Civil War records described Nelson as a farmer, 5'8", dark complexion,d ark eyes, dark hair, born Vermilion Co, IL.
Residences & events in his life:
1850 Shelby Co, IL. Nelson married Elvira there and was listed inthe c ensus as a farmer with real estate valued at $700.
1851 Shelby Co, IL. He was named defendant in a circuit court caseag ainst Albertus Harper, details unknown.
1855 Coles Co, IL, was his residence when he was listed in the Statec ensus.
1857 Moultrie Co, IL. He was listed on the delinquent tax list,possi bly because he was in Coles Co.
7/30/1860 T13 R6E, Moultrie Co, IL. Having lost his wife just a fewm onths prior, Nelson, 30, and his 2 daughters, Elizabeth, 9, andElvira C , 8 months, were living with his brother, James, and familyat census t ime. Also living there was a 20 year old neighbor girl asa housekeepe r's assistant named Elizabeth Purvis who would become hissecond wife i n five years. Nelson's occupation was farmer.
Name: Nelson E Powell ,
Residence: Sullivan, Illinois
Enlistment Date: 06 August 1861
Distinguished Service: DISTINGUISHED SERVICE
Side Served: Union
State Served: Illinois
Unit Numbers: 364 364 364
Service Record: Promoted to Full Quartermaster Sergeant
Enlisted as a Private on 06 August 1861
Enlisted in Company B, 41st Infantry Regiment Illinois on 06 August186 1.
Reenlisted in Company B, 41st Infantry Regiment Illinois on 17 March18 64
Transfered on 23 December 1864 from company B to company G
Mustered out Company B, 41st Infantry Regiment Illinois on 22 July1865
When Nelson left for war, he entrusted the care of his sole survivingd aughter, 10 year old Lizzie, to brother James. However, thisarrangem ent proved unsuitable as she was soon moved to the home ofAddison McPh eeters, family friends and neighbors. In a letter toElizabeth Purvis, N elson wrote: "I received a letter from Jamesyesterday who told me in h is letter that Lizza had always been a goodgirl, always minded him wel l but that she didn't mind her Aunt atall.I wrote to Lizza yesterday a bout it & asked to know what was thematter. I told Eveline that I had h eard that she did not use Libbaas she ought to. I told her that I had n ever whipped anybody elseschild, and that I never would and it hurt my f eelings verry bad tohear what I have heard." Other sources said Eveli ne treatedElizabeth as a servant.
Nelson corresponded with relatives and friends while he was away andwh ile several of the letters remain intact, they are very hard toread du e to his small handwriting and lack of punctuation. Writingpaper was a r are commodity and he used every scrap available, writingalong the marg ins and anywhere he could squeeze in a sentence. Inmost of
the letters, besides relating events of the war and his activities, het ried to keep the tone humorous and full of funny anecdotes.
Nelson was also mentioned often in the McPheeters' family lettersdurin g the Civil War:
1/7/1863 - "Nelson Powell is yet here (Sullivan) - Some of the blackde mocrats (Copperheads) about Sullivan don't like his presance - Saythey t hink he is kept here as a spy."
And - "Nelson Powell, evening before last came near having a dificultyi n Sullivan. A little crowd of black democrats gathered around himand w anted to know his business here - accused him of being a spy etcHe tol d them that he was in the service of the U.S. government, andthat what ever his duties might be, he intended to discharge themfaithfully, reg ardless of consequences - He gave them no informationas to his busines s--There was a good deal said, and as one of themwent off he said that s hooting was what Powell needed or something tothat effect. Powell did n ot hear him"
Again - "Donty has a good deal to say about Powell--Powell is fullypre pared for them"
2/15/1863 - "Mrs (James) Powell and Nelson start for Humboldt (TN)next w eek."
4/5/1863 - "Betty Cornwell has another correspondent in dixie now (MrN E P owell) she seems very much pleased with her new correspondent."
5/31/1865 "A late letter from N.E. Powell informs us he expects to beh ere (Moultrie Co) by the middle of June. Was in Washington citywhen h e wrote."
Michael Fryburger, a friend from the area serving in the War efforts,a lso made references to Nelson and James in his letters:
2/10/1861 - He read Nelson Powell's letter to Peyton.
2/12/1862 - From Cape Girardeau, Nelson Powell sent a letter fromPaduc ah and is well.
Name: Nelson E Powell ,
Residence: Sullivan, Illinois
Enlistment Date: 18 December 1863
Distinguished Service: DISTINGUISHED SERVICE
Side Served: Union
State Served: Illinois
Unit Numbers: 376 376
Service Record: Promoted to Full Quartermaster Sergeant
Enlisted as a Private on 18 December 1863
Enlisted in Company G, 53rd Infantry Regiment Illinois on 18 December1 863.
Promoted to Full Captain on 22 July 1865 (Not Mustered in Co G)
Mustered out Company G, 53rd Infantry Regiment Illinois on 22 July1865 i n Louisville, KY
12/17/1863 Nelson was discharged at Vicksburg, Miss and reenlistedimm ediately as a veteran.
12/12/1864 Moultrie Co, IL. Estray notice (he claimed a strayanimal, p robably a horse).
7/15/1865 Just a few days prior to his discharge from the service,Nel son bought a lot in Sullivan from James and Eveline for $160.
Name: Nelson E Powell ,
Residence: Sullivan, Illinois
Distinguished Service: DISTINGUISHED SERVICE
Side Served: Union
State Served: Illinois
Unit Numbers: 376
Service Record: Enlisted as a Quartermaster Sergeant
Mustered out Company S, 53rd Infantry Regiment Illinois on 22 July1865 i n Louisville, KY
During his tour of duty, he saw action at Ft Henry & Heaman, TN; FtDon elson; Shiloh, Pittsburg landing; seige of Corinth, Miss; seige ofVick sburg, & Jackson, was in the Battle of the 12, seige of Atlantaand end ed up at Savannah, GA, with Sherman in his march to the sea.
A few months later he married Elizabeth Purvis whom he had courted bym ail throughout the war.
4/6/1867 Nelson bought a plot of ground for $210.
6/26/1868 Paying $80 to Robert Bracken and wife, Nelson receivedanoth er lot in town.
7/29/1870 Town of Jonathan Creek, Moultrie Co, IL, was his residenceat c ensus time, Lizzie had married but he, at age 42, and Elizabeth,33, ha d 2 more small children to be counted, William, 3, and Emogene,1. The d aughter of son Ansel said he was born in MO in 1870 but ifso, it must h ave been a quick trip in view of the next items.
1871 Moultrie Co, IL. He paid the tax for the school district.
8/31/1872 Moultrie Co, IL. Nelson bought 39.87 acres from therailroa d @ $12.00/acre for a total of $478.
9/1872 Jacksonville, Morgan Co, IL. One of his daughters died andwas b uried there.
1873-1876 Near Hutchinson, KS where one son was born and died. Nelsonw ent to Kansas with friends to seek the good life but lost everythingdu e to a grasshopper plague.
Mercer Co, MO. It is not clear when he lived in Mercer Co, whether ont he way to or from Kansas, but he was remembered by the old settlersthe re as a former resident.
10/13/1877 Sullivan, Moultrie Co, IL. Nelson paid $200 for a lot.
1880 Washington Twp, Mercer Co, MO, where he was listed in thecensus, a s a farmer and had a house full of children. Also livingwith him was a n Emery Rachybough, 18, laborer in a rock querry (sic).In the same tow nship was brothers, John Lisle, and Benjamin, withtheir families.
About 1882 Jonathan Creek Twp, Moultrie Co, IL.
9/13/1884 He applied for an invalid's pension due to rheumatism frome xposure near Ft Donalson & Henry, Tenn, 2/13/1862 and the resultingdis ease of the heart 11/1865. The application was approved and hereceive d his last check on 1/4/1904.
1892 Nelson signed an affidavit for Eveline Powell, James' widow, inh er efforts to obtain a Widow's Pension.
7/9/1892 In Sullivan news column of the Decatur newspaper: "NelsonPo well had two fingers on his left hand mashed by a runaway team theFour th, and they had to be amputated."
7/20/1892 At the Republican county convemtion of Moultire Co, "NelsonP owell, Johnathan Creek township," was nominated for circuit clerk.
9/3/1892 Nelson bought the north half of the NW quarter of the NWquar ter of S5 T12 R5 in Whitley Twp from Thomas T Townley for $500.
1/12/1895 Continuing to add to his estate: James T Garrett to NelsonP owell, (description undecipherable), $3,200.
1/18/1895 From the newspaper: "Joseph Powell of Nebraska is visitingh is cousin, Nelson Powell here on the creek at this writing."
9/10/1895 Sullivan, Moultrie Co, IL. Nelson paid $800 to John andNan cy Purvis for a lot in the Lewis subdivision.
6/23/1896 This item may belong to the other Nelson Powell: "NelsonPo well to F M Martin q c to block 3, Bruce; $150."
2/2/1897 He bought a second lot in the same area from the John andNan cy Purvis for $600.
4/15/1897 As a memento of his war service, he presented to his wife al arge poster containing his war record. The record was incorporatedint o the design for a national monument of the Grand Army of theRepublic p lanned to be erected in October 1898. Among familymementos are a phot o of Nelson in his uniform, a photo of "My FathersCo. 41st Ill. taken w here their comrads were buried Battle at Shilow," and a photo of the Ci vil War veterans of Jonathan Creek Church.
6/18/1900 Sullivan, Moultrie Co, IL. According to the census,Nelson, 7 2, had retired and moved to town. He had been married 35years to Eliz abeth 63, who had birthed 8 children, 4 of whom haddied. Only daughter M ary C, 18, was still at home. .
6/13/1901 Cadwell, Moultrie Co, IL. Nelson E Powell became thepostma sters there, assuming the position held some 3 years prior bynephew, L ycurgus Powell. Apparently he could not convince his wifeand daughter t o move there with him as shown by the following letterto son Joe, and h is new bride, dated 8/5/1901:
"Dear Joe and Pearl
I have no time to either read or write so I dont do much of it Iw as home Sunday and read a little letter from you to Ma I was glad tohe ar you had got employment hope you will succeed in the business andgiv e good service to the company and you will soon find it will beata lit tle restaurant bad I hope your little failure over at Sullivanwill be a g ood schooling to you nearly every boddy has to get thereeye teeth cut a nd take a little rought schooling at the start. Iknow I did write and t ell just how things are Running with you I amstill all alone except Pu ss Runs up and helps me a day or two in theweek Ma is not well has tha t pain in back of head she had with onLevi's place she is bent on not c oming up here so is Puss Ansell isthrashing and hauling his oats this w eek says he can
haul your things to you next week
well I must go to supper so good bye for this time
Your Old Pa
Cadwell
Ills
1902 He applied for a renewal of his $12/month invalid pensionbecause o f his "inability to earn a support by manual labor" becauseof rheumati sm disease of heart and senile debility from 12/7/1896 and6/27/1890, d isease of left leg, deafness of both ears, and generaldebility from ag e. Witnesses who signed for him were E Davis and WPWright.
2/24/1903 Nelson bought a third lot in the Lewis subdivision, paying$ 800 to son, William and Eugenia Powell.
9/19/1903 He applied for an increase of his invalid pension of$12/mon th. Signatures as witnesses for the application included GRHawkins an d Ira McIlwain.
The doctor, A.D. Miller, gave the following report of Nelson's deathfo r the application for pension of his widow:
"The onset of Mr Powells death dates back for at least one yearpr ior to death. I did not see him untill Jan 12, 1904 before thattime h e only complained of a numness of left side with impaired use.on Jan 1 2 he lost use of left side with loss of speach for a fewhours but rega ined partial use with improved speach. On Mar 2, 04 hefell in the flo or from chair and up to his death he talked at random.from henceforth t o death he was totaly unconscious and died in coma.I noted his heart d isease at my first examination that he came beforethe board of examine rs. I don't remember the date. Did not have anyfever at any time dur ing his sickness.
A.D. Miller"
The same physician also gave the following affidavit:
"I first knew the soldier about Sept 1894. I first treated himpr ofessionally about fall of 1899 for heart trouble and at intervelsof 3 o r 4 months for same and Lagrippe also for a nervous conditionuntill hi s last illness which was paralysis with softening of brain,as a result o f which he died on March 12th 1904. At the last fivedays of his illne ss pneumonia appeared which hastened his death."
His obituary states: "Nelson died at his home in the east part ofSull ivan Saturday night after weeks of suffering. He had been inpoor heal th all winter and was partly paralyzed. The funeral washeld in the Ch ristian church Tuesday afternoon. He had been anefficient
member of that church for over half a century. Elder H. A. Daviscondu cted the service.
He was a member of the Fourty-First Illinois Regiment and gave threeye ars of his life to the service of his country during the Civil War.He w as a member of the local G.A.R. Post and the post attended theservice i n a body.
His second wife was a daughter of Samuel Purvis (was actually WilliamP urvis) and to this union were given four children, three live nearSull ivan and the other in Mattoon. He was a staunch Republican andalways w orked for the advancement of his party."
On 3/19/1904 Elizabeth bought the cemetery plot from W.A. and Mary
Steele for $10.
