DEATH CLAIMS PIONEER

Caleb Powers passed away at his home 409 Garfield Sunday night. He was one of the few remaining of the boys and girls who came to Mower county, in those early days when the red men still set up his tepees on the banks of the Cedar and hunted the deer on the prairies.

He was born Sept. 27, 1843 at Wyoming County, New York, and came west with his parents locating at Red Rock, Wis. After living there for three years the father Calvin Powers, took an ox team and went to California among the gold seekers of '49. On his return he packed his family in an ox cart and brought them over the old government trail to Austin, arriving here in September, 1854. They were seeking a location and discovered the Stillwater claim, near what was later known as Officer's Mill. They had brought with them Mr. Powers' household furniture and also drove a cow, one of the first cows to come into what is now a great dairy country.

Mr. Powers bought a claim and had a log house erected. The building was 12 feet wide, and fifteen long. It had one window and a door. While Mr. Powers was away one day the following spring the Indians came and stole all the provisions. Neighbors cared for the family and supplied them with food.

Here the boy, Caleb, grew to young manhood. He was 21 years of age when the civil war came and he enlisted in Co. K, 4th Minn. Vol. on Oct. 18, 1861 and reenlisted Jan. 1, 1864 for the remainder of the war. He took part in fourteen battles and was with Sherman on his march to the sea. The discharge paper that was given him at Louisville, July 19, 1865, has the following lines written by his captain. "Prompt and Brave. Private Powers, has always, on the field and in camp, deported himself as a solider and a gentleman, winning the respect and esteem of his commanding officers, and his comrades in arms."

Upon his return from the war he worked for his uncle, Hank Huntington, and on April 24, 1870 was married to Miss Nancy M. Johnson. To them were born three children, Zerbie Ann Gordon of Shaunavan, Sask., Benjamin D. Powers of Austin and Myrtle who died in infancy.

The family moved to Mona were Mr. Powers ran a meat market. Later he ran a meat market at Stacyville. He returned to Mona in 1887 and took up the business of a veterinarian. In 1891 he opened the Powers hotel at Lyle which he ran until 1900 when he retired from active business and moved to this city where he has since resided.

He has always had good health until the past two years. He has been suffering from a leakage of the heart.

The funeral services were held at two o'clock Tuesday afternoon at the house, Rev. J. McFarland officiating. Interment being at Enterprise cemetery. - Austin Herald.