John L. Howard

JOHN L. HOWARD, son of Cornelius and Sarah (Wolf) Howard, was born December 9, 1863, in Preston county, West Virginia. On the paternal side he is of Scotch. English and German blood, and on the maternal side of German blood. The Howards came to this country many generations ago and settled in Delaware, whence they scattered to West Virginia and Pennsylvania and then farther west.

John Howard, the grandfather of John L. Howard, was born in Delaware, but went to what is now West Virginia, then Virginia, and was a member of the legislature formed to secede from the parent state and become a distinct member of the Union. He was a man who took a deep interest in political affairs and was a strong Republican. He held many offices, and was active in business affairs. engaged in farming. the hotel business and various other enterprises. always successfully. His farms were operated largely by his sons while lie attended to his other interests. His children were: John War., painter and glazier, of Indianola, Iowa: Thomas D.. who died about 1891, a dealer and manufacturer in lumber at Grafton, West Virginia; Claus, carpenter of Oklahoma: Cornelius, father of John L. Howard, is a farmer and resides near Newberry, West Virginia : Susan, deceased, was the wife of James R. Smoot, Newberry: Martha, deceased, was the wife of John Powell. Newberry. Cornelius Howard, son of John Howard and father of John L. Howard, has spent the latter part of his life on the farm near Newberry, but was formerly in a mercantile line. During the Civil war he served the Union cause,. in the West Virginia Cavalry, and was mustered out at the close of the war as commissary sergeant. For the past forty years he has been an active member of the Methodist Protestant church. He has three children: John L., of whom later; Senie, widow of John B. Fram, of Concord, Nebraska; James E., tool dresser, of Smithfield, West Virginia.

John L. Howard attended the public schools until he reached the age of twenty-one years, when he entered a general store at Burton, West Virginia, that had a postoffice and railroad office attached. He performed duties as a clerk for eight months, then went to Tumelton, West Virginia, in the capacity of a clerk, his duties being in connection with the post and railroad offices. He continued there for five years, then for eight months was connected with the Montana Coal and Coke Company, Montana, West Virginia, as a clerk in the company store. He then formed a partnership with J. R. Smoot and J. N. Bentley, under the firm name of Smoot, Bentley and Company, and established a general store at Ten Mile, West Virginia, also handled lumber, etc. They did business for five years, then dissolved, and Mr. Howard became manager of company stores at Camden and Gauley, West Virginia. He was employed thus for eight months, and then was forced by sickness to abandon the position. After recovering he formed a partnership with John Calvert, and entered the mercantile business at Smithfield, doing business under the firm name of Howard and Calvert. After five Years they sold out, and Mr. Howard located at Scottdale. He purchased the business of F. W. Wright, April 27, 1go4, situated at the corner of Pittsburg and Chestnut streets. He carries a full line of dry goods, notions, millinery, etc., occupying two floors. His establishment is one of the most attractive and modern in this vicinity. He is a member of Independent Order Odd Fellows, Oral Lodge, No. 20, of Newberry, West Virginia; Damon Lodge, No. 5, Knights of Pythias, of Newberry; Wetzell Lodge, No. 39, Free and Accepted Masons, at New Martinsville, West Virginia, and of Clarksbury Commandery, No. 13, Knight Templars and Adaniram Chapter, No. 11. He married, November 11, 1893, Susie Blue, of Grafton, daughter of John W. and Mary Blue. They have one son, Walter Howard. Mr. Howard is a member of the Methodist Protestant church, and his wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.  

Source: Page(s) 206-207, History of Westmoreland County, Volume II, Pennsylvania by John N Boucher. New York, The Lewis Publishing Company, 1906.
Transcribed August 2008 by Nathan Zipfel for the Westmoreland County History Project
Contributed for use by the Westmoreland County Genealogy Project (http://www.pa-roots.com/westmoreland/)

Westmoreland County Genealogy Project Notice:

These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format, for any presentation, without prior written permission.