Peter Powell (Graham) 1779-1849

 

Peter Powell

Born 9 Jan 1779 Caswell County, North Carolina

Died 11 July 1849 College Mound, Macon County, Missouri

 

This Peter Powell is identified in many data bases at Ancestry.com as being a son of John Powell and Margaret McDaniel of Caswell County, North Carolina. Although The Sister’s DNA confirms a connection between our Charles Powell ancestral line and Peter Powell, it is just not possible he is a son of John Powell. John Powell’s Caswell County will dated, 17 Dec 1786, names 3 sons, John, James, and Charles.  All three sons are adults in 1786.  If there had been a minor son less than 10 years of age, John Powell would have made previsions for his upkeep in this will.

 

In 2012, we contacted a descendant of Peter Powell and paid for his YDNA test at Family Tree DNA.  Dennis Powell was his name. His line back to Peter Powell is:

Dennis Powell b. 1936 > Carlos Monroe Powell 1908-1983 > Edgar Richard Powell 1869-1959 > Thomas Monroe Powell 1845-1928 > Brazellia Powell 1805-1874, Peter Powell 1779-1849.

 

Dennis Powell’s DNA placed him in haplogroup J-M267.  Our brother’s haplogroup was at that time R1b1.  Over the years haplogroup names have been refined so that now brother’s DNA is haplogroup R-U198.  We are R, Dennis is J.  That means these two do not share a direct line YDNA ancestor within thousands of years ruling out a common YDNA ancestor in the 1700’s. Dennis and Clayton could not possibly both descend from Charles Powell that died in 1744 in Stafford County, Virginia thru a father to son, to son, to son YDNA.

 

Our brother’s YDNA has one 37 marker exact match to a male Powell descendant of Charles Powell and Leah Goldman. He has no other tested exact matches at FTDNA.

 

Dennis Powell has nine 37 marker exact matches to the Graham surname.  All these Grahams, as far as can be determined, are closely related.  Dennis Powell’s YDNA points to his Y male ancestor in the 1700’s being a man of the surname Graham.

 

Living close by John Powell on Hogan’s Creek, Caswell County, North Carolina was one William Graham.  It is likely that one of William Graham’s sons was the father of Peter Powell, and that one of John Powell’s daughters was the mother of Peter Powell.  Peter Powell descendants share DNA connections to many Powell cousins, and yet his YDNA is not shared with any tested Powell YDNA that we can find.

 

Elvin Myers, a 3^rd great grandson of Peter Powell, had early genealogy data for Peter, to include letters from one of Peter’s son William B. Powell in Missouri to another son, Henry A. Powell in Caswell County, North Carolina written in 1839, shortly after Peter and sons moved to Macon County, Missouri. Elvin had stories about Peter Powell saying his father died when Peter was very young.  Peter’s mother then married a man by the surname of Lyon.  Peter’s mother was know as Old Granny Lyon.  She was noted for saying she raised a pack of Lyons.

Peter Powell of Caswell County, NC bought land on Moons Creek and 1 negro for $787, Caswell County, NC in 1814 from the estate of Robert Lyon of Caswell County.  This only actually proves that Peter Powell and this Robert Lyon both lived in Caswell County and were likely neighbors.  John Powell [son of John Powell]  and Joseph McClain were also on this same list as purchasing property from the Robert Lyon estate. This Robert Lyon’s son, William Whitlock Lyon’s wife was Martha Lyon.  William Whitlock Lyon died in 1820 in Caswell County.  His widow, Martha Lyon, is listed on many records as inheriting his estate.  One John Powell is among the signers of the bond Martha Lyon posted for her husband’s estate. This John Powell is a son of John Powell and Margaret McDaniel of Caswell County.

 

The YDNA of J-M267, Caswell County records, and family stories points to Peter Powell being a grandson of William Graham of Hogan’s Creek. We believe his mother was Martha Powell, a daughter of John and Margaret Powell of Hogan’s Creek, Caswell County, North Carolina. Many others disagree, and believe Peter is a son of John Powell and Margaret McDaniel. We do not believe John Powell, who made a will shortly before he died, could have possibly failed to provide for the future security of a minor son upon his death.