William Henry Powell
Born: May 10, 1825
Birthplace: Pontypool, Wales
Father: William Powell 1797 – 1864
Mother: Sarah Griffith 1797 – 1866
1st Wife: Sarah Elizabeth Gilchrist 1824 – 1878
(Buried: Graceland Cemetery, Chicago, Illinois)
2nd Wife: Emma P. West 1843 – 1928
(Buried: Green Mount Protestant Cemetery, Belleville, Illinois)
Children:
Lucy E. Powell Allen 1850 – 1949
(Buried: Graceland Cemetery, Chicago, Illinois)
William G. Powell 1853 – 1873
(Buried: Graceland Cemetery, Chicago, Illinois)
Alice Mary Powell 1855 – 1919
(Buried: Graceland Cemetery, Chicago, Illinois)
Harry Lawrence Powell 1857 – 1947
(Buried: Mountain View Cemetery, Attadena, California)
Education:
Learned the Iron Making Trade
Occupation before War:
Builder of Benwood Nail Works
Superintendent of Benwood Nail Works
1846: Lost sight of his right eye in accident at Nail Works
Builder of Bellfonte Nail Works
General Superintendent and Financial Agent for Iron Works
Civil War Career:
1861: Captain of regiment intended to be 4th Ohio Cavalry
1861: Governor of Ohio refused to accept any more Cavalry
1861 – 1862: Captain of Co. B 2nd Loyal Virginia Volunteer Cavalry
1862: Served in Louisa Kentucky under General Garfield
Confronted Bushwhackers in the Kanawha Valley
1862: Ambushed Henry Heth at Lewisburg, West Virginia
1862: Confronted Jenkins in the Kanawha Valley Campaign
1862: Led the Advance Guard in the Kanawha Valley
1862 – 1863: Major of 2nd Loyal Virginia Cavalry Regiment
1862: Led attack on Jenkins camp outside of Barboursville
1862: Leader in the Sinking Spring Raid in Western Virginia
1863: Offered his resignation but it was not accepted
1863 – 1864: Colonel of 2nd West Virginia Cavalry Regiment
1863: Second in command during the Wytheville, Virginia Raid
1863: Captured and Wounded during the Wytheville, Virginia Raid
1863: His wound was to the right side of his chest with no exit
1863: Citizens of Wytheville, Virginia wanted to hang him
1863: Charged by Confederates waging war contrary to usages of war
First Kept in Dungeon without bed and received only bread and water
Later he was sent to Libby Prison in Richmond, Virginia
1863 – 1864: Prisoner of War held by the Confederate Army
1864: Exchanged for Colonel Richard H. Lee (Robert E. Lee’s Cousin)
1864: Presented in Ohio with a gold watch and money
1864: Served in the Battle of Cove Mountain, Virginia
1864: Brigade Commander during Battle of Lynchburg, Virginia
1864: Brigade Commander in the Battle of Rutherford’s Farm, Virginia
1864: Brigade Commander in the Second Battle of Kernstown, Virginia
1864: Served in the Battle of Moorefield, West Virginia
1864: Served in Third Battle of Winchester, Virginia, Captured 80 Prisoners
1864: Led the Pursuit of Early’s Army in the Shenandoah Valley
1864: Cavalry Division Commander in the Pursuit of Early’s Army
1864: Patrolled the region of Harrisonburg, Virginia
1864: Destroyed all grain and burning mills in Luray, Virginia
1864: Destroyed the tannery that supplied the Confederate Army
1864: Hung one of Mosby’s men because of Mosby doing same
1864 – 1865: Brigadier General of Union Army Volunteers
1864: Prevented Union Army from getting flanked at Cedar Creek
1864: Fought against Lomax, Rosser’s and McCausland’s Cavalry
1865: Resigned from the Union Army on January 5th
1865: Issued a farewell address to his soldiers on January 10th
1865: Official Resignation was accepted on January 14th
1866: Brevetted Major General for his service in the War
Occupation after War:
General Manager of Ironton Rolling Mill in Ironton, Ohio
Declined Republican Nomination for U.S. Congressman
Builder of Clifton Nail Works in Clifton, West Virginia
General Manager of Clifton Nail Works in Clifton, West Virginia
1870: Almost killed in horse and buggy accident
1870: Unable to work he sold his interest in the Nail Business
Employee of Standard Oil Company in Kansas City, Missouri
Insurance Agent with American Central Insurance in St. Louis, Missouri
1876 – 1882: Manager of Waugh Company Nail Works
1877: Suffered from occasional cough and dyspnea
1882: Organizer of Western Nail Works
1882 – 1892: Superintendent and Manager of Western Nail Works
1895 – 1904: Collector of Internal Revenue in Illinois
1895 – 1896: Illinois Commander of Grand Army of the Republic
Died: December 26, 1904
Place of Death: Belleville, Illinois
Cause of Death: La grippe and chronic bronchitis
Age at time of Death: 79 years old
Burial Place: Graceland Cemetery, Chicago, Illinois
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