The Pascagoula democrat-star., 1901-09-27

Col. Power was lorn in Ireland on
March !. 1884 HIS parents died
when he was barely six years Of age
and the life Of the boy was one of
many bardships, At the age OF six
teen he decided to emigrate to Amer.
ica. He arrived in New York in 1850,
ragged and barefooted and with only
a few dimes in his pocket. A few
months later, after suffering poverty
in it's direst form, he arrived in Lock
port and secured job in the Office of
the Lockp0rt Journal, where he soon
became proficient printer. In the
summer OF 1854 he moved South. Ar
rlvlng in Vicksburg lie was prostra-
ted with yellow fever, contracted on
board Mississippi steamer. Re.
covering from the attack he found a
position in New Orleans and remain
ed there until 1855, when be accepted
an offer to come to Jackson. Two
years later, while working as Jour-
neyman printer he was married to
Miss Jane Wilkinson and a large
family OF children was the result of
the union, all of whom except one are
still alive. When the civil war
broke out he joined Withers' Light
Artillery and served with valor and
distinction throughout that memoir
able struggle. --...
In 1864 he retired from the active
service to accept position as super.
lhtendent OF army records, an office
created by act of the Confederate
Congress. He was thus engaged in
Richmond when the city was sur.
rendered on the 2nd of April, 1865.
Col. Power was made secretary of
the first Constitutional convention.
winch was convened by Provisional
Governor Sharkey after the war.
Shortly afterwards he started a news.
paper called the Mississippi Standard
ana In 1856 it was merged into the
famous old Clarion, which was con.
tinue1 until 1888, when it merged
into the Clarion.Ledger, with Col.
Power as the business manager. Az.
terwards he disposed of his interests
to Mr.. r. II. Henry, the present edi.
tor and proprietor, the paper for
many years being the official organ OF
the State.
Col. Power WAS clerk of the House
or Representatives in 1857. official re-.
porter OF the secession convention in
1861, and served as secretary of the
many Democratic State conventions
which have assembled at the capitol.
But it is as Grand Secretary of the
Mississippi Masonic fraternity that
he has become widely known and at,
the time of his death he was the old.
est secretary in point OF service In the
country. He was elected to the Office
in 1859 and completed his 32nd year
lie was a past Grand Master of Odd
Fellows, present Grand Treasurer of
'hc order and was prominent in the
knights of Honor and Knights OF |
Pythias.
In benevolent work Col. Power
leld supreme place and lie has prob. |
IDLY accomplished more 10 collecting
unds for orphans than any man in |
Mississippi. A work of which he was
'lways especially proud was In con.
'ection with thesyellow fever epidcm. |
c In 1878, when he received and dis. |
judiciously nearly slOO. 900 |
lmong the afflicted towns of Missis.
'ippi.
AT the time OF his death Col. Pow. |
u was serving his second term as
secretary OF State and his demise
caves u vacancy which will not be
,asy to I'll. si
During his incumbency of the office
ie mas saved many priceless records
IND historical papers from dcstruc-
Ion and his contributions to the
;rcnlves Of the Mississippi Historical
'ociety are among the most Valuable
2 the possession OF that body.