Power, John

It is believed that John Power (1759-1823), a Franciscan priest, was born in County Tipperary, Ireland in 1759. He was listed as Vicar of St. Anthony's College, Louvain in 1782. Reverend Power arrived in Newfoundland in 1808 shortly after Bishop Patrick Lambert.

Rev. Power had vehement disagreements both with Bishops Lambert and Scallan, and they eventually excommunicated him; Lambert in 1812 and Scallan in 1821. There are, however, strong suggestions that Power had a large popular following among Irish Catholics.

When he died in 1823, Rev. Power left a considerable estate to his heirs, including legacies of L50 each to several relatives in Ireland, as well as a plantation at Twenty Mile Pond. The will was witnessed by Rev. Nicholas Devereux and Rev. Denis Mackin, and probate was granted in Ireland 23 August 1831 to Timothy Hogan, a merchant at St. John's.