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Thomas W Power

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Thomas W Power

Birth	:	1 Mar 1849 Jo Daviess County, Illinois, USA
Death	:	1921
Burial	:	Saint Mary's Cemetery, Arcata, Humboldt County, USA
Coordinate	:	40.8767014, -124.0860977
Description	:	THOMAS WILLIAM POWER.There is no other profession which gives to a man or a woman so great an opportunity for influencing the life of a community as does the profession of school-teaching. This is particularly true of the teacher in the country school, or in the village or small city, where the contact between pupil and teacher is constant and direct both in the school room and in the social life of the community. Judging by this acknowledged standard, it is safe to say that there is not a man in Humboldt county who has had more to do with... Read More	THOMAS WILLIAM POWER.There is no other profession which gives to a man or a woman so great an opportunity for influencing the life of a community as does the profession of school-teaching. This is particularly true of the teacher in the country school, or in the village or small city, where the contact between pupil and teacher is constant and direct both in the school room and in the social life of the community. Judging by this acknowledged standard, it is safe to say that there is not a man in Humboldt county who has had more to do with the shaping of its destinies than has Thomas William Power, pioneer educator, who for nearly forty years has been actively associated with the educational life of the county, and for the past ten years a member of the county board of education, and having just been reappointed for the sixth term. Mr. Power was born in Guilford Township, near Galena, Jo Daviess County, Ill., March 1, 1849. He was a country lad and received his early education in the schools in the neighborhood of his home. The story of his entrance into his chosen profession well illustrates the keen, wide-awake quality of mind that has made him a factor in the educational life of his chosen county. While he was in the last year of the grammar school, the teacher was taken sick and was obliged to give up the school. Young William immediately conceived the idea that he might pass the teacher's examination and take the place of the former teacher. Thought was at once followed by action. The examination was successfully passed and the youth found himself installed as teacher where he had so lately been a pupil. His ambitions were high, however, and he later completed his studies and fitted himself for his life work by a course at the State Normal School at Plattville, Grant County, Wis. This he accomplished by attending school during the summer and teaching during the winter months. The first school that Mr. Power taught was in Guilford school district, Jo Daviess County, Illinois. For the next few years he taught in his native county, also teaching one winter in southeastern Dakota and another in Wisconsin. In 1875 he came to California and located in Humboldt County, and March, 1876, began teaching on Dows Prairie. In the fall of 1876 he returned to his native state and that winter taught again in the same school which he had attended as a boy. During that winter he wooed and won Mary A. Collins, also a native of Jo Daviess County, having also been born in Guilford Township. They were married May 8, 1877, and that same year Mr. Power returned to California with his bride, locating at Blue Lake, Humboldt County. Here he purchased a ranch on Mad river, on the opposite side from Blue Lake, and engaged in farming. Though he did not give up his profession, for he taught school at the same time, he carried on farming for ten years on two different farms. In 1879 he taught for a few months in Redwood district and later went to Orleans for a short time, returning the following year to resume his duties in Redwood district. Since 1880 he has been constantly engaged in teaching in Humboldt county and today there is scarcely a section of the county which has not felt his direct influence, while the boys and girls whom he has helped to guide in paths of usefulness are scattered far and wide. A brief resume of his work will give some idea of the extent of his influence in local affairs : In 1881-82 he taught in Bald Hill district; in 1883-84, in Mad River school district; from 1885 to 1888 in the West End district; from 1889 to 1893 in the Maple school district ; in 1894 one term in Blue Lake ; from 1894 to 1896 in Iaqua; from 1897 to 1899 in Trinity ; from 1899 to 1904 in the Eel river district ; in 1904-05 in Grant school district; from 1905 to 1912 he taught in Weitchpec on Klamath river, and in 1912 he began teaching in the Little River school district, continuing until May, 1914, when he retired from teaching, making his home at his residence in Blue Lake, where he is serving as president of the Board of Trustees of the city of Blue Lake, where he is guiding the destinies of the city of his adoption, having resided on his ranch across the river before Blue Lake had sprung into existence. Mr. Power has preferred teaching to all other occupations, and is a man well fitted for the work he has chosen. He has always taken a keen interest in all public affairs and has ever been active in all movements for the uplift and general welfare of the county. During his almost forty years of teaching in California he has witnessed many changes, not only in his own immediate locality, but throughout the entire state as well, and he has the satisfaction of knowing that he has done his full share in the accomplishment of all worthy progressive movements in Humboldt County. In addition to his educational work, Mr. Power was supervisor of the third district from 1885 to 1893. He is a Democrat in political affiliation, and has always been interested in local politics from a broad standpoint. He is a member of the Independent Order of Foresters. Four children have blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Power, namely: William, Mary Helen, Florence and Emily. Of these, two have followed in their father's footsteps. Mary Helen, now the wife of F. M. Broderick, was before her marriage a teacher in the public schools for six years, first at Cedar Springs, and the remaining five years at Blue Lake. Emily is at present a teacher in the grammar school at Blue Lake, where her parents make their home." Courtesy: Written permission received from CAGenWeb Project to FAG contributor # 49278253

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is Thomas W Power's memorial?
Thomas W Power's memorial is located at: Saint Mary's Cemetery, Arcata, Humboldt County, USA.
When did Thomas W Power death?
Thomas W Power death on 1921 in
Where are the coordinates of the Thomas W Power's memorial?
Latitude: 40.8767014
Longitude: -124.0860977

Family Members:

Parent

Spouse

Mary Ann Collins Power

(1852 - 1946)

Siblings

Children

William John Power

(1878 - 1953)

Mary H Power Broderick

(1882 - 1968)

Florence J Power

(1889 - 1964)

Emily T. Power

(1891 - 1973)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. Saint Mary's Cemetery
Arcata, Humboldt County, USA
Coordinate: 40.8767014, -124.0860977

2. Greenwood Cemetery
Arcata, Humboldt County, USA
Coordinate: 40.8778000, -124.0858002

3. Saint Alban's Memorial Garden
Arcata, Humboldt County, USA
Coordinate: 40.8579200, -124.0622800

4. Blue Lake Cemetery
Blue Lake, Humboldt County, USA
Coordinate: 40.8800230, -123.9824400

5. Myrtle Grove Memorial Cemetery
Eureka, Humboldt County, USA
Coordinate: 40.7990800, -124.1497900

6. Fishermens Memorial
Eureka, Humboldt County, USA
Coordinate: 40.8083400, -124.1664560

7. Spear Family Cemetery
Humboldt County, USA
Coordinate: 40.7705700, -124.0698100

8. Ocean View Cemetery
Eureka, Humboldt County, USA
Coordinate: 40.7719002, -124.1883011

9. Saint Bernard's Cemetery
Eureka, Humboldt County, USA
Coordinate: 40.7717934, -124.1895065

10. Sunset Memorial Park
Eureka, Humboldt County, USA
Coordinate: 40.7658600, -124.1891300

11. Trinidad Lighthouse Lost & Buried at Sea Memorials
Trinidad, Humboldt County, USA
Coordinate: 41.0582900, -124.1431000

12. Trinidad Cemetery
Trinidad, Humboldt County, USA
Coordinate: 41.0626400, -124.1429500

13. Moon Ranch Cemetery
Blue Lake, Humboldt County, USA
Coordinate: 40.9758310, -123.8441430

14. Saint Patrick's Catholic Cemetery
Loleta, Humboldt County, USA
Coordinate: 40.6607600, -124.2146700

15. Table Bluff Cemetery
Loleta, Humboldt County, USA
Coordinate: 40.6493900, -124.2094300

16. Iaqua Cemetery
Humboldt County, USA
Coordinate: 40.6497250, -123.9237920

17. Sunrise Cemetery
Fortuna, Humboldt County, USA
Coordinate: 40.5976831, -124.1320603

18. Rohnerville Pioneer Cemetery
Rohnerville, Humboldt County, USA
Coordinate: 40.5732470, -124.1335280

19. Catholic Cemetery
Fortuna, Humboldt County, USA
Coordinate: 40.5669310, -124.1265560

20. Masons and IOOF Cemetery
Rohnerville, Humboldt County, USA
Coordinate: 40.5563180, -124.1224520

21. Ferndale Cemetery
Ferndale, Humboldt County, USA
Coordinate: 40.5748558, -124.2637100

22. Saint Mary's Cemetery
Ferndale, Humboldt County, USA
Coordinate: 40.5708008, -124.2530975

23. Hydesville IOOF Cemetery
Hydesville, Humboldt County, USA
Coordinate: 40.5442850, -124.1040710

24. Hydesville Cemetery
Hydesville, Humboldt County, USA
Coordinate: 40.5433330, -124.1022330