Evidence needed to support as son of Michael Powell & Joan Stride. The Great Migration Directory has no origins for him.

Michael Powell

• BIRTH Dec 28, 1605 [sic: about 1605 in England] Woolverstone, Babergh District, Suffolk, England
• DEATH 28 Dec 1672 (aged 66–67) Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, USA
• BURIAL Copp's Hill Burying Ground, Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, USALatitude: 42.3674682, Longitude: -71.0555862
• PLOT plot C467, GPS 42.3674682, -71.0555862, 8th gravestone from the corner
• MEMORIAL ID 8449319 Pictures added by the moo
• Parents: unknown
• Siblings: unknown
• Husband of Joan (Sond) Powell — married 28 Apr 1631 in Cranham, Essex, England
• Husband of Abigail (Bedle) Powell — married 5 May 1636 in London, England

Michael Powell settled in Dedham, Massachusetts Bay Colony, in 1639.

Family

Children of Joan Sond and Michael Powell:

1. Sarah Powell, bp. Cranham 15 March 1631/2; d. Dedham 27 June 1664; m. there 3 May 1653, Timothy Dwight, b. abt 1631, son of John and Hannah (__) Dwight.
2. Mary Powell, b. abt 1633, probably in Romford, d. Boton 9 Dec. 1707; m. 1) Cambridge, Mass., 22 Jan. 1650/1?, Wlliam Wilcocks, d. there 28 Nov. 1653; m. 2) Boston 9 Jan. 1654/5, Jacob Eliot, bp. there 16 Dec. 1632, son of Jacob and Margery (__) Eliot.

Children of Abigail Bedle and Michael Powell:

1. John Powell, born before 14 May 1637 in Romford, Essex, England; died 31 Dec 1649
2. Abigail Powell, born 14 Feb 1639 in Romford, Essex, England; married John Howlett
3. Elizabeth Powell, born 10 Jun 1641 in Dedham, Suffolk, Massachusetts Bay; married 1) Richard Hollingsworth Jr; 2) Richard Bryan; 3) Robert Treat
4. Dorothy Powell, born 2 Jul 1643 in Dedham, Suffolk, Massachusetts Bay; died 16 Aug 1711 at age 68 in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts Bay; married Seth Perry
5. Michael Powell, born 12 Oct 1645 in Dedham, Suffolk, Massachusetts Bay; died before 1676/7
6. Margaret Powell, born 8 Jan 1649 in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts Bay; died 6 Mar 1710 at age 61 in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts Bay. Married 1) Anthony Haywood 2) William Colman

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Biography

Michael Powell was born [Dec 28, 1605 Woolverstone, Babergh District] [is this proven?], Suffolk, England and died 28 Dec 1672 (aged 66–67) Boston, Suffolk County, MA. His wife, Abigail is from the London area of England and it is believed that they were married there and that their oldest child Sarah was born there. His name first appears on the records in New England as one who among others on Aug 18, 1636, signed the covenant sent to the General Court for an application for a town at Dedham, Norfolk, Massachusetts, which is a few miles southeast of Boston. Michael Powell was permitted on November 29, 1639 to purchase the town lot originally granted to Mr. Dalton. Along with this lot was granted twenty acres of land across the Charles River which Michael sold January 15, 1651.

Michael was chosen to keep the minutes of the town meetings of Dedham and was later chosen as the Deputy sent to the General Court Election in Boston May 10, 1648. He was granted a license to keep an ordinary (general store), and to sell wine in Dedham, May 6, 1646. He moved to Boston before 1650, and was responsible in part for the establishment of the Second Church of Boston, which had its first meeting the 5th day of June 1650 with Michael Powell the first of the seven to sign the covenant uniting the members.

Quoting from the History of the Second Church, "It is worthy of remark that this covenant was not doctrinal, but practical; not a declaration of belief, but an obligation to Christian duty." It is evident by some of the early writings that the first building that housed the Second Church of Boston had walls of adobe bricks with a thatched roof with private pews belonging to the family without outside doors on each pew. They could be sold to other families if the family were to move.

The first sermon was given by Samuel Mather, who stayed with the church only two months. In the next few years the church tried without success to get a minister. Michael Powell served as minister when none could be found to fill the pulpit. To best illustrate the history let us quote from Michael Powell's appeal to the General Court September 6, 1653, after being asked by the congregation to fill the position of minister:

"To the Honoured Govenour and Magistrates" Michael Powell, your humble servant, desires you of your clemency to read these few lines.

When the providence of Almighty settled me in Boston, I intended to join with that Church; but finding that myself and wife did give offence in crowding into their seats that were of the former inhabitants, I endeavoured by the elders to be directed where we might sit without offence; but they not finding any spare room and the new meeting house being built, and myself being invited to join with others to gather a church, which was done at the advice and approbation of Rev. Mr. Cot and Mr. Wilson; we all not doubting but Mr. Samuel Mather would have joined in office with us, as he pretended; but failing us, we were not wanting to seek for supply elsewhere, as your worships know. Meanwhile, finding that it was burthensome to the elders constantly to supply the place, and oft the place was not supplied, myself (unworthy) being called of the brethren, thought I was called of God to improve my one talent, -- with this promise to the church, that I would supply the place but when or till we could not be better supplied otherwise, which we still endeavoured.

Now, honoured in the Lord, I, finding assist and acceptation far beyond deserts or expectation, went on, my chief encouragement being some fruit that some professed they reaped by my poor labors. Now the brethren being out of other hopes, motioned calling me to the office, a strange motion to me. So they gave me the call." (There is much more to the letter but felt this was enough to give one a picture of the situation.)

In October 19, 1652, the General Court had decreed that Mr. Michael Powell was "illiterate as to academical education", that they would not suffer an unlearned man to be called to the teaching office "in such a place as Boston." "He might have talents and a fine spirit" they argued, "and still not be competent to instruct the educated, explain the Scriptures, and convince the unbelieving"; also "that it tended to discourage learning." It was one of the orders of the General Court that no minister be called without their approval.

One may judge Michael Powell's character and humility a great deal by the letter written by him to the Governor and Magistrates. In answering his appeal the 10th of September 1653 the "Court conceives the Church may call Mr. Powell to the office of ruleinge elder, and then they may enjoy all the ordenance of Christ amongst them save the sacrament, which they are supplied with in Boston; and their wayting till the Lord shall send them an able minister of the gosple."

This they did until a minister was ordained Nov. 9, 1655, after being without a minister for over four years. Michael continued to serve as ruling Elder with the pay of 15 shillings per week until he became disabled by an attack of paralysis and through sickness reduced to poverty. By the account of the treasurer of the Church that paid for Michael's funeral, Michael Powell was buried the thirty-first of January 1673. The funeral customs of the period were that, though the whole cost of the funeral was ten pounds four shillings, only six shillings were paid for the grave, and six shillings for the coffin, while three pounds and seventeen shillings were spent for wine for the sacrament, and five pounds fifteen shillings for gloves.

Michael's inventory dated March 20, 1673, listed everything of value including five worn shirts, bedding, kitchen utensils, bed warmers, tablecloths and napkins. The total was valued at Seventy-two pounds fifteen shillings. Abigail C. Powell's inventory, April 21, 1677, includes furniture, personal items, clothing, and included a great Bible and a small one. Her inventory, which included the house and land was valued at three hundred four pounds and five shillings of which eight pounds ten shillings were to go to funeral charges.

Michael Powell must have had some schooling in England as a youth as he showed signs of being well educated, and this opportunity could only be afforded by those of the upper class of people. He lived in the northern part of Boston where the better homes were built. Most of the daughters married into prominent families of that day. Elizabeth's third marriage was to Governor Robert Treat; Mary, to Jacob Eliot, Jr. nephew of John Eliot, early minister of the First Church of Boston and the famed missionary to the Indians, and the youngest, Abigail, to John Howlett.

Notes

As Mrs Eliot was alive when Abigail, the widow of Michael Powell, wrote her will in 1677, we may reasonably assume that she (Mary Powell, widow of William Wilcox, wife of Jacob Eliot) and her sister Mrs Dwight (Sarah Powell, 2nd wife of Timothy Dwight) were omitted from it because they were children of Michael Powell by an earlier wife.[2] The surname Powell is a common Welsh name.

Inscription
Michael Powell aged 67 Yeares, desesed the 28 of December 1672

Children
Elizabeth Powell Treat 1641–1706
Dorothy Powell Perry 1643–1711
Mary Powell Eliot

References

1. https://archive.org/details/diaryofsamuelsew01sewaiala/page/52
2. The Graveyards of Boston, First Volume, Copp's Hill Epitaphs by William H. Whitmore through archive.org.
3. MyHeritage Family Trees - SmartCopy: Nov 11 2023, 17:14:05 UTC
4. Great Migration Directory, p 271: Powell, Michael: Romford, Essex; 1639; Dedham [DeTR 1:62; DeChR 25; DeVR 1; MBCR 1:379; Romford parish register; NEHGR 131:173-74; Abandoning 373].
5. WikiTree contributors, "Michael Powell (abt.1605-1672)," WikiTree: The Free Family Tree, (https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Powell-3433 : accessed 18 November 2024). cites
   1. Hill, D. G. "The Early Records of the Town of Dedham, Massachusetts. 1636-1659.", Vol. 3. Printed Records of the Town : Dedham, Mass., 1892. https://archive.org/details/earlyrecordsofto03hill/page/62
   2. Historical annals of Dedham : from its settlement in 1635 to 1847 / by Herman Mann.
   3. The Second church in Boston; commemorative services held on the completion of two hundred and fifty years since its foundation, 1649-1899.
   4. Historical sketch of the Second Church in Boston. Compiled by George H. Eager.
   5. A volume relating to the early history of Boston, containing the Aspinwall notarial records from 1644 to 1651. by Aspinwall, William See Also:
6. Find A Grave: Memorial #8449319 https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/8449319/michael_powell
7. Daniell Collins, Merchant of Broad Street, London, uncle to Michael Powell.
8. Baldwin, Charles Candee (1881). Baldwin Genealogy from 1500-1881. Leader Printing Co., Cleveland, Ohio. (pg 46)
9. Dwight, Benjamin Woodbridge. The History of the Descendants of John Dwight, of Dedham, Mass (J.F. Trow & Son, New York, 1874). Page 1010. < Hathitrust >
10. West, Randy A., Michael1 Powell of Dedham and Boston, Massachusetts: An Update, The New England Historical & Genealogical Register (NEHGS, Boston, Mass., 2020) Vol. 174, Pages 112-115. < AmericanAncestors >; (document attached)