Jefferson
County, Alabama Biographies
The following biographies
were extracted from:
Jefferson County and Birmnigham, Alabama: Historical and
Biographical, 1887, Author: John Witherspoon
Dubose.
P
JAMES ROBERT POWELL, of this county, is one of the best known citizens of the State. He
was born in Brunswick county, Virginia, Dec. 7, 1814. His father was at
first wealthy, but suddenly lost his property, and after laboring on a farm for
two years, the son came to this State in 1833. He had a hotel at
Lowndesboro and at Montgomery, and removed to Wetumka in 1836. There he
began his remarkable career as a stage owner and mail contractor which lasted
for twenty-five years, and was thick with stirring incidents. His
memorable contests with Messrs. Jamison of Tuskaloosa, John G. Winter of
Montgomery, and other rivals, for the possession of stage routes and mail
contracts, are among the fireside stories of Alabama. He became sheriff of
Coosa, and in 1845 represented the county in the lower house, as he did in the
senate in 1853. Shortly after he removed to Montgomery, and was a leading
and wealthy citizen there till he came to this county in 1871, as president of
the "Elyton Land Company," to lay the foundation of a manufacturing
city amidst the marvelous mineral resources of this county. Col. Powell is
the least negative and passive of men. His energy and enterprise, his
sagacity and public spirit, are only equalled by the expansive view he takes of
all questions that affect the public weal. During the late war he
furnished an entire company with horses at his own expense, and gave liberally
towards their equipment. Having gathered a large quantity of ice during the war,
when it was so much needed, and could not be obtained, he gave it to the
Confederate government for their wounded, though offered $40,000 for it.
Hon. Thomas D. Clarke of Talladega and Hon. J. H. Weaver of Coosa married
sisters of Col. Powell.
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