"My Uncle Jack started me off many years ago by researching the Beddgelert and Nantmor branch of my father's family of Corlwyni and Carneddi farms. When I was given the family tree it was a very bare skeleton, with hardly any dates. So over the years I have been able to put the meat on the bones, and I am still adding to it.
I have researched the Beddgelert Parish Records at the National Library of Wales where I found my great great grandfather Gruffydd Prichard's papers, which have given me a lot more background. In the Gwynedd Archives I found a copy of a letter by Bob Owen, Croesor 1937, about the family tree of Corlwyni and Carneddau farms, though I found that there were several mistakes in it.
However, it did mention a branch of the family which emigrated to the USA, which fired my imagination. Some 12 months ago I wrote a letter to Ninnau (The Welsh American Newspaper) and received three replies. I discovered that four children of Evan Powell, my great great grandfather's first cousin, had emigrated in the late 1860s.
I received the whole history and photos of Robert Powell, the eldest son, and his family. He settled in Williamsburg, Iowa, and I was given the address of his only great grand-daughter, Miriam. We met last August with great excitement. The other three children of Evan Powell - William, Ann and Jane - settled in Milwaukee. I have been able to get the biography of William Powell (Gwilym Eryri) which mentions his four sons, George, Rees, William and Arthur.
I also discovered that in his youth, William Powell used to climb Snowdon and make tea for visitors. When he went to Milwaukee, William became Immigration Officer for the St Paul and Chicago Railroad Company and was noted for his kindness to Welsh immigrants. There is a church and township in South Dakota named Powell in his honour.
William Powell also wrote a lot of poetry and articles for the Welsh American Newspaper, Y Drych. His grandfather Hywel Griffith had also been a well known country bard. William died aged 69 in 1910.
The information about the two sisters Ann and Jane Powell is very scant, though my next task will be to find their descendants. At least three of Evan Powell's other children stayed in the UK. Hywel kept a shop in Beddgelert, John worked as a clerk in Widnes Chemical Works and Laura, the youngest, married and settled in Beddgelert. Her children were born in Ty Isaf, now owned by the National Trust and known as Ty Llewelyn.
Next I hope to meet Laura's great-grand-daughter Elaine, who lives in New York. And so it goes on and on, never ending - but very exciting."
your comments
Gary Kent from Canberra, Australia
This is marvellous. Edward Albert Powell born 1841, Wales, was married to my grandmother's great aunt, Margaret Davies. I lost them in Wales and had not realised the emigrated to the US.
Fri Nov 21 11:50:36 2008
Sharrie Fonseca from Thibodaux, LA
I have traced my ancestry to Benjamin James Lucas Powell (1814 So Carolina - 1887 Texas) who married in 1840 Eliza Ann Adams (1826-1908). Benjamin's father was Seymore Powell who married Mary Polly Timms. Need mor information on Seymore and help on parents of Seymore Powell.
Fri Feb 15 09:53:27 2008
Kerry (Powell) Bittel from Ellis, Kansas
My Great-Grandfather, Edward Albert Powell, his wife, Margaret, and family migrated from Wales in the 1880's with other family and settled in Iowa. They left Iowa to a farm in the Wallace County, Kansas Area. From there he bought a store in Barnard, Kansas. That store he traded for a farm in the Russell County, Kansas area where he lived that rest of his life. I believe he came with the same family group to Iowa.
Mon Jun 11 09:56:12 2007
sammy powell arkansas
My family line is from van buren co arkansas. Lewis Jackson Powell and Nancy Louisa Merriman were my gr-grandparents. I would like to make contact with the feb arkansas Powell.
Tue May 8 11:12:50 2007
Bob Hughes,dads side from Angelsey
Found this article fascinating. My grandmother emigrated to Wymore Nebraska prior to WW1, but came back as her brother was constantly borrowing money off her. She was sponsored by her uncle who had initially settled in Waukesha Wisconsin, who had in turn been sponsored by his uncle. Wonderful to see that theres a Welsh Heritage Centre in Wymore Nebraska
Thu Mar 29 09:25:23 2007
Robert Powell Jackman
My Powell clan hails from Arkansas and has been there since before the American Civil War.
Wed Feb 28 09:30:15 2007
Powell - VA & NC
I have 2 Powell lines that are direct. 1st is William Powell & Jane Lucas to Lucas Powell who md. Elizabeth Edwards. they were in VA & connect to my Taliaferros. In NC I have Catherine Powell in Bertie/Onslow, NC. No parents for her. Her spouse was Samuel Johnston, who is desc'd from one of the Governors of NC, just can't find which one. They settled in Yazoo Co., MS TIA for any help.
Mon Feb 26 10:18:39 2007
Cherie Fruge, Mesa AZ
My maternal great-grandfather was James Lowry Powell. Unfortunately, I have not been able to trace him very far back, but I do know the family moved from Mississippi to Texas in the late 1800s by boxcar as train fare was too expensive. If I could trace him back further, it would make my elderly mother's day, not to mention mine!
Tue Oct 24 09:25:06 2006
Brenda Green from Mississippi
My great-great-great grandfather was
Wiley Powell from VA. He moved to NC, then
to Alabama and then to Mississippi. He lived
in Rankin County, Mississippi. He was born
in 1791 and died in 1861. I have not come
accross the name Wiley, could it be
short for William?
Mon Jul 3 11:24:54 2006
Linda West, U.S.A.
I am descended from the William Powell who owned the plantation Chippoakes(sp). Elvira Easley is one of my ancestors; the Easleys lived in North Carolina. I am trying to trace how the Easleys and Moores came together.
Sun Mar 26 10:13:46 2006
Pat (Powell) Springer
I would like to hear from any Powells in the UK and Wales, that might be researching the surname of Powell or apHowell. I have posted earlier, all my family information on Lewis R Powell, and his sibling Pressly Powell. Lewis R born 1792, and Pressly Powell born 1787, both somehwere in Virginia USA. All birth and parent records are lost. I would like to contact someone that might help me with records from Wales, about this family. We are in the DNA Powell Project, from Family Tree, in Houston, Texas USA, and are in Haplogroup K2, which means that this group only represents eight per cent of the people of the world. If anyone might like to join Family Tree DNA Projects, I would be able to help you join, and submitt your DNA to your Surname Projects.
Mon Mar 13 00:28:18 2006
Harriet Virginia Thomas, Sarepta, Louisiana
I am happy to submit my most recent geneaology information with historical significance regarding our Late Capt. William Powell of Jamestown, Va. I am one in the ninth generation of grandaughters of Capt. William Powell.
My maternal grandmother is Fannie Marie Wainwright daughter of Weldon and Emma Easley. Weldon Easley descended from 5 generations of Easleys (Esley) back to Robert Esley of England and his wife Ann Parker. Ann Parker is my 8th great grandmother and also the daughter of William Parker and Ann Powell the daughter of Captain William Powell.
Fri Mar 3 09:51:03 2006
Patricia A. Hoock, Rochester, NY
Hello, my mother was a Powell from WV. Capt. William Powell was my 9th great grandfather. He came from Surrey, England. It would be called Greater London today. I do not have an email account and am using a friend's computer. However, I will contact you again with the dates of his birth and death. His brother was Nathaniel Powell, also a Capt. They were quite wealthy and both were appointed to the General Assembly in the New World. William was a Burgess for James City and Nathaniel served on Council.
Have a nice day.
Fri Jan 27 00:54:48 2006
Mark Caravasos Morgantown WV
I have my linage traced back to William Powell (b. 1580 Parish of Llanvachreth, Merionethshire, Wales) who was the father of Evan William Powell 1610 -1683 and John William Powell. Info I have says that William's father was named Howel. Howel had a grandfather or great-grandfather who was Howell ap Griffith Derwal. I'm looking for any info I can find as I try to trace the family history.....Thanx!!!!!
Thu Nov 24 05:45:38 2005
Terry Powell from Brandon, Man. Canada
Family originates from the Craig-y-Nos castle area in 1880. Rhys Powell was a son of my g g grandfather.
Interested in family connections.
Thu Oct 6 01:34:40 2005
Heulwen Jones Old Colwyn
The Powell's of Beddgelert only go back to 1800. Howell ap Griffith due to the Patronymics being changed to a stable surname ,all his children became Powell and the first immigration that I know of was 1868.
Thu Sep 29 21:24:33 2005
The Powell family
My family is descended from Captain William Powell, who came to Jamestown, Virginia in the early 1600s. I believe there is a relationship to the Nant Eos Mansion Powell family too. Are any of you connected to these lineages?
Thu Sep 29 00:20:28 2005
Heulwen Jones
Glyn, I have not come across any Anwyl as I go back as far as 1600 in Llanfrothen but could well be one of the side branches that I have not followed up yet. There has been a lot written about the Carneddi family in various books and magazines. I have recently written a short biography of William Powell for the Great Plains Welsh Heritage Centre in Wymore Nebraska as he pioneered hundereds of immigrants to South Dakota etc.
Wed Mar 30 21:35:33 2005
Glyn Jones from Newark, Notts.
Heulwen, do you have any connection to the Anwyls of Llanfrothen, Beddgelert, Nanmor? Some descendants went to Milwaukee.
Mon Mar 28 14:44:33 2005
Since retiring from nursing Heulwen Jones of Old Colwyn has had more time for her hobby of family history and has uncovered some fascinating connections across the Atlantic.
