The HOMEPAGE for this site is: http://www.lapella.net/

This story is written by Gordon Powelson.

Abraham Scott Bet. 1794 – 1795 and Elizabeth Silverthorn May 01, 1801

Children:

1.  Thomas Carson Scott Aug 11, 1820

2. Carrie Lodeskie Scott Jul 25, 1861

3. Scott Allen Walker I Feb 16, 1893 For reference only, Scott I is Kathy Brehm LaPella’s grandfather.

1. Fidelia Jane Scott Aug 11, 1838 married John Powelson (see below)

Henry Powelson I 1800 Susannah Sarah (Susan Hines) Chandler Jun 12, 1802

Children: only John is listed here.

1. JOHN POWELSON Nov 20, 1828 married Fidelia Jane Scott Aug 11, 1838

2. James Howard Powelson b Dec 15, 1857

3 Effie Leona Powelson b Feb 07, 1890 married Adolph (Duffie) Miller Effie wrote the 1957 letter

2. Henry H. (Hank) Powelson b Feb 13, 1859 married Rhoda Studebaker whose stories are told below.

3. Everett Clyde Powelson b Feb 03, 1892

4. Janet Ruth Powelson b Jun 10, 1919 married August Fulmer Effie wrote her letter to Janet.

3. Eugene Buford (Gene) Powelson Aug 08, 1890 married (1) May (Mae) Bazore b 1893 (2) Eugenia (Gene) Hess b 1897

4. Warren Powelson b Nov 23, 1913 married Clydena Margaret (McVoy) Booth b Jun 27, 1915

5. Gordon Eugene Powelson the person who provided the following stories.

A Story about Henry (Hank) child of: John Powelson and Fidelia Jane Scott Powelson: (by Gordon Powelson)

John Powelson b 1828

He is reputed to have been 6’4” tall. Very tall for those times.

For more information about John Powelson and his family, see the letter from Effie Powelson Miller.

This information is from FIDELIA JANE SCOTT POWELSON’S BIBLE:

CHILDREN BORN DIED

Elizabeth A Powelson October 21, 1853

Edwin Powelson December 8, 1855 Dec 8, 1855 Twin

Edgar Powelson December 8, 1855 Dec 15, 1855 Twin

James Howard Powelson February 15, 1857 Oct 10, 1930

Henry Harrison Powelson February 13, 1859 April 18, 1951

Manford Powelson Jan 15, 1861

Charles Kelsey Powelson February 27, 1863 Sept 29, 1941

Mary A Powelson Jan 24, 1865 Sept 23, 1865

Harriet F Powelson Jan 27, 1867

Susannah Powelson July 7,. 1873 Sept 28, 1873

Amorette Powelson April 3, 1874 Aug 9, 1874

A Story about Henry (Hank) Powelson and Rhoda Studebaker Powelson by Gordon Eugene Powelson

Hank Powelson b 1859

Gordon Powelson remembers his Great Grandfather very well. He died when Gordon was 15 and Hank was 92.

Hank played the violin (he was a fiddler) at the town square dances. Quite good at it.

Hank came west by covered wagon and horseback in 1881, at age 22. Arriving at Castle Rock, WA, Hank developed a close friendship with James (Jim) Studebaker. As Hank was single and Jim had a younger sister, an arrangement was made. Jim’s sister from Wisc., Rhoda Studebaker, was to come West on a train in 1889 and marry Hank iin Castle Rock, WA.

Her father, Henry Studebaker, followed later to Castle Rock. Hank, in the early days, logged out the main street of Castle Rock. He owned Clothing stores. He owned the ferry that crossed the Cowlitz River in about 1910, before the bridge was built. The 1st bridge (made mostly of wood) mysteriously caught fire at both ends at the same time. That event seems to have prolonged the need for the Powelson ferry. The 2nd Bridge (now town down and replaced) was of steel. That put the ferry out of business for good. Hank, in later years, owned cold storage lockers on property that he owned on Main St, Castle Rock. After the war, with home freezers becoming popular, his business started to slow down. But then, so did he. He died in 1951.

Rhoda Studebaker Powelson b 1870

Gordon Powelson remembers his Great Grandmother Rhoda very well: “I spent his summers in Castle Rock, WA until age 15.

My Great Grandmother Rhoda was simply a most wonderful and thoughtful person. She was a marvelous cook, in the old fashion way. We simply do not live and eat the same today. Today, we find food referred to as “range free” and “organically grown.” The people of the 19th Century considered everything as being that way. Pigs were butchered and smoked on the farm. Ham was not pumped with water. If you had chicken on Sunday, you killed, plucked and ate the chicken on Sunday. Fruit was preserved and put in the cellar. Venison was canned and put in the cellar. Potatoes and other vegetables that would keep without canning were put in the cellar. You rarely went to town to the grocery store. That was life on the farm with great grandmother. She was always preparing meals or getting food ready for winter and into the food cellar. All of this way of life changed, permanently, for everyone after World War II. Fast foods, prepared meals and home freezers changed everything. Food quality suffered too. This was the farm life, swimming in the creek, that I remember was Gramma Rhoda.”

Eugene (Gene) Buford Powelson: (as told by his grandson Gordon Eugene Powelson 2002)

Gordon’s grandfather:

He married his second wife Eugeneia (Gene) before I, Gordon Powelson, was born. She was always Gramma Gene to me. A very pretty woman, and very likable. They lived across the street from Fred and Bertha Booth, (My mother’s adoptive parents) in Castle Rock, WA. We were, however, not real close. They were both private people. I visited with them a lot, but rarely spent the night with them. I almost always stayed at the Booths.

Eugene’s 1st wife: May Bazore Powelson: (by her grandson Gordon Powelson 2002)

I, Gordon Powelson, never knew May Bazore Powelson very well. She lived in an apartment in Seattle. May was very indepentdent and a bit of a loner. I don’t think she remarried. I know that she went by Powelson as long as I knew her (until age 16). That was the last time I saw her.