Joseph Powell was born and married* to a daughter of Archibald McCoy, in the State of Maryland, removing thence to Bedford county, Pennsylvania, in 1794, where he remained until his death. The children born to this couple were: Mary, born August 3, 1781; George, born February 19, 1783; Archibald, born December 1, 1784; Joseph, born December 7, 1786; Sarah, born February 2, 1789; Elizabeth, born March 10, 1791; Thomas, born February 2, 1793; Mary (second), born November 17, 1798; Rachel, born December 27, 1799; John, born September 3, 1801; Jonathan, born March 23, 1803; William, born July 1, 1805; Robert, born September 15, 1807; Susannah, born March 5, 1809; Nancy, born November 6, 1810; and David, born January 6, 1813.

Archibald Powell, the third child in this family, married Elizabeth Adams, in Bedford county, Pennsylvania, January 29, 1808, and in 1815, accompanied by his family, removed to Ohio, and settled in Truro township, Franklin county. The year after their arrival they built a cabin on the farm now owned by J. B. Powell. Their children were: William, born August 5, 1809; Mary, born December 5, 1810; Jacob, born June 2, 1813; George, born January 25, 1815; Malinda A., and Rachel M. (twins), born December 7, 1818; Joseph B., born March 27, 1822; Elizabeth J., born October 30, 1824; and Clarissa A., born November 19, 1828. **Before her death she had one hundred and sixty-three descendants, as follows: Nine children, sixty-eight grand children, and eighty-six great-grandchildren.

Joseph B. Powell, son of Archibald and Elizabeth Powell, was married to Lucinda T. French, August 12, 1863. She was born April 3, 1842. To them were born three children: Clement M., born June 3, 1864; William A., born September 21, 1866; and Andrew J., born May 12, 1869. Mrs. Powell died October 6, 1870, and on the twenty-fifth of January, 1876 he was again married to, Mary S. Fancher, who was born September, 26, 1852 (See Fancher Family). They have one child; Gerda M., born May 7, 1878. Mr. Powell has passed his life on the home farm, with the exception of two years and three months spent in the gold mines of California, during the years 1850, 1851, and 1852. He was able to bring home a quantity of gold from the mines, but has found a more profitable and pleasant business and home on his farm, where he has since remained. A representation of his home accompanies this sketch.***

*No date of birth is given; the sentence is transcribed as it appears in the book.
**This undoubtedly refers to Elizabeth (Adams) Powell.
***Only the portraits of J. B. Powell and his wife accompany the sketch.