1859 petition were Albert and Richard Williams. Xerox copies obtained from Carbon Co. Courthouse]
~[old xerox of birth & death pages of REES Bible]
Children by Jane: Jane, Catherine, David, and Thomas R.
Children by Mary: John, Mary and Sarah
III.7a. Jane WILLIAMS
born ?
birthplace Wales [Catherine POWELL’s death certificate 1933, obtained from state] [Sam. E. POWELL Civil War Pension Records, copies]
married date?, III.6. David REES [Catherine POWELL’s death certificate 1933, from state] [Sam. E. POWELL Civil War Pension Records]
died Sep 1853 [old xerox of birth & death pages of REES Bible]
Children: Jane, Catherine, David, and Thomas R.
III.7b. Mary RICHARDS
born circa 1821, Wales [age 39 on 15th Aug 1860 census]
born circa 1819 [age 61 on 1880 Carbon Co. census, no day, month]
born circa 1818, Wales [age 52 on 14th July 1870 census]
married III.6. David REES
died 3 Feb 1863 [old xerox of birth & death pages of REES Bible]
Children: John, Mary and Sarah
Census: 1860, 1880 county record, need federal
Note: On the 1880 census is listed a nine year old William, don’t know whose child this is, if Mary’s then she would have had him when she was 52, if her daughter Mary’s she would have had him at age 14. Possibly William is the son of another relative.
Note: A Mary E. RICHARDS, age 74 in 1917 which would give her a birth date of c1843, was a character witness for Catherine REES when she filed her Civil War pension application – could she be a relative?
