George Powell

b. 5 July 1889, d. 4 January 1956

George Powell, 1889-1956
  • George Powell was born on 5 July 1889 in Pana, Christian County, Illinois.
  • William Wood Powell and Sarah Malloy McEachin appeared in the US federal census of 1 June 1900 in St. Louis, Missouri, at 6926 Bradley Avenue. Other members of the household included George Powell, Evelyn Elizabeth Powell, Mary McEachin Powell, Virginia Lee Powell, Mildred Falconer Powell and William Wood Powell Jr.
  • William Wood Powell and Sarah Malloy McEachin appeared in the US federal census of 15 April 1910 in St. Louis, Missouri, at 3949 Washington Boulevard. Other members of the household included George Powell, Evelyn Elizabeth Powell, Mary McEachin Powell and Mildred Falconer Powell.
  • He was employed as a clerk in a railroad office, according to the 1910 census.
  • George Powell appeared in the 1914 St. Louis, Missouri, City Directory at 4350 West Pine Boulevard listed as a clerk at 611 Olive..
  • George Powell registered for the draft on 5 June 1917 in St. Louis, Missouri, while single and living at 4350 West Pine in St. Louis, and employed there as a tariff inspector.
  • The following appeared on 10 April 1927 in The Sunday Oregonian: At a luncheon for which Mrs. Clarence W. Keene was hostess at her home in Silverton Wedensday the engagement of Miss Eleanor McClaine to George Powell of Portland was announced. Covers were placed for 12 intimate friends of the bride-elect.
         Miss McClaine is the daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Fielding McClaine and a sister of the late A. F. McClaine of Spokane. She attended the University of Oregon and is a member of Kappa Alpha Theta. Mr. Powell is the son of Mrs. Sallie McEachin Powell of St. Louis and is a prominent business man of Portland.
         No date has been set for the wedding.
  • He married Eleanor Saphrona McClaine, daughter of Fielding McClaine and Sophrona Cavanaugh, on 18 September 1927 in Silverton, Marion County, Oregon.
  • The following appeared on 15 January 1929 in the Morning Oregonian: Sallie McClaine Powell was born Sunday to Mr. and Mrs. George Powell, and when news of her arrival spread through the shipping circles yesterday the happy father, who is president of the Oregon-Pacific company, was decidedly busy accepting congratulation on behalf of himself and family. Miss Powell was credited with a weight of close to nine pounds.
  • The following appeared on 16 September 1931 in the Morning Oregonian: Mr. and Mrs. George Powell are receiving congratulations upon the arrival of a daughter, born September 13, at Emanual hospital. The little girl, who is their second daughter, has been named Eleanor Evelyn.
  • The following appeared on 8 July 1932 in the Morning Oregonian: George Powell, president of the Powell Shipping company here and active for many years in Portland and national shipping affairs, was notified yesterday of his appointment as vice-consul for The Netherlands in Oregon, filling the office left vacant December 14, 1931, by the death of John Van Zante.
         Announcement of the selection of Mr. Powell as the latest addition to the consular corps in Portland was made also to the maritime commerce department by Dr. H. A. van Coenen Torchlana, consul-general of The Netherlands.
         Among the first to congratulate Mr. Powell yesterday on his appointment were C. Henri Labbe, consular agent for France, the dean of the consular corps in Portland; Hirosi Acino, consul for Japan, and L. W. Hartman, consul for Panama.
         Mr. Powell holds and has held many important offices both nationally and in Portland in shipping circles. He is now a director of the national rivers and harbors congress; a member of the national panel of arbitrators of the American Arbitration association; is on the Pacific coast committee of the American bureau of shipping; a member of the University of Oregon foreign trade advisory board; a director of the Portland Chamber of Commerce; a maritime commerce committeeman of the Portland Chamber of Commerce, and one of the directors of the Merchants Exchange.
         The company which Mr. Powell heads serves as northwest agents for the Chamberlin Steamship company, Ltd., operating a coastwise frieght service between Pacific coast ports, and as Portland agents for the Royal Mail Steam Packet company and the Holland-America line, operating as the North Pacific Coast line between Pacific coast ports and Europe, and for the Japanese line, Nippon Yusen Kaisha, operating between Pacific coast ports and Japan.
         Mr. Powell is also president of Oceanic terminals.
         When A. H. Metzelaer died in January, 1929, the late Mr. Van Zante became acting vice consul for The Netherlands, receiving his commission December 4, 1928. No permanent appointment has been made since December 14, 1931.
  • The following appeared on 17 January 1933 in The Morning Oregonian: A son was born to Mr. and Mrs. George Powell yesterday afternoon at the Wilcox Memorial hospital and the word went forth from Mr. Powell, who is head of the Powell shipping company, that Mrs. Powell and the newcomer were progressing. The junior member of the family has two sisters, Sally and Evelyn.
  • George Powell became a widower at death of his wife Eleanor Saphrona McClaine.
  • The following appeared on 8 June 1953 in The Oregonian: Funeral for Eleanor McClaine Powell, 59, of 2547 S. W. Hill Crest drive, will be Tuesday at 10 a. m. at Finley's Rose chapel. Private committal will be at Portland Memorial cemetery.
         Mrs. Powell, born September 18, 1893, at Silverton, died Saturday.
         She is survived by the widower, George Powell, by two daughters, Mrs. W. K. Gates of Salem and Eleanor Evelyn Powell of Portland; a son, George F. Powell, U. S. army; a sister, Mrs. C. W. Keene of Silverton; and by four grandchildren.
         Mrs. Powell in World War I was associated with the American Red Cross. She was a member of St. Mark's Episcopal church.
  • George Powell died on 4 January 1956 at age 66 in Portland, Multnomah County, Oregon.
  • He was interred at Portland Memorial Cemetery, Portland, Multnomah County, Oregon.
  • The following appeared on 6 January 1956 in The Oregonian: George Powell, 66, widely known in Northwest shipping circles, died Wednesday at Good Samaritan hospital.
         He was founder of the Oregon Pacific Steamship company and builder of the Oceanic terminals, which later became the Powell Shipping company, of which he was president. For many years he was vice consul here for The Netherlands. Queen Juliana knighted him with the Order of the Orange Nassau.
         Mr. Powell was born July 5, 1889, in Pana, Ill., coming to Portland in 1917. He was a major in the transportation department of the army air corps in World War I.
         During the war he was assistant Pacific coast director of the war shipping administration. He was a life member of Columbia lodge No. 114, AF&AM, St. Marks Episcopal Church and was a board member of Good Samaritan hopsital for many years. Two Daughters, Son Survive. His wife, Eleanor McClaine Powell, died in 1953. Mr. Powell lived at 1831 S. W. Park avenue.
         Surviving are two daughters, Mrs. Sallie P. Kelly, Salme, and Mrs. Evelyn P. Henwood, Portland; son, George Fielding Powell, Portland; three sisters, Evelyn and Mary Powell, St. Louis, Mo., and Mrs. S. H. Mills, Denver; brother, William, St. Louis, and six grandchildren.
         Services will be Saturday at 9 a. m. at St. Marks Episcopal church. The body will lie in state before then at J. P. Finley & Son. Private commitment will be at Portland Memorial.
         The family has requested that in lieu of flowers, contributions be made to the Damon Runyon cancer fund.
  • The following appeared on 7 January 1956 in The Oregonian: [Died] January 4, George Powell, of 1831 SW Park; husband of the late Eleanor McClaine Powell; father of Mrs. Sallie P. Kelly, Mrs. Evelyn P. Henwood, George F. Powell. Services Saturday, 9 am in St. Mark's Episcopal church, NW 21st and Marshall st. Friends invited. Private commitment. Friends who prefer may contribute to Damon Runyon Cancer fund. Columbia lodge No. 114, AF&AM participating. J. P. Finley & Son, Directors.
  • Last Edited: 27 Feb 2012

Family: Eleanor Saphrona McClaine b. 18 September 1893, d. 6 June 1953