Notes for John POWELL

VanGundy Family Tree


	Researched and Compiled by: Jane Van Gundy Published to the Web by: B.J. Van Gundy Send email to B.J. VanGundy: bj@vangundy.net Created with GEDPage Version 2.20 VANGUNDY Project July 2, 2002
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Notes for John POWELL

The Powell family of Virginia, of which we are descendants, originallycame from the County of Brecknock or Brecon in Wales. "The name ofPowell was ap Howell until the time of William ap Howell, of Bevalt,1550 A.D. who was called William Powell."

The first record most researchers have is of William Powel (born apHowel) of Castle Madoc, Brecon, who moved to Suffolk in England andtook over a manor which he named Howellton. His descendant of thesame name was among the Jamestown settlers in 1607. The line of apHowels in Breconshire mostly descend from Hywel Dda (Howel the Good),king of Wales in the 900s, who lived on a fortified hilltop outsidethe present town of Crickhowell.

Powell Paths contains the following record:

"The beautiful manor house that you see in this picture is 'Nant Eos'situated in Wales, near Aberystwyth.

Nant Eos means 'spring or brook of the Nightingale.' There has been ahouse on this site for centuries, the present one was begun in 1739.Parts of the house are much older than the Georgeian period, thecellars dating back to the 11th century. In the time of the Civil Warof Charles I, Averina Jones, daughter of Col. John Jones, living atNant Eos, married a LeBrun, their daughter in turn married a Powell,so came the Powells to Nant Eos. In the early days the estate coveredsome 30, 000 acres, over the years some went to pay debts. ThePowells certainly enjoyed life to the full and lived up to theirposition.

Through a series of misfortunes, the house went out of Powell hands in1957 and the new owner sold 1/3 of the contents. When the ownermoved, the house, complete with furniture and paintings, was closed.In 1967 it was sold to a 'scrap man.' The house was in sad condition.Mrs. Edwina Powell Colgate heard of the situation and after a hardstuggle, managed to save the house in April 1983, working with theproverbial 'shoe string.' She is also struggling to save the Powellpaintings and fixtures from the scrap man.

There is a legend that during (the period of) Henry VIII, when themonks were turned out of their monasteries, that the Glastonbury monkssought refuge at Nant Eos, carrying with them a Cup of the LastSupper. It has not been seen since the house was sold in 1967.

The Powells of Nant Eos, County Cardigan, Wales, are descended fromPhilip ap Howell. Three Powell brothers of Nant Eos left Wales in1606 with Capt. John Smith."

To date it has not been fully documented whether our original AmericanPowell ancestor was Nathaniel or Thomas. There are currentlyproponents of each who are working to solve the puzzle. According toSmith's "History of Virginia" the first appearance of the Powell namethere was when Captain William Powell sailed with Captain John Smithfrom Blackwell (England), December 19, 1606, and entered ChesapeakeBay, April 20, 1607. William was administrator of Gov NathanielPowell's estate.

Among the most famous descendants of the Virginia line of Powells,besides Nathaniel, the first governor of VA, is Katherine Hepburn, themovie actress. In her autobiography she states that her grandmotherwas a member of the very distinguished Powell family who were "quiteimpoverished by the Civil War" as were most other plantation owners ofthe South.

Residences & events in the life of this John:

He was a brewer.

St Olave's Parish, England, where he owned a tenant house.

The family listed below is by no means accurate, consisting merely ofthe names of various men who according to family traditions and otherstories came to America early in the history of the country and aresaid to be one of ours. Absolute proof is yet to be determined. Sofar the only constant seems to be that 3 brothers came to America andThomas was one of them.

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