Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1886-05-28
ALABORING MANS FRIEND,
sketch OF the Interesting Career of
Grand Master Workman PowderIy.

Grand Master Workman Powderly.
1t serves them right; they should or
ganize." These words. writes II Scran-
ton, Pa, correspondent of The NeW
I0rh U,orld, were often on the lips of
Terence Powderly, the father of the
present general master workman of the
Knights of Labor. Terence Vincent
Powderly. When gathered with his
children around the family hearthstone
he would talk to them of the impOr-
lance of laboring men working togeth-
er for a common cause. Holding up a
bundle of sticks he would exclaim:
"Scc. how easy il is to break these one
by one. and how difficult when all to-
gether." His youngest son, Terence
Vincent. was especially impressed with
these teachings, and his father often
said: Terry will make his mark some
day."
Mr.. Powdcrly's father came to this
country in 1926. He was then about
twenty-five years old. He was pow
crful man, fully six feet tall, with u
strong constitutions He married be-
fore he left Ireland, and his first son
was born on the ship coming up the
St. Lawrence. He landed where the
present town of Ogdcnsburgh. \. Y,
stands to-day, Two years were spent
in Ogdcnsburgh, and then he started
further south. nc stopped at Utica for
u few months and then continued his
Journey, arriving at Carbonate, his
future home, early in 1929. In those
days the coal was obtained by stripping
the earth of and heWin% the coal out
with picks. A. the process Of mining
advanced, Mr. Powdcrly became mine
boss, and he also opened Il small store.
which was managed by his wife, If he
had been little less careful he might
have become one of the richest men in
PENNSYLVANIA. A farm of over four
hundred acres was offered To him for
about $500. This farm contained SOC
of the largest deposits of coal inrhe
state. It's Weld has amounted TO n
great many hundred thousand dollars
and still seems incNhaustible. Mr..
Powderly, however. had horror of
going into debt, and he refused his OPP
portunity. He thus lived and died Il
poor man.
Terence V. was the youngest son in
the family of twelve children, several
of whom are now living. Three broth
crs are living at Carbondale and one on
a farm in Sullivan county. Joseph, one
of the elder brothers, has just been APP
pointed postmaster ut Carbondalc.
Grand Master Workman Powderly
was born on January %, 1S49. His
studies were confined to reading, writ
inc. arithmetic and geography. At Is
he was apprenticed to a machinist. He
was not a model boy in the sense of his
never getting into mischief, although
he generally had his lessons. The
schoolmaster. Mr.. Bernard McTighc,
maintained discipline, and he had
occasion one day to punish young
Powderly severely. McTighe, who was
a small man, passed the place where
Mr.. Powderly was ut work on his way
20 school and Mr. Powdcrly called out
to him and said:
Il hear YOU thrashcd my boy yester-
day
Yes" was the reply, 81 thought it
was necessary
What did he do?'
After tho schoolmaster explained,
Mr.. Powdcrly said: "You did perfectly
right.
Young Powderly's studies did not end
with his apprenticeship to the machin-
list trade. His was a naturally thought
full. inquiring mind, and his evenings
were passed in reading. He earned
enough money to buy copy of Shaks-
pearc's works, and was very fond of his
achievement.
When he first entered the machine
shop Powdcrly was set To work boring
out holes in car wheels. Notwthstand-
ing his reading he paid close attention
to his work and was advanced from
time to time until he became master of
the trade.
In 1867 Miss Hannah Devers, his
schoolmatc and sweetheart, left Carbon
dale with her parents for Scranton.
"My brother, said Mr.. Powderly' S
Youngest sister, at Carbonate, sis not
very much of ladies' men. Oh, no.
he is not a woman-hater by any means, "
she added, smiling but he is not fond
of society
Mr.. Powderly left Carbonate in 1869
Two years before he joined the Knights
of Labor. The order was then in its
infancy in Carbonate, but soon gained
quite little local celebrity by the in
telligcnt manner in which he Diseased
the future of the organization. On ar
irving in Scranton, Mr. Powderly en-