The Howells of upstate New York

Edward Howell (1792-1871) was a lawyer who lived most of his life in Bath, Steuben County, New York. He first appears in the records of Steuben County in 1818 when he became county clerk. He held this post for three years. County clerk was a common way for young lawyers first starting out to establish a reputation and earn a living. He and his wife Hannah Cruger were married sometime in the eighteen-teens, and their first child, a daughter, was born in 1814. Seven sons followed. By 1850 he was doing quite well for himself, with $3,000 in real estate. By 1860 he also reported $2,000 personal estate as well.

Edward Howell's children:

Frances Minerva (1814-1897), the oldest of the Howell children and the only girl, married a merchant, Robert Underhill who was also well off. They had at least five children. Their two youngest sons died at age 6 and age 2 in the summer of 1857, probably of some contagious disease, possibly influenza. (There was a worldwide epidemic of influenza from 1857-59.) Around the time of her mother's death she and her family moved back home to live with her father and brothers, probably so she could help take care of him.

Edward's oldest son Daniel (1818-1893) was a banker, and was even wealthier than his father. In 1860 he had $20,000 personal estate as well as $1,500 real estate. This was the equivalent of millions today. Daniel appears never to have married, and probably remained at the family estate on Pulteney Square in Bath until his death. In later years, various other brothers lived with him there.

Edward, Jr. (1821-1853) was a lawyer like his father. He died at 32, only a few years after his marriage to Mary Gansevoort. They also lost an infant daughter Frances sometime around the time of his death, leaving Mary doubly bereft.

Ambrose Spencer (1823-1910) was a dry goods merchant and also quite well-off. He married late in life and had one son also named Ambrose Spencer.

James Faulkner Howell (1826-1906) was also a merchant, and in later years became a steward at Auburn Prison. One of his daughters, Frances, was murdered in 1880 at age 22, possibly by a spurned or jealous boyfriend. She was shot by Kirk Edward Parkhurst on a Saturday afternoon in a hotel room in Bath. He then killed himself. The coroner's jury found that he did it while "laboring under an aberration of mind".

Neither Charles (1832-1906) nor William (1835-1916) ever married. They lived together (along with Daniel during his life) in the family house at Pulteney Square in Bath for most of their lives. Charles was a merchant, and William a banker.

Robert Howell (1839-1883) also apparently never married. He was still living at home with his elderly father in 1870. In 1880 there was a Robert B. Howell living in a Soldier and Sailor's Home in Bath because of the loss of a foot. He had likely served in the NY 5th Heavy Artillery Regiment, and almost certainly lost his foot in the war. This may have been the right Robert, since this is the only Robert Howell in Steuben County in 1880. We know that he died in 1883 and is buried in Bath.

Descendants of Edward Howell

James Faulkner Howell's eldest son was named Edward after his grandfather. Edward was a bookkeeper and moved with his family to Geneva, in Ontario County adjacent to Steuben. He died there in 1900, leaving his wife Mary E. Robinson and two or three small children. To make ends meet Mary opened a boarding house.

James Homer Howell

Edward's eldest son was named James Homer Howell. In 1916 he married Mary Elizabeth Davidson of Erie County, Pennsylvania, and they moved out west to California. They lived first in Marin County, where James worked as an investment banker, and where their two daughters were born. By 1930 they had moved to the San Leandro valley. Here James worked in sales at a logging company at the height of the Depression. Sometime during the 1940s he moved his family back to upstate New York where he ran a winery.