Gaps in the Thompson Powell Lineage

 Thompson B. Powell and Mary “Polly” Boatwright were the parents of 4 children. Thompson B., born abt 1802 married Mary Boatwright about 1834. Their children's were:

1. Mary E. Powell, b. 3 Dec 1835; Married William Monroe Hurst about 1854; died 9 May 1917.
2. Richard Thompson Powell, b. abt 1841; after 1880, date unknown.
3. Ann Rebecca Powell, b. 8 Jan 1847; married Ferguson Hale Smith, abt 1871; died 24 Feb. 1902.
4. Ellen E. Powell, b. 11 Oct 1851, died 9 Dec. 1940

Thompson B. Powell Estate was probate in 1866; he died sometime before 11 June 1866. It is not known when his wife Mary Boatwright died but the last Census she appeared in was the 1860 Chesterfield Census.

In the 1870 Census for Chesterfield County we find only two of the children – Richard Thompson Powell and Mary E. (Powell) Hurst. Richard Thompson is listed as T. R. Powell. In his household is a 23 year female with the initials M. E. Powell perhaps suggesting that he has taken a bride. Yet no other listing for Richard has been found until recently and no other listing for M. E. Powell b. 1857 has ever been found.

1870 CENSUS: Court House, Chesterfield County, South Carolina;  Roll M593_1491; Image: 111;  Family History Library Film: 552990, Page 293A; Line 27, Dwelling 113, Family 113; T. R. POWELL, Male, age 29, born in SC and M. E. POWELL, Female, age 23, born in SC.

Yesterday, I received from another Powell researcher (M. P.) a 1880 Census sheet for Alachua County, Florida. Shown on the Census page is a Richard Powell, age 40 with his Sister Ellen E. Powell, age 20. I believe these two individuals to be the son and daughter of Thompson B. Powell and Mary Boatwright. Both are shown to have been born in South Carolina.

Click to enlarge

Click to enlarge

No record of Richard Thompson Powell death has been found. It is believed he died in Chesterfield County, South Carolina. His tombstone was discovered in 1974 during the reconstruction and expansion of Highway #9. His grave was marked with a Military tombstone but no death date was recorded.  Find A Grave Memorial#55555209. Three graves were relocated from the roadway path to Pine Grove Baptist Church Cemetery on Zoar Road when the highway was widen to 4 lanes.

"Military Records Tells Story of Two Pioneers", The Chesterfield Advertiser, July 10, 1974.

If you have any information on the Death of Mary “Polly” Boatwright Powell or her son Richard Thompson Powell I would love to hear from you.

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Special Thanks to researcher M. P.

[1] 1880 U. S. Census, Alachua County, Florida, population schedule, Precinct 10, Alachua, Florida, enumeration district (ED) 004, Page 103B(stamped), Line 28, Dwelling 395, Family 395, Household of Richard Powell; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 5 October 2021); citing NARA publication Roll: T9_125.