From the 1885 History of Steuben County, Indiana

pages 626-627

Winn Powers, deceased. -- This old and respected citizen was the second in the family, and born at Fort Stanwix (Now the city of Rome), Oneida Co., N. Y., December, 1801. His youth was passed under the roof of a stranger, where he was placed by his mother after his father's death. Having received a fair education, as soon as he arrived at manhood he began teaching school, teaching one term of three months in each year for three years. The rest of the time he worked at farming, and judiciously managed to save enough to give him a start in life. This was in Ontario County, N. Y., whither his parents had moved when Winn was about three years old, and where his father died in 1808. He was married in Ontario County, N. Y., April, 1825, to Betsey Reeves, the daughter of John and Elizabeth Reeves, natives of New Jersey, where Mrs. Powers was born May, 1801. A few days after their marriage the young couple moved to Allegany County, N. Y., and settled on a wild farm, on which they lived twelve years, clearing sixty acres during that time. His wife before her marriage had by industry and economy saved enough to set up housekeeping in a primitive manner, and in a log cabin in Allegany they began to fight the battle of life, and well did they succeed. About 1836 they concluded it was their duty to provide homes for their children. With this purpose in view they sold their little home and started overland for Indiana, where his brothers Clark and Calvin had come and entered land in the spring of 1836. After a long and tedious journey he and his family, with his brother Stephen and family, arrived at the cabin built by Clark on section 30, York Township, Steuben Co., July, 1837, where Winn and family lived through the winter of 1837-'38. In January of the latter year he bought 120 acres of land on section 29, York Township, and the following summer built a log cabin in the woods, and in this humble manner began his new life in the then distant West. By his marriage the following children were born to him -- Myron, August, 1826; Hannah, October, 1828; Edwin, February, 1831; Calvin P., January, 1834; Mowry, December, 1836 (deceased); Ann E., January, 1839; and George R., July, 1842. The purpose which brought Winn Powers and wife to Indiana they never diviated from. All their children now living are settled close to the old home. The Powers family believe in the universal salvation of mankind; politically, have always adhered to Democracy; and "Uncle Winn," as he was familiarly called, was a member of the Masonic Lodge about thirty years. For nearly half a century Uncle Winn and wife walked side by side, but the dread messenger came and summoned his loving helpmate to her eternal rest on April 14, 1873, and on June 24, 1883, after an illness of a few days, he joined her in the better land. Beginning life at the foot of the ladder he had by his energy and industry accumulated a handsome property. He was always fond of the chase, and was happy when roaming the dense forest with no companion but his trusty rifle. In every public improvement the Powers family have stood shoulder to shoulder with the foremost, and no family of "Old Steuben" have done more than they to build up the county. Several years ago he set about soliciting subscriptions for building a church on land known as the Powers Cemetery, which his brother Clark had donated to the public many years before. He succeeded in this laudable undertaking, as the commodious "Free Church" well attests, and beneath whose shadow he is sleeping his last sleep.

Submitted by Kim Davoli

E-mail: davoli82@juno.com