Judge Thomas Watkins Powell
Judge Thomas Watkins Powell was born in South Wales, September, 1797, and died December 12, 1882, in Delaware, Ohio, at the advanced age of eighty-five years. His father, in the year 1801, immigrated to America and settled in Utica, in the State of New York. He sought and obtained such an education as his opportunities afforded. But the War of 1812 with Great Britain soon began, and during that war he drove his father's team with the baggage of a regiment to Sacket's Harbor in the spring of 1813, and entered that place at the close of the battle. In the year 1814 be was appointed to a post of great trust, by the military authorities—the bearer of dispatches to Plattsburg, and at the close of the battle entered the town with dispatches to General McCombs. He attended an academy for two years where he studied and mastered such branches as were then taught at such institutions, including the higher branches of mathematics, for which he had a taste and genius to excel. It was ever with him a subject of great regret that his opportunities in early life to obtain a thorough education had been so limited. Could he have been indulged in the natural bent of his mind he would have excelled in literature as an author. After he left the academy he entered the law office of Charles M. Lee, of Utica, when about the age of twenty, and in the year 1819, came to Ohio and passed his quarantine in the law office of Hon. James W. Lathrop, of Canton, Ohio. In the year 1820 he was admitted to the Bar by the Supreme Court on the circuit at Wooster, Ohio. He immediately located in Perrysburg. on the Maumee River, and began the practice of the law. He was soon made prosecuting attorney and afterward county auditor of Wood County. He remained in Wood County until the year 1830, when he removed to Delaware, Ohio, where he remained in active practice for more than fifty years. He was always regarded by the profession in Delaware and throughout the counties in central Ohio as an able and successful lawyer. In special and equity pleading, to which he devoted particular attention, he excelled. He was ever noted for his zeal for his client's interest and welfare in all his practice. Polite and intelligent, his society was courted by his brethren of the bar and in whatever circle he entered his presence was always welcome. Probably no lawyer did more in assisting young men at the bar, and no one had more law students than did Judge Powell. Among the many men of note who studied in his office was Hon. Charles Sweetser, Edward Jones, Hon. Thomas C. Jones, Hon. Royal T. Wheeler, afterwards chief justice of Texas. Gen. J. S. Jones and many others. In addition to his industry in his profession, Judge Powell added great enterprise in all matters of interest to the public. He projected and prosecuted to its completion the "Mansion House" at the Sulphur Springs, which in its early history was famous as a fashionable resort and which subsequently secured to Delaware the Ohio Wesleyan University. He laid out and had platted one of the largest additions to the town (now city) of Delaware. He built the flax mills and was interested in many other projects to benefit the city. Though not a seeker of place, he filled many of the most responsible offices in the gift of the people. He was first elected and served as prosecuting attorney of this county. He was elected to the General Assembly or House of Representatives of Ohio and served for the years 1841 and 1842. He was elected to the Ohio State Senate, from the Delaware District which was at that time composed of Delaware and Crawford Counties and served during the years 1844 and 1845. He was elected probate judge of Delaware County in the year 1862 and held the office for eight years. He was also a member of the Third Constitutional Convention of Ohio which met in Columbus, Ohio, in May, 1873, and he was considered one of the most prominent and useful members. Notwithstanding he was always a very busy man in his practice, he gave to the profession of his choice, two books which were much needed and which are highly prized and much used by the courts and liar, viz., "Powell's Analysis of American Law" and "Appellate Jurisdiction." He has also written a "History of the Ancient Britains," and a book entitled "What is Knowledge." He was always an untiring worker and though almost blind in the latter years of his life, he never ceased to write until the final call came when it was said to him, "Well done thou good and faithful servant. Thou hast been faithful over a few things," etc.
From 20th Century History of Delaware County, Ohio, and Representative Citizens by James R. Lytle, Biographical Publishing Co., Chicago, 1908