Lewis W. Powell

Submitted by Jean Walker, Nov 2017

Who's Who in Arizona, 1913 pg 792

Warren

Louis W. POWELL, of Warren, who has played an important part in the development of the copper mining industry in Arizona, was born in New Madrid, Missouri, May 3, 1866. He is the son of John E. and Virginia Nash Fontaine Powell. His father was a planter and merchant of Missouri.

While Mr. Powell's main interest has been copper mining during his residence in Arizona, he has manifested a most commendable public spirit, and has been a willing and powerful aid in any movement that has meant civic, industrial or social advancement. Especially has this been true in the Warren District, where he was the prime mover in the financing and building of the street railway connecting the various sections of this district. He was also the leading spirit in the organization of the Warren District Country Club, and was its first President. He is Vice President and Director of the First National Bank of Douglas, and one of its heaviest stockholders; while in any event that promised to be of general interest to the community, he has displayed a keen disposition to improve the occasion, even though not prompted by a personal motive.

Mr. Powell passed his early life in his native State, where he was educated, partially by private tutors and partially in the public schools of St. Louis. He then entered Washington and Lee University, at Lexington, Virginia.

He started out, after having completed his education, as merchant and farmer, later was engaged in real estate business, and eventually drifted into mining, his first employment in this capacity having been in the iron mines of northern Michigan. When the $1,000,000,000 U. S. Steel corporation was formed, it took the best men obtainable in the country as directing heads. Mr. Powell appointed president of the Oliver Iron Mining Company, having charge of all their mining interests, and was vice president of their steamship company.

In 1906 he resigned and came to Bisbee where he became associated with the Calumet and Arizona Company and their allied interests in the capacity of Vice President and General Manager. On Mr. Powell's arrival all the properties looked promising, but the management had exhausted the available funds without accomplishing the desired results, and it was essential that someone with the ability to renew confidence in the operations should assume charge, and Mr. Powell was the man selected for that purpose.

When he assumed control these companies were enabled to raise sufficient money to continue development, were soon put on a big earning basis by Mr. Powell, and have since been merged with the Calumet and Arizona. In addition to this, to Mr. Powell's foresight and complete knowledge of mining conditions in the region may be attributed the fact that the Calumet and Arizona holdings now include some of their most valuable property. He also remodeled the old smelter at Douglas, practically rebuilt it, and doubled its capacity, and during the past decade has played altogether an important part and become a prominent factor in the development of the industry in Arizona.

In fraternal life Mr. Powell is equally well known. He is a 32nd degree Mason and member of the Mystic Shrine, B. P. O. E. and A. O. U. W. He is also a member of the California Club, Los Angeles, the Kichi Gammi Club, Duluth, and the Chicago Club, Chicago.

Mrs. Powell, formerly Miss Allie Moore Jewell, of Lexington, Virginia, is the daughter of Major William T. Jewell, who was an officer in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. Mr. Powell has five children, two daughters and three sons.

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