Hints for American husbandmen, with communications to the Pennsylvania Agricultural Society
(This book was originally published prior to 1923, and rep...)
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John Hare Powel was an American soldier, statesman, agriculturist, and author.
Background
He was born on April 22, 1786 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States , the fifth son and sixth child of Robert and Margaret (Willing) Hare. His father, a well educated Englishman of good family, had come to America in 1773. Robert Hare, the distinguished chemist, was his brother. John Hare was adopted by his maternal aunt, Mrs. Elizabeth Powel, whose husband, Samuel Powel, was mayor of Philadelphia in 1775. When he became of age he changed his name by act of the legislature to John Hare Powel.
Education
He was given a good education first under his father and subsequently in the College of Philadelphia where he registered as a student in 1800.
Career
After leaving college in 1803 he entered the counting-house of his relatives, Willing and Francis. He was successful in business, having made $20, 000 on one voyage to Calcutta before he was twenty-one years old. He made a pleasure trip abroad soon after he reached his majority, and while in England, 1809-11, was the secretary of the United States legation in London, under William Pinkney. He made occasional trips to France, and became acquainted with distinguished men in that country as well as in England.
After his return to America in December 1811, he entered military service as brigade-major of volunteers under his old friend, Thomas Cadwalader. Near the close of the War of 1812, he entered the regular army of the United States, received a commission as inspector-general with the rank of colonel, and served under General Scott until the end of the war.
He turned from military to agricultural pursuits, and having settled on his estate at Powelton (now in West Philadelphia), he directed his attention to the improvement of livestock breeds. From England he introduced improved Durham Short Horn cattle which were better in dairy quality than the larger Durham Short Horns then being raised, and also the Southdown breed of sheep which were excellent for producing meat.
He was a secretary of the Pennsylvania Agricultural Society. He served in the Pennsylvania state senate from 1827 to 1830, but retired in the latter year and went to Europe a second time. On this visit he appeared as a patron of the fine arts and purchased many works of noted masters.
He died at his summer home in Newport, Rhode Island.
Achievements
John Hare Powel popularized improved Durham Short Horn cattle and wrote numerous papers for agricultural periodicals, among which were the American Farmer, and the Memoirs of the Pennsylvania Agricultural Society. His book, Hints for American Husbandmen, was extremely popular in the country. Besides, he was one of the organizers of the Pennsylvania Agricultural Society in 1823
(This book was originally published prior to 1923, and rep...)
Personality
He was noted for his pleasing personal appearance.
Interests
He was fond of outdoor sports which he pursued in later life until he was forced to abandon them because of an injury.
Connections
On October 20, 1817, he married Julia De Veaux, a daughter of Colonel Andrew De Veaux, a Huguenot of South Carolina. He had at least three sons and two daughters.
