Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 4.djvu/428

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VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

in proof as to whether John was the father or the brother of Benjamin and William Powell (of whom further). Captain John Smith's "History" mentions Captain John P'owell as "one of the first and leading ad- venturers to the planting of this fortunate isle" (Barbados).

William Powell married Mary Tapley, and had among his children a son, James. James Powell was born in 1730, died in 1816. He was twice married, soon after his first mar- riage moving to King William county, where he passed the remainder of his life. His first wife bore him a son, John, born in 1771, father of Dr. John Norment Powell and grandfather of John J. A. Powell.

Dr. John Norment Powell, son of John Powell, was born at "Glebe," King William county, Virginia, in 1804, died in 1873. He was educated in Rumford Academy, in his native county, and completed his studies in the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania. He was an active practi- tioner for many years, a physician in whom all reposed the highest trust, a man of spot- less integrity and reputation unassailed. Dr. John Norment Powell married Mary Cath- erine, daughter of James Wright, and had children: i. John J. A., of whom further. 2. r>lanche Norment, married Captain John W. Drewry, of Richmond, Virginia, who died in 191 1, and was the mother of Wil- liam Powell Drewry, of New York City, de- ceased ; Mary Catherine, married Sterling Boisseau ; and Mildred Lee, married Minor r.ronough. of Charlottesville, Virginia. 3. Junius Le Vert, who was a soldier in the Confederate army, having enlisted in a vol- unteer company recruited in Richmond, and for two years served as a private, being then commissioned by Confederate States Secre- tary of War Randolph to the signal corps of the army ; among the many important battles in which he participated are those of Lookout -Mountain, Missionary Ridge, the engagements about Richmond, and the Tennessee compaign ; entrvisted with a secret mission by his government, he was sent from Wilmington, North Carolina, to Bermuda, his vessel successfully running the close blockade maintained by the Union ships, but upon his attempted return he was captured by the alert army, who anticipated his plans, and was first confined at Fort Fisher, after remaining a prisoner at Point Lookout until the end of the war; after the

close of active hostilities, he became a stu- dent in medicine at the University of Vir- ginia, and at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland ; he afterward was commissioned a surgeon in the United States army, serving in the west and as chief surgeon in the Philippine Islands, until his retirement, since which time he has resided in W^ashington, District of Columbia.

John J. A. Powell, son of Dr. John Nor- ment and Mary Catherine (Wright) Powell, was born at Melrose, Henrico county, Vir- ginia, September 23, 1846. After studying in private schools, in 1863 he entered the Virginia Military Institute, and on May 15. 1864, was one of the corps of cadets who organized as a battalion of infantry of four companies, and as a platoon of artillery, serving two three-inch rifle guns, lost over fifty killed and wounded out of an aggre- gate of two hundred and fifty. On this bloody field the cadets of the \'irginia Mili- tary Institute distinguished themselves for gallantry and bravery, and, every one being finely trained in matters military, conducted themselves as veterans of many campaigns. Mr. Powell subsequently resigned from the institute, became a member of Colonel Mose- by's famous command and served therein until the country returned to peace. He was present at the last roll call of his company at Salem, Virginia, where they disbanded, the comrades of many battle-fields return- ing to plow their fields side by side and to resume the arts of peace. For four years after the end of the war he worked on his father's farm, and during the terms of 1869- 1870 was a student in the law department of the University of Virginia. In the latter year he was admitted to the Virginia bar, and for fifteen years was a successful prac- titioner in the legal profession at Columbia, Virginia. Since 1888 Mr. Powell has been a resident of Wytheville, Wythe county, Vir- ginia, and in that place continued his legal work, rising to a position of eminence at the bar and rendering public service of merit and value. In 1885 he was elected to the Virginia legislature as a representative from Fluvanna county, and held a seat in the sessions of 1885 a"<^l 1886, also attending the special session of 1887. While a member of the legislature, he introduced the first bill ever brought before that body granting per- mission for railroad receivers to be sued in court where the cause of action occurred,