Chapter Thirty One

May 25, 1939

Louis E. Powers lived in Rutherfordton and owned and operated a wood working shop. He made doors, sash, brackets, window blinds and all types of house trimmings. Mr. Powers was twice married. He first married an Elliott and they had four children, one son and three daughters. The second marriage was to Miss Kate Biggerstaff of Sunshine, and they had two children, one son and one daughter.

Mr. Powers was one among a very few men who represented more than one county in the North Carolina General Assembly. He first resided in Cleveland county and about the year 1883 he represented that county in the House of Representatives. He later moved to Rutherford county and in the year 1905 he represented Rutherford county in the House. Mr. Powers was elected as a Democrat.

I recall one time Mr. Powers moved his planing mill to Sunshine to dress up a bill of lumber. During a political campaign he was busy dressing the lumber. One day a Republican speaker came to Sunshine to make a political speech, and Mr. Powers asked him if he would divide time with him and let him reply to his speech. The speaker told him he would, so Mr. Powers stopped his planer and put on his coat and made his speech with his work clothes on.

Mr. Powers was a very able man a fine speaker. He was a member of the Methodist church and a fine Christian gentleman. I have a front door shutter to my house that Mr. Powers made about thirty-five years ago. I paid him five dollars for it. A door similar to this would cost about twelve dollars at the present time. He was a great friend of mine and I thought much of him.