John Powers, Arkansas.

John Powers, was doubtles the most popular sheriff the county ever had. He was serving his twelfth year in that capacity when he was fatally wounded on the night of February 5, 1902, in a battle with bank robbers. He was sleeping in an apartment above the bank of Clarksville, when a wakened by the explosion of the vault in the bank below. He hastened down stairs and encounnter four desperadoes. He engaged them in a rapid firing encounted of severalminutes, before the fatal shot entered his breast, within an hour he was dead.

One of the robbers, whose name was alleged to have been John Dunn, was also severly wounded, but was able to get a way. It was because of this wound that he was found later in a hospital in Wichita Kansas. However he escaped from the hospital. "Smiling Joe," Clark who proved to be a hireling of the leaders, was sent to the penitentiary for life, from which place he absconded a few months later.

The other two who give their names as Fred Underwood and George Durham, were finlly hanged from a hidden scaffod in the Johnson county, court yard on June 19, 1905.

John Powers.

Birth: Dec. 25, 1863.
Death: Feb. 4, 1902.
Mother: Sarah Ann Powers (1828 - 1912)
Burial: Oakland Memorial Cemetery, Clarksville, Johnson County, Arkansas.