Butte County
Biographies
GEORGE W. POWELL
GEORGE W. POWELL.—The birthplace of George W. Powell was Jonesville, Lee County, Va., and the birthday was October 18, 1853. Owing to the disturbed conditions which prevailed in the South during the Civil War, educational privileges were considerably limited, and as a young boy George was thrown upon his own resources. This may have been a blessing in disguise, as it doubtless tended to develop in him that steadiness of purpose and integrity of character which were so valuable in late years. His father, John Powell, was born, as was his son, in Jonesville, Va., and was there united in marriage with Minerva Johnson, also a Virginian by birth. He was a successful farmer in Kentucky, a stanch Union man opposed to slavery, and a member of the Home Guards, though owing to ill health he was never in active service. He died in Kentucky, at about seventy years of age. The mother died at fifty years of age. Ten children were the result of this union. Seven are still living; the eldest, Curtis, now resides at Chico Vecino. In 1877, George W. Powell, accompanied by Ben Thomas, came to Chico because of the glowing description of California given by a boy acquaintance, Will Thomas, who was then living in Chico. At first George W. was not favorably impressed with California and would have returned east but for the fact that he had but $49.50 upon reaching Chico, and so was forced to stay. After remaining a year he had no desire to go back. He worked the first summer on a thresher in Butte County, for James McIntosh, after which he was employed by L. H. McIntosh on his ranch five miles above St. John. His ability and steadiness were soon recognized by Mr. McIntosh and in 1880 he was made superintendent of the ranch, near St. John, of three thousand acres, and also a ranch of twelve hundred fifty acres at Nelson Station, having full charge of both, dividing his time between them. The ranch was devoted to general agriculture as well as raising fine horses, which he made a specialty of having a fine track on the ranch for breaking and training purposes. He raised Wayland W. and other horses of note. He continued in charge of the ranches for about twenty-three years, until 1900, when Mr. McIntosh sold his ranches and Mr. Powell came to Chico Vecino, buying a residence on the Esplanade, afterwards purchasing his present property at the corner of Esplanade and Seventh Avenue, upon which he erected the residence that he now occupies. He also set out an almond orchard of nine acres on Lone Pine Avenue, which he has since budded to prunes.
George W. Powell was married, March 25, 1901, in Chico, to Mrs. Phoebe I. (Vinson) Eaton, who was born in Steilacoom, Wash., but was brought up near Eugene, Ore. She is a daughter of Thomas and Nicina (Warfield) Vinson, natives of North Carolina and Missouri respectively. Her grandfather, Samuel Warfield, came to Oregon in 1849, crossing the plains with oxen, and upon his arrival located in Yaquina Bay, where he engaged in stock-raising. He died in Umatilla County. On the Vinson side, Mrs. Powell is of French descent. Her father was a farmer and stockman in Oregon and Washington, and spent his last days in Redding, Cal. His wife died near Eugene, Ore. Of their family of seven children, four are living, Mrs. Powell being the second oldest. She was educated in the public schools of Oregon. She came to Chico about twenty-three years ago and made this city her home until her marriage to Mr. Powell. They have one son, George Lavern. Mr. and Mrs. Powell are members of the Presbyterian Church, of which Mr. Powell has been a member of the board of trustees for year. In politics, he is a true blue Republican.
Transcribed
by Sharon Walford Yost.
Source: "History of
Butte County, Cal.," by George C. Mansfield, Pages 1154-1155, Historic Record Co, Los Angeles, CA, 1918.
© 2009 Sharon
Walford Yost.
Golden Nugget Library's Butte County Biographies