Moses had 13 known children and was said to have lost 7 sons by hisfirst wife. He also raised several step-children.
Residences & events:
1814 Wayne Co, IN. Moses moved with his mother and family to the newfarm shortly after his father died.
1823 Licking Co, OH. He again moved with his mother along with thenew step-father, John Van Buskirk.
1826 Columbus, Franklin Co, OH, where he married Agnes McElvain.
1827 Vermilion Co, IN, where son, Nelson was born.
1/1830 Franklin Co, IN. Son, James was born there but had the familyactually moved there?
1830 Vermilion Co, IL, where his family was listed in the census.Living at his address were 2 males under 5 (Nelson and James), 2 males10-1 5, 1 male 15-20, 1 male 20-30 (Moses), and 1 female 20-30(Agnes). Since Moses and Agnes had been married only 4 years, theolder males must have been relatives living with them. Brother Nelsonlived next door.
1833 Vermilion Co. Moses was the only Powell listed on the county'stax roll.
1833 Wayne Co, IN. Following the massacre of his father-in-law byIndians, Moses took the family, including his mother-in-law, back tosafer territory. Due to the instability of the Indians in the region,the McElvains had been staying with Moses while the father was away inWiscons in.
1840 Jackson Twp, Wayne Co, IN. As the only Powell in the township,he was listed in the census with 2 males under 5, 1 male 5-10, 2 male10 -15, 1 male 15-20, 1 male 30-40 (himself), 1 female 10-15, and 1female 2 0-30 (Agnes).
1840 Cambridge City, Wayne Co, IN. Moses was one of the originalmembers of the Congregation of the Christian Church.
8/20/1845 Shelby Co, IL. He was listed among the purchasers ofseveral estate sales between 1845-1848, including those of AbrahamMilikin an d Alexander Banning. Wife, Agnes died there and hemarried Mary Stre et shortly thereafter.
9/20/1850 Knob Twp, Shelby Co, IL. Moses "Powel" was a 46 year oldfarmer with property worth $1000 according to the census. He hadremarried and Mary was 34. They had a full house of his, hers, andtheir children: Moses' children, Andrew, 15; John, 11; Joseph, 8;Samuel, 4; Mary's three Street children also listed as Powells,George, 7, Elizabeth , 5, and Suzanah, 4; and their twins Nancy andBenjamin F, 1. Next door was brother, Simon.
5/30/1854 Shelby Co, IL. Moses was still there when he bought 40acres from the railroad at S22 T10N R02E for $40.
1854 Mercer Co, MO, 6 miles SE of Princeton. The obituary of son,Benjamin, said the family moved there in an ox wagon when Ben was 5.The obituary of John Lisle verified they moved this date.
6/8/1860 Morgan Twp, Mercer Co, MO. At census time he was a 54 yearold farmer with property valued at $2000/1000. Second wife Mary wasonly 43. They had a large blended family: Mary's kids, GMS, 18, andEJ, 1 7, IHS, 12; Moses' by wife Nancy: Samuel, 15; BF and NA, 10;and finally theirs together: Martha 8, Thomas, 5, and Mary, 3.
9/6/1863 Life on the frontier was tough as attested to by thefollowing item in a McPheeters' family letter (neighbors of thePowells in Moultrie Co, IL): "Joseph Powell has just returned fromMissouri. He says that they are having bad times where his fatherlives. Samuel remained at his fathers."
7/7/1870 Ravanna Twp, Mercer Co, MO. Moses, 64, still farming, wascounted in the census with 3rd wife Eliza A, 46. His two children,Thomas, 16, and Mary, 13, lived with them as well as her 3 childrenfrom her previous marriage, Lucretia Calvin, 17, Charles Calvin, 11,and Jesse Calvin, 9. Next door was the Jacob Huff family.
6/1/1880 Washington Twp, Mercer Co, MO. Moses and Eliza Powell werelisted as in-laws living with the W M and Florence Calvin Girdnerfamily. Moses was 74, Eliza was 55.
The 1870 census said he was born in IN.
His estate did not exceed $420, including bedding = $50, 5 cows =$100. T here was a claim against Samuel Bates on real estate for$275.
He shares a gravestone with second wife, Mary Humphrey but it alsosays h e was the husband of Mary Calvin, Agnes McElvain and MaryHumphrey Stre et. (Wonder why they were listed in that order?)
Collings Cemetery is located in section 29 of Ravanna Township,approxi mately three miles east of Princeton. From Princeton, go easton highwa y 136 to the first gravel road to the right. Go south approx1/2 mile. T he cemetery is on top of the hill west of the road.Collings Cemetery w as once totally abandoned and overgrown, but hasrecently been cleared. A lthough it is not routinely maintained, it isaccessible by foot.
