Legislator Details
Vital Records Information:
Marital Information:
married Lucy Mason, dau. of Jared Mason,5/5/1857 in Genesee Co., MI; children: May or Mary (Foote) and adopted son, Frank
Number of Children: 2
Background
Education:
law school of Hon. John W. Fowler, at Poughkeepsie, NY
Biographical Sketch:
Son of Waldo and Lucinda (Mason) Howard. He moved to the Flint area at age 1. At 15 he went to work first for the Genesee Demograt office, then at the Wolverine Citizen. At about 19, entered the law office of Fenton & Newton, later attending the law school of Hon. John W. Fowler, at Poughkeepsie, NY, and in 1855 or 1856, graduated, returning to Flint to practice. In 1858 he was elected prosecuting attorney of Genesee county. Judge Howard was subsequently elected prosecuting attorney in 1864 and served 3 terms. He enlisted in Co. F., 2nd Michigan Infantry, and was shortly after made a lieutenant in the 17th US Infantry and was engaged in the recruiting service until near the close of the rebellion, when he resigned from the army. He raised a company of 100 men, of which he was to have had the captaincy, but was taken sick at New York and was unable to take command. The company was in the battle of Gettysburg and suffered severely, but 5 of the 100 escaping wounds or death. From 1866-70 Judge Howard represented the 3rd ward of, the city of Flint in the common council. In 1867, he was a member of the constitutional convention from Genesee county. In 1876, President Grant appointed him district attorney of Utah. He resigned the district attorneyship during President Hayes' administration and returned to Flint and entered into partnership with Judge Newton. President Arthur appointed him chief justice of Arizona, a position which he resigned in 1886; 2 years later he returned to Flint and entered into partnership with Judge Gold in the practice of law. He represented Arizona in the Republican national convention in 1888, and was a delegate from Michigan to the convention in 1880. Since his return to Flint Judge Howard
had been engaged not only in the practice of law, but also raised cattle at his farm in Burton. He was a trustee for Flint schools.
Notable Facts:
1883 Manual says he was born in Massachusetts; Hist. of Genesee Co. says he was born in Brockport, NY.
He set the machinery of the law in motion against John D. Lee, one of the pillars of the Mormon church, for his part in the Mountain Meadow massacre twenty years before. Lee was tried, convicted and shot on March 24, 1877. Further proceedings against the heads of the Mormon church were cut short by the death of Brigham Young, whom Judge Howard intended to presecute next.
Speaker of the State House in the 32nd session