It has been record that she was the first self-made millionairess.
Sister to Hon. John Ball, Esq, Grand Rapids, Michigan.
She was the last to survive of a family of 10 children.
Powers Park, Lansingburgh, New York (William and Deborah Powers Memorial Park) (2.5 acres) was developed by Deborah Ball Powers as a memorial to her husband William Powers. Her sons deeded the park to the Village of Lansingburgh following her death in May, 1891.
Upon the failure of the Bank of Lansingburgh, the only one in the village, Albert Ebenezer Powers, son of Mrs. Deborah (Ball) Powers, became its receiver. In order to facilitate the liquidation, the firm of D. Powers & Son opened a bank under the title of Bank of D. Powers & Sons, the other partner being Nathaniel Ball Powers, the other son of William and Deborah Powers. From March, 1877, until the death of Deborah Powers May 28, 1891, the mother and sons jointly conducted the bank in connection with their oilcloth factory.
The factory was established many years before by Deborah Powers and her husband, William Powers III. The couple were married February 23, 1816, while Mr. Powers was teaching school in Lansingburgh. Having been successful in experiments in the manufacture of this product, Mr. Powers abandoned teaching in 1821 and devoted his time from that time on to this industry. Mrs. Powers was her husband's active helper in all his experiments,, both in counsel and labor. In 1828, the building they occupied being too small for the accommodation of the work, the factory now standing on the west side of Second Avenue was erected. In 1829 Mr. Powers lost his life while making varnish and Mrs. Powers was also severely burned in the same accident. But she bravely determined to carry on the business, which she did with great success to the day of her death, amassing a great fortune. In 1842 Albert E. Powers was admitted into the business as his mother's partner, and five years later Nathaniel B. Powers became a member of the firm, Jonathan E. Whipple, who had become a partner in 1832, retiring. After the death of Mrs. Powers both the oilcloth manufactory and the bank continued under the ownership of the two sons.
Additional info: Obituary - Chicago Herald (Chicago, Illinois) p 2:
Mrs. Deborah Powers.
Mrs. Deborah Powers, of Lansingburg, N.Y., a woman of most extraordinary business capacity, died Thursday night at the age of one hundred years. Although not devoting her personal attention to business for some years she was the head of a banking firm, D. Powers & Sons, and of an oil cloth manufacturing concern bearing the same firm name. She leaves an estate valued at $2,000,000. Mrs. Powers was born Aug. 5, 1790, in Hebron, Grafton County, N. H. In 1816 she married William Powers, of Lansingburg, N. Y. Mr. Powers began the manufacture of oil cloth, his wife being his only assistant. They built a factory in 1820, and the same year Mr. Powers was burned to death while making varnish. Mrs. Powers assumed direction of the business and continued it with even greater success than her husband had done. In 1842 she admitted her elder son to partnership, and some years later another son became a member of the firm. Mrs. Powers about 1875 turned the active management of the business over to her sons, but she retained an interest in the firm. Her mental faculties remained unimpaired to the last, although she had been ill for several years.
Sister to Hon. John Ball, Esq, Grand Rapids, Michigan.
She was the last to survive of a family of 10 children.
Powers Park, Lansingburgh, New York (William and Deborah Powers Memorial Park) (2.5 acres) was developed by Deborah Ball Powers as a memorial to her husband William Powers. Her sons deeded the park to the Village of Lansingburgh following her death in May, 1891.
Upon the failure of the Bank of Lansingburgh, the only one in the village, Albert Ebenezer Powers, son of Mrs. Deborah (Ball) Powers, became its receiver. In order to facilitate the liquidation, the firm of D. Powers & Son opened a bank under the title of Bank of D. Powers & Sons, the other partner being Nathaniel Ball Powers, the other son of William and Deborah Powers. From March, 1877, until the death of Deborah Powers May 28, 1891, the mother and sons jointly conducted the bank in connection with their oilcloth factory.
The factory was established many years before by Deborah Powers and her husband, William Powers III. The couple were married February 23, 1816, while Mr. Powers was teaching school in Lansingburgh. Having been successful in experiments in the manufacture of this product, Mr. Powers abandoned teaching in 1821 and devoted his time from that time on to this industry. Mrs. Powers was her husband's active helper in all his experiments,, both in counsel and labor. In 1828, the building they occupied being too small for the accommodation of the work, the factory now standing on the west side of Second Avenue was erected. In 1829 Mr. Powers lost his life while making varnish and Mrs. Powers was also severely burned in the same accident. But she bravely determined to carry on the business, which she did with great success to the day of her death, amassing a great fortune. In 1842 Albert E. Powers was admitted into the business as his mother's partner, and five years later Nathaniel B. Powers became a member of the firm, Jonathan E. Whipple, who had become a partner in 1832, retiring. After the death of Mrs. Powers both the oilcloth manufactory and the bank continued under the ownership of the two sons.
Additional info: Obituary - Chicago Herald (Chicago, Illinois) p 2:
Mrs. Deborah Powers.
Mrs. Deborah Powers, of Lansingburg, N.Y., a woman of most extraordinary business capacity, died Thursday night at the age of one hundred years. Although not devoting her personal attention to business for some years she was the head of a banking firm, D. Powers & Sons, and of an oil cloth manufacturing concern bearing the same firm name. She leaves an estate valued at $2,000,000. Mrs. Powers was born Aug. 5, 1790, in Hebron, Grafton County, N. H. In 1816 she married William Powers, of Lansingburg, N. Y. Mr. Powers began the manufacture of oil cloth, his wife being his only assistant. They built a factory in 1820, and the same year Mr. Powers was burned to death while making varnish. Mrs. Powers assumed direction of the business and continued it with even greater success than her husband had done. In 1842 she admitted her elder son to partnership, and some years later another son became a member of the firm. Mrs. Powers about 1875 turned the active management of the business over to her sons, but she retained an interest in the firm. Her mental faculties remained unimpaired to the last, although she had been ill for several years.
It has been record that she was the first self-made millionairess.
Sister to Hon. John Ball, Esq, Grand Rapids, Michigan.
She was the last to survive of a family of 10 children.
Powers Park, Lansingburgh, New York (William and Deborah Powers Memorial Park) (2.5 acres) was developed by Deborah Ball Powers as a memorial to her husband William Powers. Her sons deeded the park to the Village of Lansingburgh following her death in May, 1891.
Upon the failure of the Bank of Lansingburgh, the only one in the village, Albert Ebenezer Powers, son of Mrs. Deborah (Ball) Powers, became its receiver. In order to facilitate the liquidation, the firm of D. Powers & Son opened a bank under the title of Bank of D. Powers & Sons, the other partner being Nathaniel Ball Powers, the other son of William and Deborah Powers. From March, 1877, until the death of Deborah Powers May 28, 1891, the mother and sons jointly conducted the bank in connection with their oilcloth factory.
The factory was established many years before by Deborah Powers and her husband, William Powers III. The couple were married February 23, 1816, while Mr. Powers was teaching school in Lansingburgh. Having been successful in experiments in the manufacture of this product, Mr. Powers abandoned teaching in 1821 and devoted his time from that time on to this industry. Mrs. Powers was her husband's active helper in all his experiments,, both in counsel and labor. In 1828, the building they occupied being too small for the accommodation of the work, the factory now standing on the west side of Second Avenue was erected. In 1829 Mr. Powers lost his life while making varnish and Mrs. Powers was also severely burned in the same accident. But she bravely determined to carry on the business, which she did with great success to the day of her death, amassing a great fortune. In 1842 Albert E. Powers was admitted into the business as his mother's partner, and five years later Nathaniel B. Powers became a member of the firm, Jonathan E. Whipple, who had become a partner in 1832, retiring. After the death of Mrs. Powers both the oilcloth manufactory and the bank continued under the ownership of the two sons.
Additional info: Obituary - Chicago Herald (Chicago, Illinois) p 2:
Mrs. Deborah Powers.
Mrs. Deborah Powers, of Lansingburg, N.Y., a woman of most extraordinary business capacity, died Thursday night at the age of one hundred years. Although not devoting her personal attention to business for some years she was the head of a banking firm, D. Powers & Sons, and of an oil cloth manufacturing concern bearing the same firm name. She leaves an estate valued at $2,000,000. Mrs. Powers was born Aug. 5, 1790, in Hebron, Grafton County, N. H. In 1816 she married William Powers, of Lansingburg, N. Y. Mr. Powers began the manufacture of oil cloth, his wife being his only assistant. They built a factory in 1820, and the same year Mr. Powers was burned to death while making varnish. Mrs. Powers assumed direction of the business and continued it with even greater success than her husband had done. In 1842 she admitted her elder son to partnership, and some years later another son became a member of the firm. Mrs. Powers about 1875 turned the active management of the business over to her sons, but she retained an interest in the firm. Her mental faculties remained unimpaired to the last, although she had been ill for several years.
Sister to Hon. John Ball, Esq, Grand Rapids, Michigan.
She was the last to survive of a family of 10 children.
Powers Park, Lansingburgh, New York (William and Deborah Powers Memorial Park) (2.5 acres) was developed by Deborah Ball Powers as a memorial to her husband William Powers. Her sons deeded the park to the Village of Lansingburgh following her death in May, 1891.
Upon the failure of the Bank of Lansingburgh, the only one in the village, Albert Ebenezer Powers, son of Mrs. Deborah (Ball) Powers, became its receiver. In order to facilitate the liquidation, the firm of D. Powers & Son opened a bank under the title of Bank of D. Powers & Sons, the other partner being Nathaniel Ball Powers, the other son of William and Deborah Powers. From March, 1877, until the death of Deborah Powers May 28, 1891, the mother and sons jointly conducted the bank in connection with their oilcloth factory.
The factory was established many years before by Deborah Powers and her husband, William Powers III. The couple were married February 23, 1816, while Mr. Powers was teaching school in Lansingburgh. Having been successful in experiments in the manufacture of this product, Mr. Powers abandoned teaching in 1821 and devoted his time from that time on to this industry. Mrs. Powers was her husband's active helper in all his experiments,, both in counsel and labor. In 1828, the building they occupied being too small for the accommodation of the work, the factory now standing on the west side of Second Avenue was erected. In 1829 Mr. Powers lost his life while making varnish and Mrs. Powers was also severely burned in the same accident. But she bravely determined to carry on the business, which she did with great success to the day of her death, amassing a great fortune. In 1842 Albert E. Powers was admitted into the business as his mother's partner, and five years later Nathaniel B. Powers became a member of the firm, Jonathan E. Whipple, who had become a partner in 1832, retiring. After the death of Mrs. Powers both the oilcloth manufactory and the bank continued under the ownership of the two sons.
Additional info: Obituary - Chicago Herald (Chicago, Illinois) p 2:
Mrs. Deborah Powers.
Mrs. Deborah Powers, of Lansingburg, N.Y., a woman of most extraordinary business capacity, died Thursday night at the age of one hundred years. Although not devoting her personal attention to business for some years she was the head of a banking firm, D. Powers & Sons, and of an oil cloth manufacturing concern bearing the same firm name. She leaves an estate valued at $2,000,000. Mrs. Powers was born Aug. 5, 1790, in Hebron, Grafton County, N. H. In 1816 she married William Powers, of Lansingburg, N. Y. Mr. Powers began the manufacture of oil cloth, his wife being his only assistant. They built a factory in 1820, and the same year Mr. Powers was burned to death while making varnish. Mrs. Powers assumed direction of the business and continued it with even greater success than her husband had done. In 1842 she admitted her elder son to partnership, and some years later another son became a member of the firm. Mrs. Powers about 1875 turned the active management of the business over to her sons, but she retained an interest in the firm. Her mental faculties remained unimpaired to the last, although she had been ill for several years.
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