- HENRY M. HOWE, now residing on section 1, Spring Valley Township,
where he is engaged in
- general farming, first came to Wisconsin in 1840. He is a
native of Vermont, his birth occurring on the 24th day of May,
1820, and is a son of John and Phoebe (DEXTER) HOWE, the former
a native of Connecticut, and the latter of New Hampshire, while
both were of English descent. The maternal grandfather, Stephen
DEXTER, served in the Revolutionary War, participating in the
Battle of Bunker Hill, and many other engagements, but received
no wounds. The grandfather HOWE was engaged in business at New
London, Conn., and in 1812, the martial law being declared, he
went to the defense of the city with his fellow townsmen and
was killed. The family of which our subject was a member numbered
eight children, all of whom grew to years of maturity. Edsen,
the eldest, served in the Seminole War, wedded Miss Mary MOORE,
of New Hampshire, and died in California in 1849. He was a great
traveler, belonged to the United States Navy, was three times
ship-wrecked and twice cast away, at one time landing on an island
in the ocean. He visited many countries, including the Holy Land,
where he saw many objects of interest, among which was the Mount
of Olives, the city of Jerusalem, and the chair in which John
the Baptist was bound at the time when he was beheaded by the
command of the king's daughter; Almira, the second child, married
George BOYCE, of Northfield, Vt., by whom she had six children,
and her death occurred in 1888, her husband being also deceased;
William, who followed a seafaring life and was a mate on a whale
ship, later, in company with some English officers, went into
the mining business in New Zealand, where he is supposed to have
died. He was married in Sidney, Australia, but whether any children
were born of this union is unknown; George, who served in a Vermont
regiment during the War of the Rebellion, married Miss Martha
BENSOR, of Northfield, Vt., and three daughters were born to
them; the parents are now both deceased; Lucia, now deceased,
was the wife of Benjamin TILTON, of Danville, Vt., also deceased,
and by their union was born three children; John, who was united
in marriage with Caroline REESE, of Rock County, Wis., a native
of Pennsylvania, had five children by that union, four of whom
are still living, Hale, now being a resident of California, while
the remaining three are residents of Wisconsin; Warren, who married
Miss Amanda BROOKS, of Danville, Vt., by whom he has eight children,
six sons and two daughters, is living with his family in Woodstock,
Ill.
- The subject of this sketch first came to Wisconsin in 1840,
and for one year worked on the Rock
- River on a scow propelled by horse power and a main sail.
It was owned by DECKER & NOWLTON, of Janesville, and was
drawn by three horses. The water wheel was affixed to the stern
of the boat, the horses going around on a sweep gear, similar
to that of a threshing machine. They boated stone and lumber,
receiving the former from CHAPIN quarry, and landing hear the
Indian Ford. They went as far up the river as Jefferson, where
there was a saw mill, the only one at that time within many miles
of Janesville, in fact the only one known to be west of Milwaukee.
After working on the boat for about six weeks, Mr. HOWE was taken
sick with bilious fever, which confined him to his home for about
six weeks. After recovering his strength, in company with five
others, John HOWE, Mr. BIDDLECOMBE, John CONNER, Allen C. BATES,
a lawyer now in Janesville, and Warren HOWE, he went up the Rock
River, to the woods near Jefferson, where they secured basswood,
oak and hickory trees, from which they hewed logs, made rafts,
and with tamarack poles floated down the Rock River. They stopped
at Black Hawk Island, where there was an Indian camp, the Indians
being engaged in trapping, and there they went ashore to cook
and sleep. The Indians came to them asking for "skoola wambo,"
or firewater, which they agreed to give them in exchange for
cash and furs. In company with Eli PHELPS, Mr. HOWE went in a
canoe a few miles up the river to Fort Atkinson, where they obtained
two gallows of whiskey, and the exchange was made as agreed.
After disposing of their lumber rafts to good advantage, in the
spring of 1841, Mr. HOWE was employed at anything that he could
find to do until the following autumn, when he went to "hog
back ridge," a short distance west of Footville, where,
in connection with Warren and John HOWE and Mr. COOVERS he began
cutting wild hay, they putting up about seventy-five tons at
that time, which brought $3 a ton in Janesville. After disposing
of the hay, Mr. HOWE returned to Vermont, where he engaged in
rafting on the Connecticut river. The logs were cut on the St.
Johns River, a tributary of the Connecticut, and rafted to Dalton,
where they sawed, and the lumber floated down to Hartford, Conn.
He engaged in that business for about four years, when he spent
the two succeeding years in boating on the Connecticut, freighting
merchandise up and down the river, making two trips per week
from Hartford to South Hadley Falls. One year he was engaged
in boating on the Merrimac from Concord to Boston, and in the
fall of 1851 a part of forty-four started for California.
- The company sailed from New York by way of the Nicaragua
route, being delayed for a short
- time on the rapids of the San Juan river. They were forty
days on board the steamer "Independence," which at
one time was used on the North River, running from the Isthmus
of Panama to San Francisco. With the party Mr. HOWE arrived in
California during the latter part of November, 1851, and after
remaining in San Francisco for a few days, went to Wood Creek,
near which he engaged in mining. Buying an interest in two claims,
with experienced miners, he worked three months and then sold
out, having thirteen ounces of gold as the result of his efforts.
He then started out by himself, going to work on a deserted claim
near Sullivan's Creek, in a gulch, and after working three months
had cleared about $1,700, after which, in company with five others,
he was engaged in prospecting in Calaveras County, carrying dirt
a half mile in sacks to wash. He then went to work in a saw mill
at Angeles camp, where he remained for five months, receiving
$150 per month, and during that time retained his interest in
the claim, to which he returned during the wet season. Provisions
were scarce and prices very high. Potatoes were sold for ten
cents per pound, rice was for 75 cents, and flour was $1 per
pound. For about four and a half years Mr. HOWE was engaged in
mining in Calaveras County, where they took out dirt by drifting,
and in four months had secured $9,000. The largest amount of
gold in a lump taken out of deep diggings weighed fifteen ounces.
After five years spent on the Pacific Slope he returned to his
home in Vermont, sailing from San Francisco to Aspenwall on the
"Golden Age," then across the isthmus on a train, and
on to New York, on the steamer "Illinois."
- On the 22d day of December, 1856, Mr. HOWE was joined in
wedlock with Miss Margaret B.
- LAIRD, and on the same day started with his bride for Wisconsin.
By their union one child was born, Edsen, who is now carrying
on the farm. He was united in marriage with Miss Lydia E. NOBLE,
a native of Delaware County, Iowa, and they are now the parents
of two children. Elmer, who was born Oct. 11, 1883, and Flora,
Oct. 1, 1885.
- Having arrived at his home in Vermont on his return from
California, Mr. HOWE remained in his
- native State from June until Dec. 22, 1856, his wedding day,
when, as stated before, he started for Wisconsin. At length arriving
at his destination, he located on a farm on section 12, in the
town of Plymouth, where he made his home until the following
May, when he removed to Illinois, remaining until the following
September. Once more coming to Rock County, he purchased a farm
on section 36, Magnolia Township, where he spent the succeeding
ten years, when, selling that property, he became the owner of
the farm upon which he has since resided. The land was then partially
improved, and the house had been built, but it has since been
remodeled and beautified, and the farm has been placed under
a high state of cultivation. Mr. HOWE now carries on general
farming, and is acknowledged to be one of the leading and enterprising
citizens of Spring Valley Township. In politics he is an inflexible
adherent to the Republican party, and a strong advocate of its
principles. On the 30th day of June, 1867, his wife was called
to her final rest, and her remains were interred in the cemetery
at Orfordville. She was a most estimable lady, and was highly
regarded by all.
-
- Taken from "The Portrait and Biographical Album of
Rock County, Wis." (c)1889, pp. 959-961.
-
- Courtesy of Carol
|