MRS. NANCY POWELL was born in 1829, in West Pike Run township, Washington Co., Penn., a daughter of John Deems, whose father, also named John, was a native of this county. John Deems, Jr., was born and reared on the home farm in West Pike Run township, where he grew to manhood. He was married to Jane, daughter of Abraham Greene, a native of York county, Penn., and who moved to Washington county many years ago, where he died. John and Jane (Greene) Deems reared the following children: John (living in Iowa), George, Mark, Uriah, Reason, Susan, Polly, Betsey, Martha J., and Nancy, whose name opens this sketch. Of this family but two are yet living, John and Nancy. The father died in 1833 (when Nancy was four years of age), and the mother several years later, at the age of seventy years. She was a member of the Baptist Church; in politics he was a Republican. Nancy Deems was reared on the home place, and in 1848 was married to Edward Yorty, a native of this county, who followed farming. To this union were born three children, namely: Martha J., wife of James Harrison, a farmer of Harrison county, W. Va.; Nancy, married to John Robison, a grocer of Brownsville, Fayette Co., Penn.; and Clay, deceased. The father was a Republican in politics. He died in 1858, and in 1862 Mrs. Yorty was married to Joseph Powell, also a native-born agriculturist of Washington county. He died in 1881, since which time his widow has continued to reside on the home place, consisting of 114 acres of well-cultivated land, equipped with a good residence, barn and outbuildings. After the death of her husband the farm was for several years conducted by Clay Yorty, a son of Mrs. Powell. Clay Yorty always resided on the home place. When a young man he was married to Catherine Hill, who bore him six children, namely: Robert G., born in 1875; Solomon, born in 1877; Nancy, born in 1880; Grace, born in 1882; Blanche, born in 1884; and one deceased in infancy. The mother died July 2, 1884, at the age of thirty-three years, followed by the father in 1891, who passed away in his forty-ninth year. In politics he was a Republican, and was a member of the Masonic Fraternity at Beallsville. Since the death of this son Mrs. Powell has cared for his children, who are living with her on the home farm.

Text taken from page 1065 of: Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893). Transcribed March 1997 by Neil and Marilyn Morton of Oswego, IL as part of the Beers Project. Published March 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

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