Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 2.djvu/167

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VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

Findall» James, native of V^irginia ; attend- ed the common schools; held various local offices; elected as a Federalist to the fif- teenth and sixteenth congresses, and served from March 4, 1817, to 1820, when he re- signed.

Powell, Alfred H., born in Loudoun coun- ty, Virginia, March 6, 1781, son of Col. Leven Powell, and his wife Sarah, daughter of Burr Harrison; was graduated from Princeton College; studied law with Col. Charles Simnis, of Alexandria, was admit- ted to the bar, and in iSoo began practice in Winchester, Virginia: served several years as a member of the state house of delegates; elected to the nineteenth con- gress (March 4, 1825-March 3. 1827); dele- gate in the state constitutional convention of 1830; died in Loudoun county, Virginia, 1831.

Powell, Cuthbert, born in Alexandria, \'irginia. March 4, 1775, son of Col. Leven Powell and his wife Sarah, daughter of Burr Harrison; completed preparatory studies; studied law, was admitted to the bar, and practiced in Alexandria; mayor of Alex- andria; moved to Loudoun county; held various local offices; elected as a Whig to the twenty-seventh congress (March 4, 1841 -March 3, 1843) J ^'^d at Langoolen, Loudoun county, V^irginia, May 8, 1849. He married Catherine, daughter of Col. Charles Simms, of Alexandria.

Powell, Lcvcn, was born in Prince Wil- liam county, Virginia, in 1737, son of Wil- liam Powell and Eleanor Peyton, his wife, and grandson of William Powell, of Mary- land, who died in 1715; studied in private schools; was deputy to his uncle, Henry

Peyton, sheriff of Prince William county, married, in 1763, Sarah, daughter of Burr Harrison, of Chappawamsic, and shortly after moved to Loudoun county; engaged H! mercantile pursuits; in 1775 was major of a battalion of minute-men and served against Lord Dunmore at Norfolk, Ports- mouth and Hampton ; in January, 1777, was appointed lieutenant-colonel of the Six- teenth Regiment of Virginia Continentals, and saw service at White Marsh, near Phil- adelphia and at Valley Forge; resigned on account of health in 1778 and returned home; in 1788 was a member of the state convention and voted for the constitution; in 1796 as presidential elector was the only one from \'irginia to vote for John Adams as President; elected as a Federalist to the sixth congress (March 4. 1799-March 4, 1801) : helped to build a turnpike from Alex- andria to the upper country; died July 23, 1810, at Bedford Springs. Virginia.

PowcU, Paulus, a native of Virginia; re- sided in Amherst county, Virginia; held various local offices ; elected as a Democrat to the thirty-first, and to four succeeding congresses (March 4, 1849-March 3, 1859) ; defeated for reelection to the thirty-sixth congress.

Preston, Francis, born at ^'Greenfield," Botetourt county, Virginia, August 2, 1765, son of William Preston, who became a colo- nel in the revolutionary army; was gradu- ated from the College of William and Mary in 1783, and having studied law at that in- stitution under George Wythe was soon ad- mitted to the bar ; practiced in Montgomery, Washington, and other counties until 1793; member of the state house of delegates and a state senator; elected to the third and

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