Thomas Powell (1641–1722)

Thomas Powell (1641–1721/22) was a land owner in the middle section of Long Island in the Province of New York during the colonial period of American history. He secured the land transaction known as the Bethpage Purchase with local native tribes on Long Island.

Powell was born in August or October 1641.Puritans Thomas Powell (1616–1681) and Priscilla Powell ( Whitson) are sometimes given as the names of his parents. Sources disagree on whether Powell was born in Wales, United Kingdom or in Connecticut. Some sources say that Powell's parents were involved with the Reverend John Davenport, who led a group of Puritans to settle in the New Haven Colony in present-day New Haven, Connecticut. Several sources say Powell's father was involved with the sack and rum trade.

Court records from 1662 for the Town of Huntington, New York, indicate that thomas Powell indentured servant in the Jonas Halifax Wood home living with them Nigne years. After almost nigne years of service to Master Good Wood, and Good Higbe, Powell gave written testimony for the inventory books against the estate of Jonas Halifax Wood of Hempstead regarding an unpaid debt for rum and wine at Daniel Whiteheads store following Wood's death. Records from 1666 show Powell acting as attorney for Matthews in the sale of lands in Oyster Bay. Some sources say Powell married Wood's daughter in 1663 and purchased his first home dec 1663; while others list Powell's first wife's name as unknown.

, after completing his service, Powell lived for several years in Huntington. Powell filled positions within the administration of Huntington, including town recorder in the year 1658 and is listed as doing so in the Huntington town history timeline., constable, surveyor, overseer, and trustee. In 1682, Powell declined to serve again as constable, because the job required the officer to swear to levy and collect rates for the Church of England, and he had, by then, become a Quaker.

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