Elisha Andre (E. A.) HOWLAND

HOWLAND, CROSBY, MYATT, WYATT, WHITE, BULLIS, TRAIN, DUFFY, ESKRIDGE, OSBORN, TROTH, RAY, WEAVER, PARKINSON, MORGAN, SMITH, MUNSON, TYRRELL, WALTERS

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 3/9/2013 at 15:34:18

Hon. E. A. Howland

This biography relates to one of the pioneers who laid well the foundation stones of the government in Wright county and the state of Iowa, as well. E. A. Howland was born in Watertown, New York in 1832. This family traces back to John Howland who came to America on the "Mayflower." He was reared to farm labor on his father’s farm, receiving his education at the common schools. In 1855 he went to Joliet, Illinois, and in April, 1856, to Ft. Dodge, Iowa. On reaching Iowa Falls on his journey, the stages were unable to go through and Mr. Howland and others started on foot, but finding the streams badly swollen only Mr. Howland and George Crosby went through. He did not locate at Ft. Dodge, however, but returned to Webster City, where he purchased an interest in the old Willson House, later the Hamilton House.

In January, 1858, E. A. Howland was married to a lady of Ohio. They then went to Ft. Dodge, and conducted the old St. Charles hotel. In the spring of 1859 he turned his attention to farming and stock-raising at Otisville, Wright county. Here he made a specialty of dairying and his products became widely known for the excellence of their quality. He bought a farm containing three hundred acres, was very successful as a farmer and drifted into the real-estate business.

Mrs. Howland died in 1870 and the following December E. A. Howland married S. Lou Myatt, [sic. Sarah Wyatt] of Ohio. In the fall of 1871 he was elected to a seat in the Iowa Legislature, being senator from the forty-ninth senatorial district, serving through two sessions of the General Assembly. In October, 1873, Mr. Howland sold his farm and removed to Belmond and engaged in merchandising, following that until December, 1882, when he engaged in the hotel business at the new town of Eagle Grove, operating the Caldwell House, commencing in August, 1884. Senator Howland was a Republican and in church connections a Congregationalist.

History of Wright County, Iowa, by B. P. Birdsall, 1915, page 393.

**************************

Hon. E. A. Howland

"On the 1st day of April, 1859, I landed with my family at Otisville. I was obliged to stay over night on my way from Webster City at Walled Lake, stopping at the celebrated hotel kept by E. Purcell. That night, March 31, it froze nearly hard enough to bear a man on the ice; and I was obliged to break a road through the ice with my feet in order to get my team through the sloughs that abound between there and Otisville, and then carry my wife on my shoulders; my hired man drove the team. I took formal possession about twelve o'clock M. of the log house where William H. Selleck now lives. It was snowing some, freezing hard, and my clothes were wet to the waist. To add to the genuine merriment of the occasion, my wife, as she stepped into the door and took a general survey of puncheon doors and puncheon floor, the chimney built of sticks and mud, and the roof "shingled mit shakes," and the entire house plastered with mud and hog grease, shed a few tears but said not a word.

The 2d of April was ushered in by an old fashioned blizzard. The snow was driven into the old shanty through its numerous crevices, adding very much to our personal discomfort. The clouds broke away towards night, when by a vigorous use of a scoop shovel we relieved the inside of the shanty of snow-drifts. The weather continued cold until the last of April, and the farmers commenced sowing about the 1st of May. During the summer of 1857 or 1858, H. L. Morgan, who owned the west of the southwest quarter of section 30, township 91, range 22, and the southeast quarter of the southwest quarter of section 31, township 91, range 22, laid off into town lots the west half of the southwest quarter of the southwest quarter of section 30, township 91, range 22, and called the town Otisville. About the same time a post office was established at Otisville with Lewis H. Morgan as postmaster. The farm that I moved on as a renter, was entered in 1859 by a Mr. Bacon, but at the time I occupied it, was owned by Philander Smith and Isaac Munson, of Jefferson Co., N. Y. The farm consisted of the west fractional half of the west fractional half of the northwest quarter of section 31, township 91, range 22, also the southeast quarter of the southeast quarter of section 25; the west half of the southeast quarter and northwest quarter of section 31, and the southeast quarter of the northeast quarter of section 36, in all 292-1/2 acres. Just across the road from where the Otisville school house now stands was a log shanty about 14 x 16 feet, in which were living Frank White and family and Charles Bullis and family with R. E. Train and Robert Duffy as boarders, in all fourteen persons. White and Bullis soon after moved to Horse Grove, and Train and Duffy rented the farm now owned by A. S. Eskridge. Joseph Osborn owned and occupied what is now known as the W. H. Troth farm. Joseph Ray lived on section 29, on the east side of the grove, and an old bachelor by the name of Weaver at the northeast corner of the grove, on section 29. Weaver was considered a dangerous character, feared by all his neighbors, who warned me to be careful how I offended him. He did draw a rifle on me and threatened to blow my brains out. Not having any brains to spare, I concluded to "beard the lion in his den." As a result he was the worst whipped man I ever saw, and nobody hurt. The entire neighborhood being hoosiers they had declared war on the Yankee, but when the bully was cleaned out they sued for peace, and from that time I had no more trouble with the natives.

The first Sabbath school was established in 1860 or 1861, with R. E. Train as superintendent, and E. A. Howland as bible class leader. Mrs. Samuel Parkinson was the only professing Christian in the community, and it was through her efforts that the school was established. Of course Mrs. Parkinson always opened the school with prayer. Train and Howland were decidedly worldly, and knew about as much of the bible as they did of their dutch almanac. After a thorough revival of religion in the winter of 1862-3, a church was organized and known as the Presbyterian Church of Otisville and Oakland. Ever since that time the Sabbath school at Otisville has been a grand success. Lewis H. Morgan sold his farm the spring of 1864, I think, and removed to Oregon, where he still resides. R.E. Train was married to Huldah Jane Morgan in the spring of 1861. I was invited to attend the wedding, but was warned by Mrs. Morgan that I must not plague Jane, as that would make Train mad. Not being the possessor of clothing suitable for so great an occasion, I borrowed a suit of my brother, and in company with Mrs. Howland attended the wedding. Jedediah, Esq., of Oakland, was the officiating magistrate, and it was hard to tell which was the most embarrassed, the Squire or the bridegroom. I was compelled, however, to interrupt the ceremony when about half through to change sides with the bride and groom, as I did not want them married left handed. In the spring of 1865, I purchased the farm of Smith & Munson, together with all the stock, farming utensils, etc., running in debt therefor about $5,000 on ten years' time at seven per cent. interest, but was fortunate to pay for it in four years. I remained on this farm until October, 1873, when I sold it to W. C. Tyrrell, and removed to Belmond. Frank Walters purchased the Ray farm, on section 29, east side of the grove, in 1861. Mrs. Walters was a fine specimen of a Posey county hoosier. She was an inveterate smoker, but raised her own tobacco. Her breath was enough to convince any one of the evils of tobacco smoking. During the summer of 1867, I think, the people gathered in the grove near Mr. Walters' house for a basket picnic, and they had a good time generally. After dinner the game of copenhagen was introduced. It consisted of forming a ring with one hand hold of a rope, and one or two persons inside the ring. If the persons inside the ring could strike the hand of one of the opposite sex while hold of the rope, it was their privilege to kiss them before they dodged inside the rope. The cattle king was on hand as usual, and, feeling that I owed him one, I managed to get Mrs. Walters inside the ring and instructed her to go for Popejoy. Calling Popejoy's attention to his horses, Mrs. Walters took the advantage and dealt him a fearful blow on the hand. Before he could recover from his astonishment she kissed him on his mouth, giving him the full benefit of her delicious breath. Popejoy declared it was a regular millennium buss, and it so effectually cured him of the habit of smoking, that he didn't indulge again for two years."

The fourteenth General Assembly convened at Des Moines in January, 1872. At this time Franklin county was represented in the State Senate by Hon. E. A. Howland. In the House, the county was served by M. A. Leahy, of Hampton. The fifteenth General Assembly convened at Des Moines, January, 1874. At this session Franklin county was represented by the same parties as at the preceding one, M. A. Leahy having been re-elected.

Senator E. A. Howland was a native of Rutland, Jefferson Co., N. Y., born Feb. 27, 1832. In the spring of 1855, he emigrated to Joliet, Ill., and one year later came to Iowa, locating at Fort Dodge, where he remained one month and went to Webster City, where he engaged in the livery business. In 1858, he returned to Fort Dodge and in company with C. P. Farr kept the St. Charles Hotel for a year. In 1859 he came to Franklin county, settled at Otisville and went to farming and dairying. He afterwards added a land agency to his business and was exceedingly well prospered as to this world's goods. For many years he was the member of the board of supervisors from Morgan township, and was chairman of that body for two or three years. In 1871, he was elected State senator and served his term with credit to himself. In 1873, he removed to Belmond, where he still lives.

History of Franklin and Cerro Gordo Counties, Iowa, 1883, pages 211-213.