Marcellus J. Powers, Pg. 83-84 – scanned document
MARCELLUS J. POWERS, a well known business man of Hillsboro County, was born in the town of Hollis, where he now resides, August 5, 1853. His father, the late Harvey A. Powers, who died June 11, 1882, was born in Vermont on February 7, 1817, and came to New Hampshire, settling in Hollis, about the year of 1851. He was a skilled mechanic, and engaged in carpentering and building. In politics, during the latter part of his life he was a Democrat. His wife, whose maidenname was Sarah A. Colburn, was born in Hollis, July 31, 1820, and died April 9, 1896. Mr. and M Harvey A. Powers were Baptists in religious views, and were members of that church in this town till it disbanded. They had nine children, one of whom, a daughter, Francena A., born April 5, 1840, died August 5 of the same year; and another, a son, Julius A. , born February 11, 1849, died January 11, 1850. Seven sons still worthily bear the family name, as follows: Alphonso H., born April 5, 1840, a farmer and a graduate of Bridgewater (Mass.) State Normal School, now residing at Litchfield, N.H.; Ozro E., born September 15, 1846, now in Wallingford, Conn. ; Luray C, a skilled mechanic, born April 7, 1851, residing in Somerville, Mass.; Marcellus, special subject of this sketch; Perley A., born October 8, 1857, a dentist, a graduate of Ann Arbor (Mich.) Dental College, settled in Meriden, Conn.; Lewellyn S. , mechanic and musician, born January 15, 1860, residing at Brookline, this State; and Jesse B., dentist, graduate Of Baltimore (Md.) Dental College, borm January 1, 1864, a resident of Newton Centre, Mass.
Marcellus Powers passed his boyhood days at Hollis, was educated in the public schools of the town, and at the age of twenty-one began to learn the business of carriage and house painting. He has made himself a skilful workman in his department of industry, and has consequently as many calls for his services as he is able to respond to. His time is fully occupied with looking after his numerous engagements and in giving some attention to the management of his place and his fruitraising business. He owns a small farm, which contains thrifty growing orchard trees, principally apple and pear; and he also raises small fruits of various kinds, taking great interest in this branch of horticulture.
On September 12, 1882, in Farragut, la., Mr. Powers married Miss Mary S. Perkins, a lady born in Hollis. This marriage has been blessed by the birth of four children: Bessie M., born May 8, 1883; Marion F., born October 23, 1888; Helen T., born December 9, 1891; and Harvey M. , born May 31, 1894. Mrs. Powers’s father, John B. Perkins, was born at Derry, August 13, 1829, and died February 28, 1880; and her mother, Mrs. Sophia N. Little Perkins, was born at Atkinson, this State, November 29, 1830, and died August 17, 1894. Mr. Perkins was a very well-known and universally esteemed man, following various lines of business. For a number of years he was Deputy Sheriff of Hillsboro County, and he was also for some time in the custom – house at Boston. The Perkins children were four in number, namely Samuel L, born October 26, 1849, a farmer residing in Nebraska; John W. , of Farragut, la., a farmer, born December 14, 1852; Charles S, born December 9, 1856, who died February 1, 1884 ; and Mrs. Powers, who was born May 1, 1859.
Mr. and Mrs. Powers are members of the Congregational church. A Democrat in national politics, Mr. Powers is locally a Prohibitionist. He is vitally interested in all public movements, and has been chosen to fill various town offices, including that of Town Clerk. During the past six years he has been a member of the School Board, and is now its chairman. In Aurora Lodge, l. O. O. F. , of Hollis, to which he belongs, he holds the office of secretary.