One of
Norfolk's outstanding legislators and soldiers,
Col. Walker Powell served as Adjutant-General of Canada
for more than 20 years.
Born 20 May 1828 at
Waterford, Col. Powell's connection
with the Norfolk Militia began 14 Dec 1847 when he was
gazetted Ensign of the 1st Norfolk Battalion.
His first promotion
was his appointment of Adjutant,
which took place 21 Jun 1851. On 25 Sep of that year he
was promoted Lieutenant of the same corps, and
seven years later he was made Captain.
On the 14 Aug 1862
the honorary rank of Major was conferred upon him, unattached to any
division of militia, and on the
19th of the same month he was appointed
Lt.-Col. and Deputy Adjutant of Upper Canada.
On 28 Dec he was made
Dy.-Adjutant General of the Dominion and stationed at headquarters. He was
created a full Colonel in Aug 1873, and in May 1875 received the
appointment of
Adjutant General of the Dominion, filling this post until
he retired in 1896.
Col. Powell was
elected Member of Parliament in 1857
and served until 1861.
Taking an important
part in the militia at the time of the
Trent affair in 1861, the Fenian Raids, and the Riel rebellions
in the Northwest in 1885, he was recommended for a C.M.G.,
and it was largely the result of Col. Powell's efforts that the
Royal Military College at Kingston was established.
He died 6 May 1915 at
the age of 87 years.
