The surname "Powell" was common,[note 1], and several "ancient" colonists had similar names (including Poole).
The Sea Venture, with Sir Thomas Gates and other prominent passengers, was beached in Bermuda after being caught in a severe tropical storm and separated from the other Third Supply ships.
The castaways had to build two small vessels from remains of the Sea Venture and cedar trees in order to complete their journey.
[9] In 1620, Argall contracted with, or possibly even ordered, Powell to clear land and build houses for new colonists at Martin's Hundred.
Powell tried to force the newcomers to pay for the work, but they were able to show this would be unjust because Argall had actually put their site in the wrong location.
[11] Captain Powell, who was described as the "gunner" of James City County, was one of a few who received early word of the planned colonist massacre and was "instrumental in giving warning to the plantations nearest Jamestown.
[2] Soon after beginning the Chickahominy River enterprise mentioned above, Captain William Powell was killed leading a party of militia against the Native Americans (Indians).
[15] In 1620, Powell and another colonist named John Smith took some land on Hog Island, which they shared with Captain Samuel Mathews.
[2] After Powell's death, in June 1625, a controversy arose between Captain Samuel Mathews, father of future royal governor of Virginia Samuel Mathews, and the children of Captain William Powell, deceased, over a grant of land on the south side of the James River across from Jamestown, Virginia.