Powell, Caleb Bethel - CALEB POWELL
1810 - 1902

Caleb Bethel Powell was born January 10, 1810 in South Carolina. He was the son of  Jacob C. Powell and Elizabeth "Betsy" Latha Miles. Caleb's first wife was Latha Jane Bryant whom he married in Alabama. They had twelve children prior to her death in April, 1864 in Columbia County, Arkansas. Caleb's second wife was Caroline Bailey, born in 1830 in Georgia. They had one son, Reuben Burrow Powell. Caleb died December 30, 1902 and is buried in the Green Cemetery northwest of McNeil, Columbia County, Arkansas.

Caleb brought his family to Arkansas in 1841. Early on, he constructed a sawmill. As land was cleared in the area and enough cotton was being grown, Caleb constructed a cotton gin powered by four mules walking around a capstan that turned a vertical shaft.  This transmitted power through pulleys and belts to drive the gin equipment.

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Prepared by gr gr grandson Thomas Allen Jones     01-12-09    taj104@juno.com