~Page 675~

Thomas Howard

The Howards and their connections were old families long resident of Pennsylvania. The paternal grandparents of the subject of this sketch were Thomas and Lucinda Howard, the former a soldier in the war of 1812. William and Elizabeth Alcorn, the maternal grandparents, lived in Pennsylvania for many years. John Howard, son of Thomas, was born near the Ohio and Pennsylvania line and devoted his life to farming. In 1854 he removed to Iowa and located in Fayette county where he met with unusual success and became a large land owner. He bought two hundred three and a half acres of timber in Pleasant Valley township and after years of work in clearing, ditching, fencing and otherwise improving, had a fine estate to show for his labor. He married Mary Alcorn, by whom he had nine children, five still living. Among his sons was Thomas Howard, who was born in Pennsylvania March 7, 1853. He attended the district schools during the winter and helped with the farm work in the summer seasons. As soon as he became of age, he started to farming on his own account and has met with success in his ventures. Within a mile of his father's homestead he bought two hundred and eighty-two acres and farmed it until 1907. During the last few years he followed cattle raising, which he found profitable, but lately has been in retirement.

In 1875 Mr. Howard married Esley, daughter of Isaac Connor, of Wisconsin, who came to Fayette county about 1855 and settled in Pleasant Valley township. He was a soldier during the Civil war, serving in the Thirty-eighth Regiment for three years. Mr. Howard adopted Anna Clark, when eight months of age, and reared her to womanhood. She was a daughter of William Clark, who came from Ohio to Iowa, about 1855 and settled in Clayton county, where he engaged in farming. He married Ellen Connor, by whom he had six children, three still living. At present he is in Montana, his wife having died in 1876. He served a short time toward the close of the Civil war, being very young when he enlisted. Emery and Henry, his two older brothers, served during nearly the whole period of the war.

John Howard, the subject's father, was a man of great force of character and noted for his energetic way of doing things. He worked hard when work was to be done, but loved sport and realized the importance of vacations. He was passionately fond of hunting and spent many days in pursuit of game in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska and Pennsylvania. He obtained considerable reputation as a hunter and was known far and wide as a successful Nimrod. As a farmer he was a hard worker and as he was a man of strong and robust constitution he was able to do much labor. The members of the Howard family, which has been identified with Fayette county for nearly sixty years, have always ranked among the prominent farmers and they have been successful in most of their undertakings. Mr. Howard is a Republican in his party affiliations, though he has never cared for or sought office and pays little attention to what is called "practical politics." His wife is a member of the Ancient Order of Gleaners and takes considerable interest in the affairs of the society.

~transcribed for the Fayette Co IAGenWeb Project by Ann Borden