Biography

04/22/1786 - 06/24/1856

Brigade-Major John Hare Powell (Federalist1) Philadelphia City County 1827-1828 (National Republican1) Philadelphia City County 1828-1830

Early Life: 

Born John Hare legally changed name to John Hare Powel

Brigade-Major John Hare Powell, born April 22, 1786, Poulton, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania; son of Robert Sr. and Margaret Willing Hare; later adopted Senator Samuel Powell’s widow, the sister of Margaret; counting house of Willing and Francis, 1806; traveled, Calcutta, 1806-1807; Secretary, American Legation, London, 1807-1811; Brigade-Major, Pennsylvania militia, 1811; Inspector-General, Pennsylvania militia, War of 1812; colonel, United States Army, Inspector-General, 1814-1815; married, Julia De Veaux, 1817 seven children, Samuel, De Veaux, Henry Baring, Robert Hare, Julia, John Hare Jr., and Ida; Founded, Pennsylvania Agricultural Society, 1823; author, Memoirs of the Pennsylvania Agricultural Society, 1824, Hints for American Farmers, 1827; Charter Trustees, Lafayette College, 1826-1835; elected, Federalist, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1827-1830; died, June 14, 1856, Newport, Newport County, Rhode Island; interment, Christ Church Burial Ground, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania.

Early Career:  

Secretary, American Legation, London, 1807-1811, under minister of England, William Pinkney. 

Brigade-Major, Pennsylvania militia, Thomas Cadwalader, Camp Dupont, Wilmington, Delaware, 1811; Inspector-General, Pennsylvania militia, War of 1812; colonel, United States Army, Inspector-General, 1814-1815. 

Founded, Pennsylvania Agricultural Society, 1823. 

Charter Trustees, Lafayette College, 1826-1835

Authored:

Memoirs of the Pennsylvania Agricultural Society (1824); Hints for American Farmers (1827).

Pennsylvania Politics: 

Elected, Federalist, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1st district, Philadelphia City County, 1827-1828; reelected, National Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1st district, Philadelphia City County, 1828-1830. 

Legacy:

Father, Robert Hare, Pennsylvania State Senate, Delaware, Philadelphia City, Philadelphia County, 1794-1799.

Robert Hare Sr. - Pennsylvania Senate Library (pasen.gov)

Uncle, Samuel Powel, Pennsylvania State Senate, Delaware, Philadelphia City and Philadelphia Counties, 1790-1793. 

Samuel Powell  - Pennsylvania Senate Library (pasen.gov)

Built a massive Greek-Revival mansion and estate, named "Powelton" West Philadelphia, designed by the architect William Strickland, overlooking the Schuylkill River. Powel sold Powelton to the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, 1851. The railroad kept 30 acres along the river and sold the rest for development of residential housing. The mansion was demolished in 1885, and the estate developed as the neighborhood Powelton Village. 

Powelton Village, Philadelphia is a national historic district that is part of University City. It extends north from Market Street to Spring Garden Street, east to 32nd Street, west to 40th and Spring Garden Streets, and to 44th and Market Streets. 

Cited:

Cox, Harold. "Senate Members P". Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University.

John Powel Hare, son of her sister, Margaret Willing, and Robert Hare. John changed his name by an act of legislature in 1809 to John Hare Powel in order to carry on the Powel legacy. (Actually, the year was 1808: Poulson's American Daily Advertiser; Volume XXXVII; Issue 9738; p. 3; February 19, 1808, found on Genealogybank.com.)

COL John Hare Powel (1786-1856) - Find a Grave Memorial