Joseph John Willis Powell was born in Edgecombe County, NC the 2nd of 3 known children born to farmers, William "Willis" Powell & Mary Harrison. He was the grandson of Lewis Powell & Helen Cotton of Bertie Co, and a direct descendant of George Powell & Anne Connor who came to NC from Norfolk Co, VA in the 1730's.
Dr. Powell developed a thriving practice in Halifax County, and married quite late in 1845 to Martha Whitaker, daughter of well-to-do farmer, Henry Branch Whitaker and his wife, Elizbeth Hunter of Halifax County. He was 38 at the nuptials, and she 25.
The year he married, Dr. Powell inherited a farm in Edgecombe County in 1845 from his wealthy uncle, Richard Harrison (1768-1856) and developed it into "Coolmore" Plantation, which still exists today (ca. 2008).
The couple would have 3 known children: Richard Harrison Powell (1845), Henry Whitaker Powell (1845), and Joseph Clay Powell, Sr. (1857).
Dr. Powell died on April 27, 1861, at the age of 53, just shortly before the plantation mansion was completed.
The following month, on May 20, 1861, NC seceded from the Union and his two eldest sons, Richard and Henry, promptly enlisted. They were just teenagers, aged 15 and 14, respectively. They left Coolmore in the hands of their widowed mother and 4-year old brother, Joseph Clay Powell Sr, and would never be seen again as they both perished in the war.
His widow, Martha, would remain on the plantation where she buried her husband and both her sons. Her only surviving son, Joseph Clay Powell, would inherit upon her death in 1892 at age 72. The family graves at Coolmore were moved to Greenwood Cemetery about 1919.
Coolore Plantation today remains a testament to the advances in transportation and agriculture in the mid to late 19th century which led to architectural prosperity that transformed the countryside. Built in 1861, Dr. Joseph Powell's Coolmore home symbolized the cotton-based prosperity of antebellum Edgecombe. The elegant Italianate house was designed by architect E.G. Lind of Baltimore. Descendants of the Powell family still live there today (ca. 2008). Coolmore is on old U.S. 64, about three miles west of Tarboro, in Edgecombe County, NC.
Dr. Powell developed a thriving practice in Halifax County, and married quite late in 1845 to Martha Whitaker, daughter of well-to-do farmer, Henry Branch Whitaker and his wife, Elizbeth Hunter of Halifax County. He was 38 at the nuptials, and she 25.
The year he married, Dr. Powell inherited a farm in Edgecombe County in 1845 from his wealthy uncle, Richard Harrison (1768-1856) and developed it into "Coolmore" Plantation, which still exists today (ca. 2008).
The couple would have 3 known children: Richard Harrison Powell (1845), Henry Whitaker Powell (1845), and Joseph Clay Powell, Sr. (1857).
Dr. Powell died on April 27, 1861, at the age of 53, just shortly before the plantation mansion was completed.
The following month, on May 20, 1861, NC seceded from the Union and his two eldest sons, Richard and Henry, promptly enlisted. They were just teenagers, aged 15 and 14, respectively. They left Coolmore in the hands of their widowed mother and 4-year old brother, Joseph Clay Powell Sr, and would never be seen again as they both perished in the war.
His widow, Martha, would remain on the plantation where she buried her husband and both her sons. Her only surviving son, Joseph Clay Powell, would inherit upon her death in 1892 at age 72. The family graves at Coolmore were moved to Greenwood Cemetery about 1919.
Coolore Plantation today remains a testament to the advances in transportation and agriculture in the mid to late 19th century which led to architectural prosperity that transformed the countryside. Built in 1861, Dr. Joseph Powell's Coolmore home symbolized the cotton-based prosperity of antebellum Edgecombe. The elegant Italianate house was designed by architect E.G. Lind of Baltimore. Descendants of the Powell family still live there today (ca. 2008). Coolmore is on old U.S. 64, about three miles west of Tarboro, in Edgecombe County, NC.
Joseph John Willis Powell was born in Edgecombe County, NC the 2nd of 3 known children born to farmers, William "Willis" Powell & Mary Harrison. He was the grandson of Lewis Powell & Helen Cotton of Bertie Co, and a direct descendant of George Powell & Anne Connor who came to NC from Norfolk Co, VA in the 1730's.
Dr. Powell developed a thriving practice in Halifax County, and married quite late in 1845 to Martha Whitaker, daughter of well-to-do farmer, Henry Branch Whitaker and his wife, Elizbeth Hunter of Halifax County. He was 38 at the nuptials, and she 25.
The year he married, Dr. Powell inherited a farm in Edgecombe County in 1845 from his wealthy uncle, Richard Harrison (1768-1856) and developed it into "Coolmore" Plantation, which still exists today (ca. 2008).
The couple would have 3 known children: Richard Harrison Powell (1845), Henry Whitaker Powell (1845), and Joseph Clay Powell, Sr. (1857).
Dr. Powell died on April 27, 1861, at the age of 53, just shortly before the plantation mansion was completed.
The following month, on May 20, 1861, NC seceded from the Union and his two eldest sons, Richard and Henry, promptly enlisted. They were just teenagers, aged 15 and 14, respectively. They left Coolmore in the hands of their widowed mother and 4-year old brother, Joseph Clay Powell Sr, and would never be seen again as they both perished in the war.
His widow, Martha, would remain on the plantation where she buried her husband and both her sons. Her only surviving son, Joseph Clay Powell, would inherit upon her death in 1892 at age 72. The family graves at Coolmore were moved to Greenwood Cemetery about 1919.
Coolore Plantation today remains a testament to the advances in transportation and agriculture in the mid to late 19th century which led to architectural prosperity that transformed the countryside. Built in 1861, Dr. Joseph Powell's Coolmore home symbolized the cotton-based prosperity of antebellum Edgecombe. The elegant Italianate house was designed by architect E.G. Lind of Baltimore. Descendants of the Powell family still live there today (ca. 2008). Coolmore is on old U.S. 64, about three miles west of Tarboro, in Edgecombe County, NC.
Dr. Powell developed a thriving practice in Halifax County, and married quite late in 1845 to Martha Whitaker, daughter of well-to-do farmer, Henry Branch Whitaker and his wife, Elizbeth Hunter of Halifax County. He was 38 at the nuptials, and she 25.
The year he married, Dr. Powell inherited a farm in Edgecombe County in 1845 from his wealthy uncle, Richard Harrison (1768-1856) and developed it into "Coolmore" Plantation, which still exists today (ca. 2008).
The couple would have 3 known children: Richard Harrison Powell (1845), Henry Whitaker Powell (1845), and Joseph Clay Powell, Sr. (1857).
Dr. Powell died on April 27, 1861, at the age of 53, just shortly before the plantation mansion was completed.
The following month, on May 20, 1861, NC seceded from the Union and his two eldest sons, Richard and Henry, promptly enlisted. They were just teenagers, aged 15 and 14, respectively. They left Coolmore in the hands of their widowed mother and 4-year old brother, Joseph Clay Powell Sr, and would never be seen again as they both perished in the war.
His widow, Martha, would remain on the plantation where she buried her husband and both her sons. Her only surviving son, Joseph Clay Powell, would inherit upon her death in 1892 at age 72. The family graves at Coolmore were moved to Greenwood Cemetery about 1919.
Coolore Plantation today remains a testament to the advances in transportation and agriculture in the mid to late 19th century which led to architectural prosperity that transformed the countryside. Built in 1861, Dr. Joseph Powell's Coolmore home symbolized the cotton-based prosperity of antebellum Edgecombe. The elegant Italianate house was designed by architect E.G. Lind of Baltimore. Descendants of the Powell family still live there today (ca. 2008). Coolmore is on old U.S. 64, about three miles west of Tarboro, in Edgecombe County, NC.
Inscription
"Mark the perfect man and behold the upright for the end of that man is peace."
Gravesite Details
Husband of Martha B. Whitaker.
Family Members
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