Elijah Wilson Powers
1850 - 1926 (76 years)-
Name Elijah Wilson Powers Born 30 Jan 1850 Palmyra, Montgomery Co., TN 
Gender Male Died 25 May 1926 Montgomery Co., TN Buried Powers Family Cemetery, Montgomery Co., TN Person ID I2262 MyTree Last Modified 15 Aug 2009
Father Barnabus Crawford Powers, b. 1 Mar 1811, Rockingham Twp., Richmond Co., NC , d. 11 Jun 1881, Palmyra, Montgomery Co., TN (Age 70 years) Mother Susanna Martin, b. 13 Mar 1813, NC , d. 12 Oct 1887, Montgomery Co., TN (Age 74 years) Married 2 Sep 1842 Montgomery Co., TN Family ID F1822 Group Sheet | Family Chart
Family Mary Cora Webb, b. 5 Oct 1857, Shiloh., TN , d. 11 Apr 1938, Palmyra, Montgomery Co., TN (Age 80 years) Married 7 Sep 1882 Montgomery Co., TN Children + 1. Alpheus Leo Powers, b. 25 Jul 1883, Palmyra, Montgomery Co., TN , d. 24 Nov 1936, Palmyra, Montgomery Co., TN (Age 53 years)+ 2. Clay Winstead Powers, b. 7 Oct 1885, Palmyra, Montgomery Co., TN , d. 7 Feb 1964, Clarksville, Montgomery Co., TN (Age 78 years)3. Dora Margaretta Powers, b. 20 Aug 1887, Montgomery Co., TN , d. Yes, date unknown4. Dixie Leola Powers, b. 13 Nov 1888, Montgomery Co., TN , d. Yes, date unknown5. Louis Raymond Powers, b. 5 Feb 1892, Montgomery Co., TN , d. 21 Dec 1970, prob Montgomery Co., TN (Age 78 years)6. Homer Wilson Powers, b. 16 Apr 1893, Montgomery Co., TN , d. Yes, date unknown7. Wiley Jerome Powers, b. 17 Dec 1894, Montgomery Co., TN , d. 21 Apr 1982, Montgomery Co., TN (Age 87 years)8. Roxie May Powers, b. 26 Nov 1898, Montgomery Co., TN , d. 1953, prob Montgomery Co., TN (Age 54 years)Last Modified 17 Jul 2017 Family ID F1823 Group Sheet | Family Chart
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Notes - Elijah Wilson Powers remained at home content to work with his father
tilling the land and making it more productive. Together they
increased the acreage.
Mary Webb, an orphan and neighbor, came to live with them to help
Susan, who was in her 70's. Later, Wilse and "Molly" wer married.
On his deathbed, Barney asked his sons to divide the farm and share
equally with Elizabeth and Caroline. This was done. Wilse bought the
land from the others. Also, additional land owned by Bettie, which
had been her share of her husband's property.
Wilse was well known in the community for good quality molasses. He
supplied the neighbors as well as his own table. The apple cider had
a special tang because he convinced a Clarksville merchant, closed for
the 4th of July celebration, that he should sell a cider press behind
closed doors. After all, every trip into town had to count.
In 1894, Wilse and his neighbors built Wilson Chapel Church, a
Cumberland Presbyterian Church. He cut trees from his own land and
hauled them to the mill. He hand planed the flooring and siding. One
day, while shaping a piece of the sill holding the floor joists, the
foot adz slipped and cut his foot. Homer was a small boy and
remembers the excitement. The church flourished for several years,
then gradually went down as people died or moved away. It stood empty
for many years. It was torn down about 1950.
Most of the grandchildren of Wilse and Molly are living today and
remem them well. I have faint memories of my grandfather working in
the blacksmith shop. I also remember yellow roses blooming in the
front yeard with redbirds and wrens flitting about singing in the warm
sunshine while Grandma demonstrated how milk was delivered on the
farm. (Sources: Powers Family Bible; Powers Family Cemetery;
Interviews with Homer Powers; Personal experience of Iva Coffman; U.S.
Census, 1880 and 1900)
- Elijah Wilson Powers remained at home content to work with his father