Benoni
Teter Thomas
Powers
Born in Harrison, Virginia, United States
Ancestors 
Son of William D Powers
and Jemima (Teter) Booher
Brother of
Ezekiel Powers [half], Sarah (Powers) Bond [half], Prudence (Powers) Bond [half] and William Powers [half]
Husband of
Elizabeth Watson (McCauley) Powers
— married
13 Sep 1836 in Lewis County, Virginia
Descendants 
Father of
Eliza Prudence Powers, Newton Jasper Powers, Susan Cordelia (Powers) Hawkins, Henry Lafayette Powers MD, Benoni Columbus Powers, Sarah Powers, Martha Ellen (Powers) Berry, Lysander Powers, Charles Albert Powers, Walter Franklin Powers and Elihu Reed Powers
Died
at age 76
in Lewis, West Virginia, United States
Profile last modified
| Created 19 Mar 2016
This page has been accessed 719 times.
Biography
| Benoni Powers was adopted | |
| Adoptive Parents | Biological Parents |
| Father: William D Powers | Father: [[|]] |
| Mother: Hannah Stout | Mother: Jemima Teter |
Benoni Powers was born in Appalachia, in Virginia (now West Virginia). See Appalachia Project.
Native Virginian (Born in Virginia, Now West Virginia as of June 20, 1863)
Benoni Teter Thomas Powers was born out of wedlock to Jemima Teter and adopted by the William D. Powers family of McWhorter's Mills, in Harrison County, Virginia. Benoni married Elizabeth Watson McCauley on 13 Sep 1836 in Lewis Co., VA.
Below is documentation stating Jemima Teters is mother instead of Hannah Stout as stated. "West Virginia Deaths, 1804-1999," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NMDQ-NR5 : 11 February 2018), Powers in entry for B. T. Powers, 26 Aug 1891; citing Lewis Co., West Virginia, County Records, v 1 p 187, county courthouses, West Virginia; FHL microfilm 825,106.
Name: Benoni Powers Residence: Lewis County, West Virginia Occupation: Farmer Side Served: Confederacy State Served: Virginia Sources: 21
Name: Benoni Powers Side: Confederate Roll: M598_30 Roll Title: Selected Records of the War Department Relating to Confederate Prisoners of War, 1861-1865
research notes
Per website found from various sources William DNA wise is not father based on family search william is the father till further research is completed I am leaving William as father and listed him as a adopted father. Based on the information found and was presented I have listed people this way and I have added Jemima Teter as mother instead of Hannah Stouts.
West Virginia Deaths, 1804-1999," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NMDQ-NR5 : 11 February 2018), Powers in entry for B. T. Powers, 26 Aug 1891; citing Lewis Co., West Virginia, County Records, v 1 p 187, county courthouses, West Virginia; FHL microfilm 825,106.
http://orlandostonesoup.blogspot.com/2008/06/searching-benoni-powers-genes.html?m=1
Thus after 200 years the mystery is solved. Although Benoni Teter Powers was raised by the descendants of William Powers and used their surname, DNA evidence indicates that he was a McWhorter. There are four men who could have been his father. He was the son of either Henry McWhorter or of one of his sons, John, Thomas, or Walter. Who was Benoni Teter Powers’ father finally has an answer. It is not a definitive answer but it is the best that modern science can give us at this time. The search for the parents of his mother, Jemima Teter, continues.
Sources
- "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M8DC-69W : 23 December 2020), Bennoni T Powers, Lewis, Virginia, United States; citing family , NARA microfilm publication (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
- "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M41D-QJY : 18 February 2021), Benoni T Powers, 1860.
- "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZ4G-7RG : 22 June 2022), Benoni T Mitchel, 1870.
- "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M6RR-1FN : 15 January 2022), Benoni T. Powers, Lewis, West Virginia, United States; citing enumeration district , sheet , NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm .
- "West Virginia Births, 1853-1930," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F15H-7D8 : 9 March 2018), Benoni T Powers in entry for James B Powers, 30 Apr 1856; citing Lewis, West Virginia, United States, county courthouses, West Virginia; FHL microfilm 825,099.
- "West Virginia Births, 1853-1930," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F154-YYK : 9 March 2018), Berone T Powers in entry for Elehu Powers, 25 Dec 1854; citing Lewis, West Virginia, United States, county courthouses, West Virginia; FHL microfilm 825,099.
- Military: "American Civil War Soldiers"
Side served: Confederacy; State served: Virginia
Ancestry Record 3737 #5877443 (accessed 19 October 2022)
Name: Benoni Powers; Residence: Lewis County, West Virginia; Occupation: Farmer; Side Served: Confederacy; State Served: Virginia; Sources: 21.
- "West Virginia Marriages, 1780-1970," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FRDL-WXD : 16 March 2020), Bonone T Powers in entry for Ehihu R Powers and Antonetta A Davis, 03 Jun 1881; citing Calhoun, West Virginia, v 1 p 74, county clerks, West Virginia; FHL microfilm 807,456.
- "West Virginia Marriages, 1854-1932", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XRZF-K27 : 16 March 2020), Bonone T Powers in entry for Ehihu R Powers, 1881.
- West Virginia Will Books, 1756-1971," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2QM-5ZZG : 12 March 2018), Benoni T Powers, ; citing Lewis, West Virginia, United States, Will book, v. C 1878-1900, page 215, Jackson County Clerk, West Virginia; FHL microfilm 819,929.
- "West Virginia Deaths, 1804-1999," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NMDQ-NR5 : 11 February 2018), Powers in entry for B. T. Powers, 26 Aug 1891; citing Lewis Co., West Virginia, County Records, v 1 p 187, county courthouses, West Virginia; FHL microfilm 825,106.
- West Virginia Deaths
Name Benonia E. Powers Event Date 30 Nov 1929 Event Place H. Valley Webster, West Virginia Gender Male Age (Expanded) 86 years 4 months 24 days Birth Date 06 Jul 1843 Birthplace Va. Marital Status Married Father's Name Benonia Powers Father's Birthplace Va. Mother's Name Elizabeth Mccauley Mother's Birthplace Va. Occupation Farmer Cemetery Powers Burial Date 03 Dec 1929 Affiliate Repository Type County Records Citing this Record "West Virginia Deaths, 1804-1999," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NMDS-6YM : 11 February 2018), Benonia Powers in entry for Benonia E. Powers, 30 Nov 1929; citing H. Valley Webster, West Virginia, County Records, v 3 p 131, county courthouses, West Virginia; FHL microfilm
- "West Virginia Deaths, 1804-1999," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NMCF-5Q3 : 10 March 2018), Benenia Powers in entry for Benania C. Powers, 30 Nov 1929; citing Webster, West Virginia, County Records, 16295, county courthouses, West Virginia; FHL microfilm 1,953,604.
- "West Virginia Deaths, 1804-1999," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NMDQ-6F7 : 11 February 2018), B. T. Powers in entry for Elizabeth W. Powers, 1887; citing Lewis Co., West Virginia, County Records, v 1 p 163, county courthouses, West Virginia; FHL microfilm 825,106.
- "West Virginia Deaths, 1804-1999," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NMDQ-NRL : 11 February 2018), B. T. Powers, 26 Aug 1891; citing Lewis Co., West Virginia, County Records, v 1 p 187, county courthouses, West Virginia; FHL microfilm 825,106.
- "Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVGN-SPP1 : 3 July 2020), Benoni T. Powers, 1891; Burial, , ; citing record ID , Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.
- See Also:
- https://www.geni.com/people/Benoni-Powers/6000000033525001955?through=6000000033631054818
- Find A Grave: Memorial #121296732
- https://hackerscreek.com/cpage.php?pt=242
- https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/vitals/LHD3-64B
- https://www.facebook.com/groups/powersfamilyofwv/?ref=share
- http://orlandostonesoup.blogspot.com/2008/06/searching-benoni-powers-genes.html?m=1
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DNA Connections
It may be possible to confirm family relationships with Benoni by comparing test results with other carriers of his Y-chromosome or his mother's mitochondrial DNA. However, there are no known yDNA or mtDNA test-takers in his direct paternal or maternal line. It is likely that these autosomal DNA test-takers will share some percentage of DNA with Benoni:
It may be possible to confirm family relationships with Benoni by comparing test results with other carriers of his Y-chromosome or his mother's mitochondrial DNA. However, there are no known yDNA or mtDNA test-takers in his direct paternal or maternal line. It is likely that these autosomal DNA test-takers will share some percentage of DNA with Benoni:
-
~0.78%
John Baldwin
:
23andMe, GEDmatch MV8287223 [compare]
+
AncestryDNA, GEDmatch MV8287223 [compare], Ancestry member jrbaldwin49
+
MyHeritage DNA
Have you taken a DNA test? If so, login to add it. If not, see our friends at Ancestry DNA.
Images: 5
Rejected matches › Thomas Byers Powers (1814-1890)
Featured National Park champion connections: Benoni is 12 degrees from Theodore Roosevelt, 19 degrees from Stephanus Johannes Paulus Kruger, 15 degrees from George Catlin, 14 degrees from Marjory Douglas, 19 degrees from Sueko Embrey, 14 degrees from George Grinnell, 24 degrees from Anton Kröller, 14 degrees from Stephen Mather, 23 degrees from Kara McKean, 13 degrees from John Muir, 14 degrees from Victoria Hanover and 21 degrees from Charles Young on our single family tree. Login to find your connection.
P > Powers > Benoni Teter Thomas Powers
Categories: Adopted | 17th Regiment, Virginia Cavalry, United States Civil War | Rheumatism | Lewis County, West Virginia | Harrison County, Virginia | West Virginia Appalachians | Virginia Appalachians
This document proves Benoni Powers mother
"West Virginia Deaths, 1804-1999," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NMDQ-NR5 : 11 February 2018), Powers in entry for B. T. Powers, 26 Aug 1891; citing Lewis Co., West Virginia, County Records, v 1 p 187, county courthouses, West Virginia; FHL microfilm 825,106.
Billie
Like Earl Powers, Bob McWhorter knew his family history and was very proud of it. He had been to Scotland in search of his roots and had helped his relatives write up their family genealogy. When he heard about our 200 year old search for the parents of Benoni Teter Powers, he generously offered to help us by sending in his DNA for testing. It took some time, but when it was finally finished, our son tested genetic distance one with Bob McWhorter’s DNA as he had with Chester McWhorter. Bob McWhorter and Chester McWhorter had an exact match. The results from Family Tree DNA showed the comparison of 37 markers of Robert F. McWhorter and James Judson Powers as follows: In comparing the 37 markers, the probability that the males who provided the samples shared a common male ancestor in the past is… 4 generations is 58.99%8 generations is 89.03%12 generations is 97.47%16 generations is 99.46%20 generations is 99.89%24 generations is 99.98%
By this they couldn’t exactly determine father of Benoni Powers. Thus after 200 years the mystery is solved. Although Benoni Teter Powers was raised by the descendants of William Powers and used their surname, DNA evidence indicates that he was a McWhorter. There are four men who could have been his father. He was the son of either Henry McWhorter or of one of his sons, John, Thomas, or Walter. Who was Benoni Teter Powers’ father finally has an answer. It is not a definitive answer but it is the best that modern science can give us at this time. The search for the parents of his mother, Jemima Teter, continues.
http://orlandostonesoup.blogspot.com/2008/06/searching-benoni-powers-genes.html
Billie
http://orlandostonesoup.blogspot.com/2008/06/searching-benoni-powers-genes.html
"DNA evidence has proven that Benoni Powers was the son of Henry McWhorter, or one of his sons. While Benoni's death record states he was the son of William and Jemima Powers. He apparently was adopted by William Powers, Revolutionary patriot, and kept his name.
Family history suggests his mother was Jemima Teter, who later married John Booher in Harrison County on 27 Dec 1816. There is no source documentation that proves Jemima Teter was his mother, but it is most likely the case.
Benoni was born in what is now Lewis County, WV. At the time of his birth it was Harrison County.
Family history indicates his middle name was Teter, however no primary source documentation has been found by this contributor to validate, with certainty, that his middle name was Teter." (Bio by: Will Curtis Dec. 6, 2013)