The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-10-19
AN ALABAMA NOBLEMAN.
BY A. E. cAFFEE
..s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s. .s.s-s-s..s..i

She Is dead. She. ..the light of other days" who presided with womanly grace over the home of him. who in many re. apects. was the noblest Alabamian. Mrs James R. Powell. But as 1t is of her hns- Land whom desire to write of to those Alabamians who loved him so well, and especially those who have grown along with the years that have made Birmlng- ham great. I will in passing. only a1lude to that paragon of goodness who came with sovereign grace to teach us woman hood. Hers was a life as glorious as 1t was gentle and kind, and it was in Eng land in pursuance of her duties in edu- entlng their daughter that Mrs. Powell became distinguished as a typical Ameri- can. before the Astors and Vanderbilts had besmirched the name with the osten- tious plaudits to be secured by money. She was a handsome southern woman, but not a typical beauty-the perfection of elegance and propriety, strong rival of that other realm of beauteous woman hood ill which is found that feminine tact in which the adept beguiles both sexes. She was not a mistress of the
 
 q princess of the home, and It was there she reigned without envy or rivalry. It is said that she never spoke i'll of any, one, which Is the proudest title to nobility of soul If l was a woman, I would like to be such as she was; 1 would like to live the life she lived; would like to have the noble, unselfish name she leaves
 Conditions of social life in this country they " nTeVenG Duplication of this resplendent example of virtuous womanhood-she whose highest aim was to be a woman. It seems that as if she knew that such as she could be nothing better, or higher or more adorable; that there is "a divia- ity which doth hedge" a woman as there Is one that hedges q king that
 While the monarch but traces,
 Through mortas his line
 Beauty born of the Graces,
 Ranks next to Divine"
 Col. James R. Powell was born in Yir- ginia in 1S16 He came to Alabama in 1893, in quest of honor and fortune. He had a fairly good education, and for while he taught school in Lowndes county. Here was man strong and de- termined in hope, and all but irresistible in industry. He kept hotel in Mont gomery, and engaged in that seductive business of the early stage coach.
 In 1S45 Colonel Powell was sent to the legislature from Coosa county along with old Colonel Howell Rose. They engaged with all their might to remove the capi- tol to Wetumpka, and made most cred itable fight. In the house, he was, per- haps the most useful and industrious committeeman who ever served Alabama in that body. He was elected to the sen- ate by the democrats in 1853, but retired after the session of 1855. He was extt<- sively engaged in mail contracts and derived a beautiful revenue from that source. He made Montgomery the head quarters for his great financial opera tions. His travels in Europe equipped him for entertaining personal compan- ionship, and rendered him versatile and interesting speaker on the hustings. His letters of travel were published in the Montgomery papers, and marked him as writer of skilled powers of description and added another link in the varied chain of human endeavor that was cred itable indeed.
 But as the founder and originator of the marvellous city nestling at the base of Red mountain in famed Jones valley will ever be regarded as the vast achieve of that mighty brain, and in him will the pride of the great city rest as it's fa- ther and it's proudest benefactor. His confidence approaching inspiration, in the magic wealth beneath those hills. and the ultimate development to the full and