The Power family

The earliest known location of our Power family is Dunnville, where Maurice Francis Power was born, abt. 1840.

The following is a simple tree of our Power ancestors:

  • John Thomas Power(s), b. Oct 06 1900, Little Bay, NF / d. 06 Aug 1972, Little Bay, Marystown, NF / m. Bridget Mary Murphy 01 Jun 1930, Dorchester, MA
  • Thomas Power, b. abt. Sep 1868, Placentia, NF (source: 1921 NF census) / d. 06 Jun 1939, Little Bay, Marystown, NF / m. Hannah Kilfoy
  • Maurice Francis Power, b. abt. 1840, Dunnville, NF / d. 31 Jul 1907, Placentia, NF / m. Margaret Dober from Beau Bois
  • Thomas Power (no other information known at this time)


John Thomas Power (my Grandfather) was born in the small, quiet community of Little Bay, near Marystown, Newfoundland.

The following photos shows the house he was born in and the general view of Little Bay from that house:

  • Birthplace of John Power, Little Bay
  • View of Little Bay

John was one of 6 siblings in his family (3rd oldest).  These siblings were:

  • Maurice Power, b. abt. Apr 1882, Little Bay, NF / d. ?? / m. Ellen
  • Clara Angela Power, b. 28 Oct 1897, Little Bay, NF / d. 10 Sep 1989, Dunnville, NF / m. Patrick Hanrahan 1926, Little Bay, NF
  • Stephen Power, b. 23 Dec 1902, Little Bay, NF / d. ??, Boston, MA / m. Ellen O’Reilly 29 Jun 1929, Dorchester, MA
  • Michael Power, b. abt. 15 May 1905, Little Bay, NF / d. 09 Sep 1964, St. John’s, NF / m. Sarah Baker
  • Mary Catherine Power, b. ?? / d. 31 Aug 1985, ?? / m. John francis O’Neill



As a Power in Newfoundland, John was destined to a life of fishing or working with boats.  His father, uncles and grandfather were all involved in the fishing industry.  His family moved from the Placentia/Dunnville area to Little Bay, near Marystown, some time between 1869 and 1892, where some of the family continues to live today.

If you look closely at a map of the Little Bay area, you will notice that many of the roads are named after the family names connected with the Power family: Kilfoy Rd, Walsh’s Road, Murphy Rd, Dober Rd.

Although born a Power, John’s named changed to Powers upon his arrival in the United States.  Naturalized in 1938, he came to Boston sometime between 1921 and 1929, perhaps in 1922, with his brother, Stephen.

In 1930, John married Bridget Mary Murphy, from Dunnville, NF.

Photos of John Thomas Power:

  • John and Bridget, 1930
  • John and niece Doris Maher, 1944
  • John Power, Dorchester, 1964
  • John with sister Clara, 1970s
  • John (right) with brother Stephen (center), 1920s

Click here to read more about our Power family…