An unknown source from the files of Bob Hullett, a descendant of James Powell, indicates that James Powell was born on September 9, 1759. U.S. Census records show he was born about 1760 in Virginia. Thomas McAdory Owen (History of Alamaba and Dictionary of Alabama Biography, Vol. IV, Chicago, 1921), using information evidently provided by the Powell family, wrote that James Powell was married to Rebecca Bynum and that he was the son of John Jr. and and Alice (Brewer) Powell and the grandson of John Sr. and Mary (Cromwell) Powell. Mary Cromwell was purported to be a relative of Oliver Cromwell.
Robert William Baird in his book Bynum and Baynham Families of America 1616-1850 says that Rebecca Bynum was likely a daughter of William and Mary (?) Bynum and the granddaughter of William and Mary (Fort) Bynum (a family called Fort by Homer T. Fort, Jr. and Drucilla Stoval Jones records the history of the Fort family). Citing the writings of James' son George, Baird writes that James Powell was the son of John Powell and Alice Brewer who moved into Chathem County, NC from VA. Baird reports that, "James Powell is found in several North and South Carolina records with Bynums. For example he witnessed Isaac Bynum's 1794 deed to Travis Risby as well as Benjamin Bynum's 1809 deed in Pendleton."
Baird reports that the Powell's and Bynum's moved to TN before moving to Blount County, AL. Baird does an impressive job of recording the migration pattern of the Bynum, and related families of Fort and Powell through NC (where U.S. Census records indicate that Rebecca (Bynum) Powell was born) to Pendleton County, SC where early family records tell us the James' son George was born.
The date of the estate settlement of James Powell (Blount County, Jan. 19, 1855) indicates that James Powell died at age 95 in late 1854. The estate settlement was dated March 22, 1859. |