1834 - Entered Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and remained for just four months.
1839 - Married Frances Elizabeth Hanford, daughter of William Hanford. She died September 20, 1850.
1841 - Entered the oil cloth manufacturing business started by his father.
1857 - Married Lucy Clark Allen, daughter of Rev. Joseph Allen on October 1, 1857.
1860 - Supervisor of the town of Lansingburgh, NY
1861 - Appointed trustee of the Institute.
1877 - Entered the banking business.
1887-1888 - Served as acting president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute following the death of William Gurley.

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Upon the failure of the Bank of Lansingburgh, the only one in the village, Albert Ebenezer Powers, son of Mrs. Deborah (Ball) Powers, became its receiver. In order to facilitate the liquidation, the firm of D. Powers & Son opened a bank under the title of Bank of D. Powers & Sons, the other partner being Nathaniel Ball Powers, the other son of William and Deborah Powers. From March, 1877, until the death of Deborah Powers May 28, 1891, the mother and sons jointly conducted the bank in connection with their oilcloth factory.



The factory was established many years before by Deborah Powers and her husband, William Powers III. The couple were married February 23, 1816, while Mr. Powers was teaching school in Lansingburgh. Having been successful in experiments in the manufacture of this product, Mr. Powers abandoned teaching in 1821 and devoted his time from that time on to this industry. Mrs. Powers was her husband's active helper in all his experiments,, both in counsel and labor. In 1828, the building they occupied being too small for the accommodation of the work, the factory now standing on the west side of Second Avenue was erected. In 1829 Mr. Powers lost his life while making varnish and Mrs. Powers was also severely burned in the same accident. But she bravely determined to carry on the business, which she did with great success to the day of her death, amassing a great fortune. In 1842 Albert E. Powers was admitted into the business as his mother's partner, and five years later Nathaniel B. Powers became a member of the firm, Jonathan E. Whipple, who had become a partner in 1832, retiring. After the death of Mrs. Powers both the oilcloth manufactory and the bank continued under the ownership of the two sons.

The City of Troy and It's Vicinity...
Electric Light Company, Troy, works on southeast comer of River and Liberty streets, was incorporated, February 21, 1885. Capital stock, $150,000. The first use of electricity for illuminating purposes in the city was made use on Thursday night, December 22, 1881, The first contract for lighting the city streets by electricity was made. April 20, 1885. The officers of the company are Albert E. Powers, president;