Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1891
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 354
FRANCIS M. HOWARD

Francis M. HOWARD, one of the men who found their way to Harrison county during the month of February, 1879, and now owns a farm on section 34, of Union Township, will form the subject of this sketch.

He was born in Greene County, Ill., in April, 1845, and remained under the paternal roof until he had reached the years of majority, passing his youthful days on the farm. After he was of age, he worked by the month for one year and then bought a team and worked his father's farm on shares until he came to Iowa.

His father was John HOWARD, and his mother, Margery Ann (BELL) HOWARD. The father was a native of Tennessee and the mother of Illinois. They had six children: Francis M., William H., Thomas B., John A., Elizabeth A. and a baby, deceased.

Our subject was married in March, 1871, to Melissa J. TEEPLE, daughter of Bryant and Mahaley TEEPLE, who reared a family of eight children: George, Rachel A., Mattie M., James T., Melissa, William A., Charles and Frederick W. The father was a native of New Jersey and the mother of Tennessee.

Mr. and Mrs. HOWARD are the parents of three children: Neva F., born July 6, 1872, George A., May 26, 1875, and Edith M., September 29, 1881.

Mr. HOWARD'S first farm consisted of eighty acres, for which he paid $4.50 per acre, in the wild state. His first improvement was the breaking of forty acres of this land, and the building of a one-story house, 20 x 24 feet. He has since bought forty acres more, making one hundred and twenty in all.

Politically, our subject affiliates with the Republican party. Both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Having only a common school education, commencing life without means, he is entitled to much credit for the success he has achieved thus far in life.

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