Jesse Powell, Charity Harrell, & Nancy Phillips

Descendants of Sally’s 5-great- grandparents
Arthur Cotten & Mary Elizabeth Rutland of Mulberry Grove, Helen

Jesse Powell 1772 – 1860 | his parents
& 1798 Charity Harrell 1782 – 1822 | her parents
& ca 1823 Nancy Phillips 1785 – 1864 | her parents
of Healthy Grove, Halifax Co, NC


This is my working hypothesis – the way I see it as of this moment!!


PowellJesse
Jesse Powell at 82
picture compliments of Al Anderson
present owner of “Healthy Grove”

Jesse Powell 5 Dec 1772 – 28 Feb 1860 ‘Healthy Grove,’ Halifax Co
[from a] 1841 memoir by Jesse Powell, son of Lewis Powell and Helen Cotten.
Jesse states that “after the death of my [step] father [1788] and until age 21 I was apprenticed by my mother and ‘my brother-in-law’ Lazarus Carter to a carpenter to learn the carpenter’s trade.

Jesse Powell married 27 Oct 1798 Charity Harrell 1782 – 1822
dau of Amos Harrell & Charity Rutland [13 children]
“This set of Powells is buried in a large family cemetery at Dawson’s Cross Roads, out from Scotland Neck.
This place is in the eastern end of the county not too far from the Roanoke River. There is a beautiful old house nearby – maybe that was Healthy Grove, although there is no grove, and the house is very close to the road….DG”
“Seems this was the home of Thomas Duke Lawrence who married Jesse’s daughter Mary Bailey Powell”

jpcemetery3 jpcemetery1 jpcemetery2 jpcemetery5 jpcemetery4

photos by Louis Powell 15 Sept 2003 on visit
to the cemetery where some of his ancestors are buried

Jesse Powell married 23 Sept 1823 Nancy Phillips 31 Oct 1785 – 10 Apr 1864 ts
daughter of Etheldred Philips and his wife Jinny

Mr. Jesse Powell was a licensed minister of the Gospel [Baptist]. note in Bible.

Children of Jesse Powell and Charity Harrell:
1. Mary Bailey Powell 1 Jan 1800 – 2 May 1854
married 16 Oct 1817 Thomas Duke Lawrence 21 Jan 1789 – 3 July 1863 Halifax Co NC
son of John Lawrence & Mary Duke

2. Elizabeth R. Powell
married 6 Jan 1831 Josephus Duke William Lawrence 1793 – ca 1834
Halifax Co Marriage Bond son of John Lawrence & Mary Duke
a. William Thomas Lawrence 23 Jan 1834 –
married Oct 1856 Sarah Virginia Daniel 7 April 1836 Halifax Co. – 24 Jan 1895
she is buried in Baptist Cem. in Scotland Neck.
i. Alice May Lawrence 14 Aug 1857 – 27 Jan 1920
married March 1885 Julian Pendleton of Scotland Neck
ii. Catherine [Kate] Lawrence 1858 – 1926
married Walter C Pendleton, brother of Julian
iii. Thomas E Lawrence 1859 –
iv. Charles W Lawrence 1860 – 9 Dec 1933 – single person
v. William E Lawrence – single person
vi. Louis M Lawrence 1863 – died single person
vii. Amanda Lawrence 17 Aug 1870 – 19 March 1887
3. Alpheus H. Powell
married ca 1852 Mary Harrell Simons
dau of Joseph J Simons of Hert. Co
a. Emmett Powell 30 April 1855 –
married Mary [Mollie] Bryan 1857 – 1899
dau of Joseph Bryan and wife Mary Higgs
b. Martha Abner [Addie] Powell 3 Sept 1860 – 1 May 1940
married Walter Beavans 24 Feb 1850 – 14 June 1926 Enfield, NC
i. Blanche Beavans 20 Nov 1884 – 4 April 1967
married Stanley Cotton Whitaker 4 Sept 1880 – 12 Oct 1947 Enfield NC
son of Wilson Cary Whitaker and wife Lillie M.
1. Virginia Whitaker 12 Sept 1910 – 9 Aug 1934
Martha, Walter, Blanche, Stanley, and Virginia are all buried at Whitaker’s Chapel
dates from headstones supplied by James E Moore
c. Elizabeth Powell nfi
4. George W. Powell 10 June 1810 – 31 May 1869
married 22 Sept 1826 Mary Barney
married Nash Co 3 Jan 1833 Martha Eliza Whitehead
Nash County marriage bond for George Powell & Eliza Whitehead, 3 Jan. 1833
a. Mary Charity Temperance Powell 14 Nov 1833 – 25 April 1902
married 7 May 1860 Danford Edmondson 29 Feb 1836 -18 Aug 1894 of Scotland Neck
son of John Edmondson and wife Nancy Parker of Edgecombe Co
Nash marriage bond for Molly T. C. Powell & Danford Edmondson, 7 may 1860
i. Marietta Edmondson 22 June 1863 – 10 May 1903
married in Halifax 10 Jan 1882 Robert Carey Josey 2 Aug 1855 – 13 June 1951
son of Napoleon Bonaparte Josey and Mary Louisa Powell
1. Hulda Edmondson Josey 30 Sept 1882 – 9 Aug 1908
married Sam Arrington Dunn
2. Mary Powell Josey 19 July 1885 – 7 Sept 1890
3. Robert Carey Josey 13 May 1889 – 5 June 1949
married Anna Maria Kitchin 1889 – 1988
4. Danford Edmondson Josey 28 April 1892 – 4 Jan 1977
married 1st Joyce Harris
married 2nd Rille Harris
Robert Josey married 2nd 1906 Sadie Perry
dau of Jesse A Perry and Mary Fowle
ii. infant son born and died 22 July 1865
iii. Minnie Edmondson 24 June 1867 – 30 Aug 1900
married in Halifax Co 14 April 1887 Osceola Kinchen Taylor 2 Aug 1864 – 16 Oct 1948
son of Kinchen Taylor and India Ricks of Whitakers, Nash Co
1. Danford Edmondson Taylor 16 Sept 1888 – 18 Feb 1963 Washington DC
married Annie P Nicholson
2. Neda Taylor 20 Nov 1889 – 3 Nov 1979
married George Edmund Pendleton
3. Mary Taylor 15 Oct 1892 – 13 Jan 1972
married Dr. J H Cutchin of Whitakers
4. Osceola Bruce Taylor 6 June 1896 – 19 June 1956
married Fannie Powell
5. Julian Carter Taylor 18 May 1898 – 21 April 1959
married Mertie Anderson
after Minnie’s death OK Taylor married 2nd Kate Arrington and had further issue
b. John W H Powell 18 Jan 1836 –
the George W. Powell set seems to live more between Enfield and Scotland Neck
c. Jesse A Powell 9 May 1838 –
d. Martha E Powell 27 July 1840 –
married 25 Feb 1860 John A Taylor
Nash marriage bond for Patty Powell & John A. Taylor, 25 Feb. 1860
e. [George] Watson Powell 22 Nov 1842 –
f. [William] Alpheus Powell 3 April 1845 –
g. Thomas E Powell 25 June 1847 –
married Elizabeth [Eliza] Clomon
h. Lewis A Powell 21 Oct 1849 –
i. Georgetter Powell ca 1851 –
5. Martha J Powell
married 8 June 1845 Abner J Perry 11 Oct 1809 – 11 Oct 1866
(widower of sister Julia)
a. Abner J Perry Jr 7 Aug 1853 – 2 Dec 1877 without issue
6 Julia Ann [D?] Powell d. bef June 1845
married 6 Jan 1831 Abner J Perry of Hert. Co
a. Jesse A Perry 18 Feb 1838 – 3 July 1916 Greenville NC
moved to Scotland Neck in 1876 and mayor there 1891-1900, B B Winborne
married 18 Feb 1862 Mary D Fowle 1838 – 1901
i. Julia A Perry ca 1863 –
married J Frank Brinkley of Greenville NC
ii. James F Perry ca 1866 –
iii. Sarah [Sadie] T. Perry ca 1868 – 1963 of Scotland Neck no issue
grad Chowan in 1886
married 1906 Robert Carey Josey
iv. Mary F Perry ca 1870 –
v. John D Perry Sr. 13 Nov 1871 Bath NC – 6 Feb 1962 Winston-Salem
optometrist
married Julia Dunn 14 Aug 1875 – 28 July 1956 Winston-Salem
dau of James L Dunn & Dorothy Alston
vi. Helen Cotton Perry ca 1873 – ca 1910
married 4 June 1907 Rev James Kennedy Henderson 1870 – 1954

1. Mary Fowle Henderson dy
2. Jesse Perry Henderson 1910 – 1978
James Henderson married 2nd Annie Josey and had several children
b. John D Perry 12 June 1843 – moved 1871 to Wilcox Co AL
married 8 Feb 1869 Helen Johnston of Edenton 1844 –
7. Jesse Cotten Powell M.D 8 July 1818 – 27 Feb 1867 [49th year]
in 1850 Dr J C Powell was assisting Dr G C Moore in his practice at Mulberry Grove
the Maj. J W Moore notes Dr J C Powell died at his new home in Halifax 27 March 1867.

married 19 Dec 1844 Emaline Gatling 16 Feb 1829 – 1875 [age 46]
daughter of David Gatling couple married by Rev. Quinton H Trotman
note in Dr. Powell’s Bible – Dr. Jesse Powell was born and reared in the two-story home west of Dawson. After his marriage to EGP Dr Jesse Powell moved to a home that had been built for him by his father, Mr. Jesse Powell. This home is a two-story house about a mile from the one in which Dr. Powell was reared. This was called Sunny Side.

a. Julia Frances Powell 17 April 1846 [11 o’clock pm] – 30 Jan 1847 age 9 mo 13 days
b. Mary Virginia Powell 7 May 1851 – 1 Dec 1957 [5 yrs 6 mo 24 days]
c. Frances Simons Powell 23 April 1854 – 1870 ts
d. Sarah [Sallie] Martha Powell 16 April 1857 – 6 May 1911 ts
1910 census said she had had 8 children 5 of whom were living at that time
married 15 Dec 1872 Dr. Oliver Clinton Stallings 14 Mar 1845 – 13 May 1914
married by Rev T R Owen son of Hilliard Stallings and Emily his wife
i. Jesse Hilliard Stallings 28 June 1874 – 20 Aug 1875 age 14 mo ts
ii. Oliver P Stallings 1877 –
married ca 1907 Lucy ca 1885 –
iii. E. E. Stallings ca 1879 – [girl]
iv. Hugh Hopkins Stallings 1883 – 1885 ts
v. Ella N Stallings June 1889 –
vi. Carl C Stallings Oct 1890 –
vii. Jessie Emeline Stallings 23 Sept 1894 – 29 Sep 1899
e. Jessie Powell 7 June 1859 – 7 Sept 1877 dsp ts
f. Ella Powell 28 Oct 1861 – 1886 [age 25 -Friday of last week]
married 10 Sept 1879 Charles Ashley Young of Wilson
married by Rev T R Owen
g. Ida Powell 12 Feb 1864 – ts
8. Frances Charity Powell 26 May 1822 – 15 Aug 1854
married 28 March 1843 James Lane Battle 25 Nov 1814 – 28 Feb 1884
a. Jesse Alford Battle 7 Mar 1844 –
married 1st Annie R Taylor
married 2nd Susan Cotten
b. Julia Ann Elizabeth Battle 18 April 1845 – [twin]
married William I Peebles
c. Louis Wilson Battle 18 April 1845 – 1880 [twin]
d. William [Billie] Jethro Battle 1849 – 1918
married 25 Feb 1885 Martha [Mattie] Edwards
e. Marietta Frances Battle 10 June 1855 – 26 July 1894
9. Sally H Powell ca 1802 – 11 Oct 1824 age 22
Raleigh Register 29 Oct 1824
married 25 June 1822 Joshua Watson 1796 – 1861
Halifax Co Marriage bond – postmaster at Palmyra in 1824
a. Dr. John T Watson ca 1824 –
married 10 June 1847 Sallie A Arrington
only daughter of Dr. John Arrington [and wife Martha Smith Westray]
[Tarborough
Press 19 June 1847]
i. Alice A Watson ca 1848 –
ii. Sidney P Watson ca 1850 –
iii. Sally Watson ca 1852 –
iv. Kate Smith Watson ca 1855 –
v. Joshua Watson ca 1856 –
vi. Charles Watson ca 1860 –
vii. Walter Watson ca 1862 –
viii. Paul Watson ca 1865 –
ix. Arthur Watson ca 1868 –

J K Henderson Married – The following from the Scotland Neck Commonwealth will
be read with interest by friends of J K Henderson in this county. He was
married on Tuesday, June 4 to Miss Helen C Perry: The bride, daughter, of J A
Perry and the late Mary Fowle Perry is a member of one of the oldest and
most distinguished families of the state, being a niece of the late Governor
Fowle. She is a young woman of rare gifts, the former lady principal of
Faircloth Hall at the Baptist University at Raleigh . Her charming personality,
her unselfish Christian spirit, together with her bright disposition, have won
for her, a large circle of friends throughout the state. A young woman of
Culture and refinement, she is especially fitted for her life’s work. The
groom, a graduate of Wake Forest College and a student of the Theological
Seminary, is a young minister of ability, a clear thinker and an earnest
speaker. He is greatly beloved by the people among whom he labors. His
friends here and elsewhere congratulate him upon his fortunate and happy
marriage. (from Sylvan news p 74 Vol 1 in RHH files)
Joshua Watson 1796 – 1861
married 2nd 19 Sept 1826 Alice Blount Joyner 1804 – 10 June 1859
who apparently was Sally’s friend for she stood up with her when she was married.
from the Raleigh Register Fri 29 Sept 1826 – married on the 19th instant . .Joshua Watson, merchant and Postmaster at Palmyra, Martin [sic] NC to Miss Alice B Joyner, daughter of Blount Joyner of said county. [Palmyra, Halifax county]
they are now buried Elm City, Edgecombe County, NC
a. Sarah Watson
married Col. S S Cooper rem to Granville NC
b. Dr. William Watson 1830 – 1890 Robersonville
married Sallie Speller
c. Thomas Blount Watson 24 July 1833 – 21 July 1904
d. Mary B Watson 1835 –
married Hon. H G Williams – politician and judge
e. Dr. James J Watson 12 June 1840 Nash Co NC – 12 Sept 1907 Westchester PA
married Sallie Hoskins [1st m Gray]
i. Florence Watson 1889 – 22 July 1955 West Grove, Chester, PA
married John Veit 1883 – 1923 Westchester, Chester PA
1. Earle Mervin Veit 17 June 1910 Westchester PA – 23 April 1977 Newport, Lincoln, OR

line of Valley

Child of Jesse Powell and Nancy Phillips:
10. Eaton Philips Powell 18 Feb 1825 – 27 July 1882 ts
married Halifax Co NC 16 Oct 1867 Harriet Wiley Higgs Pittman 3 Jan 1828 – 29 Mar 1878 ts no issue
daughter of Willie Higgs

Harriet Wiley Higgs
married 25 Sept 1844 Spier Pittman died 1866 intestate Halifax Co
at the Jacob Higgs residence
a. Randolph Cotten Pittman bef 1847 – bef 1850
b. John C Pittman April 1848 –
married 14 Dec 1869 Araminta Kitchin ca 1842 – 1893 no issue
dau of Boaz Kitchin and Arabella Smith
married 2nd by 1900 Mrs. Addie Smith Kitchin
widow of Louis Leonard Kitchin of Scotland Neck.
c. Robert Willie Pittman 1850 –

1850 Census Halifax Co
Jesse Powell 77 m farmer Hertford
Nancy Powell 64 f Edgecombe
Alfred Powell 30 m Halifax
Eaton Powell 25 m ”
Silvery Tanner 30 f ”

1850 Nash Census: page 296a
#684 #690
George W. Powell, age 40
Martha E., 37
Mary C.T. 16
John W.H. 14
Jesse A. 12
Martha E. 10
George W. 8
William A. 6
Thomas E. 3
Louis A. 7/12
Calvin Jones, laborer, age 23, black

1860 Nash Census, Battlesboro page 314b
#1050 #997
George W. Powell, 50
Martha E., 47
Jno W.H. 24
Jesse A. 22
George W. 17
William A. 15
Thomas E. 12
Lewis A. 10
Georgetter 8

these children with dates in the Bible of Jesse Powell are thought to be George’s
Mary Powell 14 Nov 1833 –
John Powell 18 Jan 1836 –
Jesse Powell 9 May 1838 –
Martha Powell 27 July 1840 –
Watson Powell 22 Nov 1842 –
Alpheus Powell 3 April 1845 –
Thomas Powell 25 June 1847 –
Lewis Powell 21 Oct 1849 –

notes from David Gammon –
The will of Jesse Powell was dated 14 March 1859 and was proved in Halifax
County at May Court 1860. Recorded in Will Book 5, page 69. In it he
mentioned:

wife Nancy Powell – loan certain personal property
Son Eaton P. Powell – reversion of personal property loaned wife Nancy
Son Jesse C. Powell – land adjoining the mill gate, Reedy Branch, M.C.
Whitaker, and William Draun, taking in the land I recently bought of William
Lawrence, dec’d.
I lend to my wife my remaining land, namely the house tract or Applewhite
land, with reversion to my son Eaton P. Powell.
Sons Jesse C. Powell, Alpheus W. Powell, and Eaton P. Powell – Negroes
Daughter Martha J. Perry – Negroes
Grandchildren Jesse and John T. Perry – Negroes
To my five grandchildren Jesse A., Julie E., Lewis W., William J., and Mary
Ann M. Battle – Negroes
To the children of my grandson John T. Watson, namely Alice A., Sidney P.,
Martha W., and Wiley T. Watson – Negroes and $1500
My carpenters are to build a dwelling house for the said John T. Watson.
To the children of my grandson William J. Lawrence – Negroes I gave their
mother, and $500.
Son George W. Powell – Negroes
Granddaughter Mary E. Lawrence – Negroes
Executors – sons A.W. Powell & E.P. Powell

The 1870 Census of Petersburg VA indicates John T. Watson was living there
with the following children:

Alice A., age 22
Sidney age 20
Sally, age 18
Kate Smith Watson, age 15
Joshua, age 14
Charles, age 10
Walter, age 8
Paul, age 5
Arthur, age 2

More info on the family of Jesse Powell of Halifax county.
His daughter was
Sally H. Powell.

Halifax County Marriage bond:

Joshua Watson to Sally H. Powell, 25 June 1822.

From the Raleigh Register, 29 Oct. 1824
Obit of Sally H. Watson, age 22, who died 11 October 1824, leaving a husband
Joshua Watson, Postmaster at Palmyra, and an infant child.

From Minutes of the Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions, Halifax County, Feb.
1830.
Jesse Powell was appointed guardian to his own children George W. Powell,
Julia D. Powell, Martha J. Powell, Jesse C. Powell, Alpheus H. Powell,
Charity F. Powell, and also to John T. Watson, his grandson. This record
indicates John T. Watson was son of Joshua Watson.

From the Tarborough Press, 19 June 1847
Dr. John T. Watson married Sallie A. Arrington, only daughter of Dr. John
Arrington, 10 June 1847, at the residence of the Hon. A.H. Arrington near
Hilliardston.

2 thoughts on “Jesse Powell, Charity Harrell, & Nancy Phillips”

  1. Hi I’m looking for any proof of Slave purchases, I believe my Ancestor Margaret Applewhite wife of Essex applewhite was Bonded to Jesse Powell and/or Applewhite Neighbor’s.
    I would really love to Find out What tribe she was from ,I’m a Sioux Indian but I would like to know what Tribe she was from Maybe a prisoner of war ,Any help is Appreciated

  2. Hi Sallie,
    Do you know what yDNA haplogroup that this Jesse Powell is in? My late husband David Powell is in the “gold group,” haplogroup R-M269. I have a brick wall at his 4th great grandfather Benjamin Bridges Powell, b. 1801.

    Thanks,
    Elaine Powell

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