JOHN B. HOWIE

HOWIE

Posted By: Jake Tornholm (email)
Date: 4/22/2020 at 19:36:58

JOHN B. HOWIE, a farmer of section 4, Grant township, Adams county (post office Prescott) came to this country in the spring of 1877. Like many of Adams county’s intelligent and successful citizens, he is a native of Scotland, born in Ayrshire, March 8, 1884, a son of John B. Howie, a farmer, who is a native of the same country, and nee Margaret Logan; they are still living—the father aged eighty-eight years and the mother ninety seven. Their ancestors were prominent as “ Covenanters.”

Of their family of four sons and four daughters, the subject of this sketch is the eldest. His early youth was spent at farm work, and later he learned the trade of machinist at Glasgow. April 13, 1858, he married Miss Jane Hill, a native of the same shire and a daughter of Thomas and Mary (Kettle) Hill, both also natives of Scotland. Her father died in middle life, but the mother at the age of 100 years. In 1872 Mr. Howie, our present subject, emigrated to America, settling in Tioga county, Pennsylvania, where for eighteen months he engaged in coal-mining. Then he went to Five Lakes, Michigan, near Lapeer, where he was employed at millwrighting for six weeks. Next he moved to Clay county, Indiana, and was employed two years in engineering; then followed mining and prospecting in this State, and operated a coal mine, and finally, December 22, 1877, he settled in Grant township, Adams county, first on D. McAfee farm for three years, then on the Weaver farm, and finally at his present place. This he purchased when it was wild land, at $25 an acre. It is now in good cultivation and a fine farm. Indeed, he cultivates more thoroughly, and raises more grain per acre than any other man in the township. In 1890 his corn ground yielded seventy-five bushels to the acre, and potatoes 300 bushels. His
house is 16x36 feet, with twelve foot studding, the barn 18x50, also with twelve-foot posts; besides, he has sheds, cribs, yards, feed-lots, etc. The farm comprises 147 acres, separated into fields.

Mr. Howie has five children, namely: Mary, at home; James, who is a brakeman for the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad Company and resides at Creston, married and has three sons and one daughter; John, a machinist at Creston, married and has two daughters; Thomas, living also at Creston, and Margaret, the wife of William Manrose, in Grant township. Mr. and Mrs.
Howie are also bringing up two adopted children, James and Sarah Finley. They lost one child by death, who was born in Clay county, Indiana, and died in her fourth year. In politics Mr. Howie is Independent, and in religion a Presbyterian; is especially active in Sunday-school work.