George W. Powers Sr.

George Washington Powers, Sr.

          It is possible that George, Dolly, George, Jr. & Martha were brought to Texas from Alabama as slaves by the Biga Powers family according to the 1850 Federal Census.  It records this family having 81 black female salves and 20 Mulatto slaves.  It is thought that George and dolly may have been among this number.  George was born in Alabama as a slave.  He married Dolly and along with his two children, Martha and George, at the time he move to Texas in search of a better life.  Stories are told that he was about 17 before he owned his first pair of pants.
          As a slave, they were dressed in crocker sacks with holes in the top for the head and holes on both sides for the arms to stick out.  He must have been a fast runner because his slave job was a dog trainer.  He was told to run, the owner would give him a head start, then let vicious dogs run after him to catch him.  .  He would have to run as fast as he could to get away.  He'd have to find the nearest tree to climb up to have a safe place to get away.  If cought, he would have been devoured by the vicious dogs.  If he survived, he lived to run another day.
          To their union, they had seven children: Martha, George Jr., Polly, John, Oliver, Felix, Rosie, & Davie.  After Dolly died in childbirth, Geroge later married Mary Frances.  George and Mary Frances lived in Freestone Co. until their death.

Submitted by Alford Powers