I, J. Wathen, manager of this memorial, am the 2nd great-granddaughter of Powel through his son, William Austin Roberts.

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Powel served in the Union army during the Civil War in Company C, 13th Kansas Infantry.

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Note: The following obituaries have been transcribed as they were written; all errors were the newspapers.

The Kansas Chief, Troy, Kansas, Thursday, 28 November, 1907, page 8, column 2:

P. O. Roberts, a Doniphan county pioneer, died very suddenly at his home in Centralia, Friday, November 22, of heart failure. He settled in Doniphan in 1854, and lived in that vicinity until about eight years ago, when he went to Centralia. He was 70 years old, and is survived by his wife and nine children: Mrs. J. M. McNichols, Hutchinson; Mrs. Charles Prewitt, Kansas Ciyt; Mrs. Elmer Bedker, Onbey Roberts, G. B. Roberts and Pearl Roberts, of Centralia; Austin Roberts, of Horton; John Roberts, of North Dakota, and Miss Maud Roberts, who is employed in the Kansas City Salvage and Wreckage store in Atchison. The funeral occurred at Centralia Sunday afternoon.

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The Centralia Journal, Centralia, Kansas, Friday, 29 November, 1907, page 1, column 5:

P. O. Roberts Dead.

P. O. Roberts died sometime in the early morning hours of Saturday, Nov. 23 at his home in the west part of town, of heart disease. He had been as well as usual on Friday and retired that night with no sign of feeling ill. It was his custom to be the first of the family up in the morning and to call his wife and daughter. This morning Mrs. Roberts, who slept in the same room with him, wakened and found it later than Mr. Roberts usually slept and went to his bed to waken him and found that he was sleeping the sleep that knows no waking, having passed away sometime before. One can hardly imagine the shock this was to the family, altough it was known that Mr. Roberts had a very weak heart.

On hearing the news of Mr. Roberts death our people were all sympathy for the family. He was well known over this country for miles around, having farmed near Centralia until about four years ago when he moved to town.

Monday at 2 o'clock the funeral service was held at the Methodist church by Rev. W. A. Keve, after which Centralia Post No. 188 G. A. R., of which Mr. Roberts was a member, took charge and conducted the buriel service at the grave. Interrment in the Centralia cemetery.

Powel Omby Roberts was born in Howard county, Missouri, Oct. 3, 1837, died Nov.23, 1907, aged 70 years and 20 years. At the age of fifteen he began to earn his own living. Moved to Doniphan county, Kansas in 1854, in August 1862 he enlisted in Company C, 13th Kansas Volunteer Infantry under Captain Robertson. At the close of the war he returned to Doniphan county where he was married Jan. 31, 1868 to Miss Lavina Agee. To this union were born four children, Fannie, Minnie, Granville and William. He united with the Baptist church in 1872. His wife died June 4, 1874. September 12, 1875 he was married to Martha Jane Clem, who survives him. To them were born seven children, Maud, Jasper, Omby, John, Mary, Lydia and Pearl. All of the children are living except two. Fannie Belle, who died in 1877 and Jasper Claude who died in 1879. Twenty-one grand-children survive him.

This statement, in substance, was written by himself a few years ago when in severe illness and expecting death. To it he appended the following:

"What is man that thou art mindful of him?" and "Man that is born of woman is but of few days and full of trouble."

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From the Seneca Tribune, Seneca, Kansas, 5 December, 1907:

P. O. Roberts died very suddenly of heart diseate Saturday, November 23d, aged 70 years. His wife, who slept in the same room with him, was surprised that he did not call her as usual, and upon going to his bed found that his spirit had gone to meet a just and merciful God. Funderal services were held at the M. E. church. Rev. Keeve spoke words of comfort to the bereaved family. Members ef the G. A. R. had charge of the services at the cemetery. Besides the wife nine children and twenty-one grandchildren survive him.