Am,ja°nuri87n9arm*}      Memoir  of  Thomas  H.  Powers.  39 
MEMOIR  OF  THOMAS  H.  POWERS. 
Read  before  the  College  at  a  Stated  Meeting  December  30,  1878. 
Thomas  Henry  Powers,  son  of  Thomas  and  Susan  Powers,  was 
born  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  October  17,  1812.  His  maternal 
ancestry  were  descended  from  and  connected  with  some  of  the  good 
old  colonial  families  belonging  to  the  Society  of  Friends. 
There  were  two  children,  both  boys.  Thomas  was  the  elder,  the 
younger  died  in  childhood. 
Mrs.  Powers  resided  with  her  sisters  at  No.  17  North  Seventh  street 
(old  number).  She  died  while  Thomas  was  quite  young,  and  the 
charge  of  him  in  his  boyhood  devolved  upon  his  aunts,  Mary  and 
Martha  B.  Pearson.  The  sisters  were  mantua  makers  and  had  a  small 
dry  goods  store  at  the  above  mentioned  locality,  and  were  quite  noted  as 
dress  makers,  having  a  considerable  custom  outside  of  the  city. 
In  1830  Mary  and  Martha  B.  Pearson  removed  to  No.  16  North  Sixth 
street  (old  number),  to  a  house  owned  by  John  Grandom,  their  cousin, 
where  they  continued  the  mantua  making  business  until  about  the  year 
1834,  when  they  withdrew  from  business,  Thomas  having  grown  up  and 
attained  a  position  which  enabled  him  to  contribute  to  the  support  of 
the  family  In  1839  they  removed  to  a  house  on  Buttonwood  street, 
near  Eighth  street,  from  which  in  1844  they  removed  to  a  dwelling 
purchased  for  them  by  their  nephew,  No.  615  Wood  street,  where 
Martha  died  in  1847  an<^  Mary  in  1869. 
The  care  which  his  aunts  had  exercised  over  him  during  his  boy- 
hood was  repaid  by  Thomas  in  his  manhood  with  filial  affection.  He 
provided  for  the  comfort  of  their  declining  years,  and  attended  sedu- 
ously  to  the  care  of  them  as  long  as  they  lived.  After  their  death  he 
manifested  his  appreciation  of  the  services  of  two  faithful  domestics 
who  had  long  waited  on  them,  by  giving  to  one  the  furniture  of  the 
house  and  by  selling  to  the  other  a  dwelling  suited  to  her  requirements 
for  a  nominal  consideration. 
At  the  age  of  seven  years  Thomas  was  sent  to  the  "  Ludwick 
School,"  on  the  north  side  of  Walnut  street,  above  Sixth  street. 
The  "  Ludwick  School"  was  established  by  "The  Philadelphia 
Society  for  the  establishment  and  support  of  Charity  Schools."  This 
society  was  incorporated  in  September,  1801,  in  conformity  with  the 
will  of  Christopher  Ludwick,  a  wealthy  and  benevolent  German  citi- 
