Johnson County, NE - Family Histories
POWELL
Contributed by: Mary <[email protected]>John and Louisa Powell
John Parker and Louisa Jane (Lowrey) Powell of Crab Orchard, celebrated their 71st Wedding Anniversary on June 13, 1940.
John Parker Powell was born September 26, 1848 at Pattonsburg, MO to Parker and Lucy Ann Powell.
Louisa Jane Lowrey was born May 6, 1854 at Pattonsburg, MO to John Milton and Charlotte Lowrey.
John and Louisa were married on June 13, 1869 at Pattonsburg, MO; Louisa being 15 and John being 20 years of age. A year later they purchased a farm nine miles southwest of Nebraska City, where they started their family. In 1881, they moved to Bent County, Colorado, near Rocky Ford, where they lived until 1889, when they purchased a farm 4 1/2 miles southeast of Sterling. They sold the Sterling farm in 1902 and bought another farm 1 1/2 miles north of Crab Orchard. John and Louisa retired from the farm in 1915 and moved to Crab Orchard.
John died on September 15, 1940 in Crab Orchard. John was known to all his many friends as "Uncle Johnie." He was a great lover of children, and will be greatly missed.
Louisa went on without her husband of 71 years until her death came after a stroke on July 16, 1949. She spent the last 8 years of her life with her daughter LeDora Zimmer in Lincoln, because of her increasingly failing health.
"Grandma Powell", as she was known to her numerous friends, quickly responded to the careful and constant care that she had been receiving and had gained enough strength to walk a few steps during her months of illness. Louisa was of Methodist faith, and through this faith, she endured her long suffering and hardships in life. She devoted her life to her family and friends, her door always being open to strangers, friends and relatives.
John and Louisa had 11 children. William Collmore died in 1938; Harriet May Sandusky; Olive Cordelia Litten; Logan Gates, of Crab Orchard died in 1944; Lucille Ann Brown; Ruby Maud Stone died in 1968; Grace Marl Morrison died in 1973; Kathryn Louise Toole died in 1982; Donna Forrest Greese died in 1928; Ledora Zimmer died in 1991; and Ora Kenneth died in 1956. A grandchild, Logan Parker Powell, who was taken into their home when an infant, lost his life on August 25, 1944, while serving with the United States Infantry in France.