John Wesley Powell is best known for exploring the Colorado River. Major Powell was 35 when he lost his right arm in the Battle of Shiloh. He led the first expedition to the Grand Canyon with only one arm.

John was born on March 24, 1834 in New York. When he was little his family moved to Illinois. He went to Wheaton College and Oberlin College. In 1861 he enlisted in the army. He continued in the war even after he lost his arm.

John Powell married Emma Dean in 1862. They had a daughter Mary Dean Powell. She was born on September 8, 1871. When the Civil War was over he was Illinois State University's first professor of geology.

In 1867 he started exploring the Rocky Mountains and the canyons of the Green and Colorado Rivers. In 1869 he and others traveled 900 miles with four boats. They started on the Green River and went through the Grand Canyon. He published books about his expeditions.

John Wesley Powell died in 1902. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

We got our information from:
the Utah History to Go web site.