Edited by
Wally Howerton
Contributing Editors
John F. Howerton
Bryan R. Howerton
Volume Four, Issue 4 Fall 2000
FROM THE EDITOR
Greeting Cousins:
It's Halloween night as I'm putting the finishing touches on the newsletter. Today, I thought I would go into the database that Bryan has been compiling for the past 30+ years and take all the text and put it in one (1) Microsoft Word document at 10 pitch font. I was astonished, needless to say, when the document totaled 1,747 pages. I don't know why a document with 3,768,100 characters would amaze me but perhaps some statistics would help. The lead paragraph says,
"This file contains data on the Howerton family that was obtained by Bryan R. and Jean Howerton from numerous sources including the National Archives, Library of Congress, numerous state and local libraries and archives, and court records examined during personal visits to over 350 county courthouses across the southern and mid-west United States."
I have been to 4 courthouses in my short 51 years so the thought of going to over 350 staggers my imagination! Now I can't give Bryan all the credit because John F. Howerton has definitely had a role in this quest also. The Howerton Family is truly in debt to these gents.
The numbers that really impress me are that this data base started way before the computer era or rather the PC era. Over 35 years ago. I've never looked up Bryan's age but I would imagine he has devoted half of his life to the Howerton Database. Many other people have contributed years of research also, but. . . . . . I want all to know that it took me 13 minutes to install the data from disks on to my hard drive and an additional 42 minutes to copy each file and paste the data into one (1) Word document. 55 minutes to store probably the most comprehensive list of information on our Howerton Name dating back 337 years.
Gosh, I feel humble!
Wally
Letters From the Old Writing Desk
Obituary: Lucille L. Howerton Doughty
DAVID
BUSHROD HOWERTON
(Compiled by Bryan R Howerton)
David Bushrod Howerton was born 2 May 1849 at Delta, Coahoma Co, Miss; the son of Philip Washington Howerton and Mary Ann Meriwether Allen. At the time of his birth, his father and paternal grandfather were living on a plantation owned by former president Andrew Jackson where the grandfather was employed as overseer and manager of the plantation. The plantation was located on the Mississippi River and the low land was swampy and unhealthy. His uncle, Andrew Jackson Howerton died on the plantation in 1846 and his grandmother, Susan Independence Howerton also died there on 16 Mar 1850.
The group arrived in Texas in 1850 with his parents; three uncles and their families; and his grandfather, James Howerton and two negro slaves, all in a party of sixteen, landing at Old Indianola, Calhoun County. His father died at Indianola, Texas on 12 Aug 1852 and his uncle Thomas Heritage Howerton, who had also participated in the family migration from Mississippi died in Indianola, Texas on 5 Nov 1852.
Following the death of his father, his mother moved with her children to Tennessee where they remained until 1856 when they returned to their native State of Mississippi, remaining there two years, then in December 1858 returned to Hallettsville, Lavaca County, Texas where David Bushrod Howerton spent his boyhood. He was a teenager during the Civil War and experienced extreme hardship during that war and the reconstruction period which followed.
He was one of the first to organize the assembly of a large herd of cattle and drive them north through Indian territory to the market located on the railroad in Kansas. He conducted several cattle drives to Abilene, Kansas - then one of the chief markets of the country. Among those with whom he was associated in these cattle drives were R J Clark of Seclusion and Steve Clark of Lavaca County, TX.
He gave up driving cattle when on 18 Sep 1873 he married Ann E Dowling, daughter of Josiah Dowling and Temperance Veal, at Hallettsville, Lavaca Co, Texas. To this union were born:
Daisy Dean, b 5 Nov
1874;
Mamie, b 11 Jun 1877;
Phillip W, b 3 Dec 1879;
James M, b 20 Nov 1881;
Josiah Dowling, b 14 Jul 1884;
David Bushrod Jr, b 7 Mar 1887;
Edward, b 11 Jan 1889;
and Annie, b 17 Sep 1892.
All the children were born at Hallettsville, Texas.
(NOTE: Those who have conducted research of the Howerton family in America will recognize Josiah Dowling Howerton as the "J D" Howerton who expended so much time and effort on the family genealogy and inspired many of us to carry on that work.)
After his marriage, David worked as a carpenter for a short time, then entered the grocery business, heading the firm of D B Howerton and Company. He also conducted an undertaking establishment for many years and was Postmaster at Hallettsville for about 19 years. He performed public service as deputy sheriff and was a school trustee. His wife died 2 Aug 1897 and he died of heart trouble on 13 May 1916 at Hallettsville, Texas. He and his wife were buried in the Hallettsville city cemetery.
NOTE: Data in this article was based upon information contained in the work of J D Howerton and the obituary of David Bushrod Howerton, which appeared in a Halletsville [TX] newspaper in 1916 and public records at various locations in Tennessee, Mississippi, and Texas. (BRH)
(The following was extracted from a Hallettsville, Texas newspaper dated in 1916:
"Among those who attended the burial
were several old-time darkies to whom the deceased during his
life had shown kindnesses and they came too with sorrowful hearts
to show their grief at the loss of a friend.....In the demise of
Mr Howerton, Hallettsville has lost not only a pioneer citizen
but one who did much for the upbuilding of the town. His
time and his purse were ever at command for use in any good cause.
During his many years of active business life he was known as a
model businessman, an upright and useful citizen, a kind and
loving husband and father. A man who in his daily walks
strictly followed the Golden Rule.
A fitting word for his tombstone will be "An Honest Man. A
Friend")
The
House of Coal
Compiled by: Wally
Howerton
Jacob C. Howerton was born in 1810 in Russell Co, Va; the son of William Howerton and Nancy Ratcliff. His parents moved to Floyd Co, Kentucky about 1815 and the area where they settled was incorporated into Morgan County upon it's formation. According to official records On 8 Mar 1829 he married Rebecca Williams (b 1809 Ky - d 31 Aug 1855 Ky), daughter of Mason and Sarah Williams, in Morgan Co, Ky. They made their home in Morgan County for several years where Jacob farmed and operated a mill. Later they moved to a section of Owlsey County, Ky that later became Lee County where he operated a tavern and served as a magistrate.
There seems to be a discrepency as to who Rebecca Williams' parents were. This short story is about Rebecca's father, Daniel Williams according to an undated article: "East Kentucky Pioneer Honored by Memorial Park." Regardless of the discrepency, it makes for fun reading. Read on. . . . . . . . . .
"Daniel Williams carried a Bible and a long rifle when around 1804 he entered what later would become Morgan County and built his cabin at Wells Mill, later which was purchased by Jacob Howerton, in the town of West Liberty. He already had been with Daniel Boone at Boonesborough and family history says he married Violet Crouch at the fort.
A number of prominent people made it a point to visit at the Williams cabin. One of these was Richard Mentor Johnson, later to become vice president of the United States.
Williams already had fought at the Battle of Blue Licks and seeing enough fighting in battle had decided to fight in a different direction. He lived for some time in Montgomery County and helped establish the Lulbegrud Church in 1793. In the early 1800s he was instrumental in organizing 11 Baptist churches, and during 1813 in founding Burning Springs Association of Primitive Baptists.
Before his death in 1820, Williams and his family moved to Caney where he built a handsome house of materials he thought more handsome than poplar logs - cannel coal. He was intrigued by the satin luster of blocks of cannel coat, built his house and later saw it catch fire and burn. He built his next cabin with logs.
His daughter, Rebecca, married Jacob Howerton of Morgan County."
Letters From the Old Writing
Desk
compiled
by Wally Howerton
In an earlier issue of Howerton Heritage I wrote, "One of the small pleasures as editor affords me the opportunity to read documents from years gone by. I'd like to quote the old cliche, 'the good old days' as they certainly seem more romantic, more personal, and the written word very often just sounded melodious."
I find myself returning time and again to "The Old Writing Desk" to browse and let the words of my kin, and the flavor of those words, envelope me. Please read the editors note at the end of the letter.
Essex
County
Pleasant Green
September 24th, 1825
To: Miss
Charlotte H. Howerton
Halifax County Courthouse, Va
My Dear Charlotte,
With pleasure I seat myself to answer your welcome letter of 20th August. I can assure you I was much delighted to receive a letter from one whom I always felt the tenderest love and regard for, but, O, Alas, when I read and found in it that you did not expect to come to this county this faul if you ever did again I was made to weep and cry, O shall I ever see my dear sister again in this world again. But I am still in hope Brother Philip and his lady, yourself, and Hester as I suppose you are married by this time will try and come down to Essex this faul. Tell Brother Philip he must be certain to come and that without fail as I think it will be generally to his advantage and not to leave you and your old man behind. Tell him I am much obliged to him for his invitation and had I of got your letter in time I should of been very anxious to gone out there to your marriage but I never received your letter until last Monday and I expected it was then too late for me to get there in time.
Charlotte you desired me to write you a long letter and let you know all the news. I can assure you I have nothing that is pleasing or interesting. You deserve to know the cause of Thomas going to Kentucky. I know of nothing particular only that he was without business and Cousin James Montague was in here and persuaded him he could do better there than he could here so he concluded and went out with him. Father received a letter from Thomas last week. He is in Hardin County, Kentucky at work with Cousin Henry Dix in a little town called Elizabeth. He wrote that he was in good health. We have had the misfortune to lose Polly and her youngest child this year. Libby lost her child she had when Brother James was here. There has been a great many deaths and marriages since you left this county, but few occur to my mind at this time more than I have wrote you before. I do not believe I have ever mentioned the marriage of R O I, he was married last Spring to a lady in Richmond County, she was a Miss Brannon and that is all I know about her it is said she was tolerably well off. Charlotte, my mind at this time feels quite unsettled so that I cannot write as I would wish but O if I could see you I would relate a great deal of news more than I can write with my pen. Do pray tell Hester if he has any notion of going to the Alabammer not to carry you without bringing you to see all yours in Essex first. O, I cannot give you up to go without seeing you first I am in hopes he will get out of the notion going altogether and make up a good school where he is. I suppose you and Brother Philip has received father's letter before this time in answer to the one you wrote to him he did not appear to like the thought of you going away at all but you know he dislikes to write so bad that he never will write if he can get over it. He said he is certain Philip will come down this faul and you must be sure and come with him together with as many of the rest of our relations as can make it convenient to come with you. I have not been at home more than three weeks in the course of three months I first took a trip down below Mrs Manns then John Tribbles, Kemp Gatewoods, William Edmond Cauthorns, Gatewoods, and George Tribbles where I spent about a fortnight. As soon as I got home Brother Washington sent for me having a very sick family. I was confined there about four or five weeks. I then come home and stayed only one week before I took a trip up in King William to Cousin William Dix's and never got home until last Saturday morning in the evening we had a house full on Sunday we all went to meeting at Howertons. Had a large company to dinner with us several stayed all night. Cousin William Dix's lady, J Mann and Emily Tribble stayed with us several days. The girls was here when I received your letter and desired to be remembered to you and wants to see you very much indeed.
Mother says I must give her best love to you. She will write another time. She says do pray send her cotton the first chance for it she don't get it until she comes after it she is afraid she shall never get it for she don't think she shall ever see Halifax again as she has had such bad luck on her return from there before. Nancy and Eldred say I must give their love to you and tell you to come to Essex and they will show you the cutest and prettiest little ??? you ever had ???. You must tell B Philip he has not collected his money from J Broocke he has made application several times but has never received an answer. The money may be got by warrant as he owns property. Tell Philip father says he must be here by superior court to receive his money for Thomas St John. Isaac Broocke will certainly get it out of his hands as he is pushing him every day, he was here yesterday. Eldred says he will settle with him on his own account when he comes down. Sophronia desires to be remembered to you. Give my best love to B James and family, B William and family, and accept a large portion yourself. From one who will always feel strongly and trusted in your welfare. Write to me as soon as you get this. Tell S C I shall write to her very soon. I am, with due respect,
Your well wishing sister
Winefred
Howerton
Tappa, Va
(Tappahanock)
29 September
Winefred Howerton born 28 December 1795
died 10 June 1833 Essex County, Va.
Charlotte Hayes Howerton born 12 November 1802 died 1842 St.
Louis, Mo.
If the reader visited The Old Writing Desk, the following statement, I believe, was omitted. I found this statement nestled away in the Data Base that Bryan created.
"In 1976 Bryan R Howerton learned of the existence of the typewritten copies of the letters. He went to Carbondale and copied the letters by tape recorder, later transcribing them to manuscript form. Although attempt was made to keep original spelling and expressions throughout the several transcriptions, it is likely that errors have been advertently introduced. Following are copies of those letters pertaining directly to Philip Howerton:"
Thank you, Bryan!
PHILIP HOWERTON: Protester
compiled by Wally Howerton
From time to time we may print material that may be sensitive in nature. Under no circumstance does Howerton Heritage wish or deliberately try to offend anyone. The following article is part of our heritage: Editor
Appeared in the 7 Sep 1860 edition of the Richmond Enquirer
"The undersigned, citizens of the Southern States, accidentally assembled at the White Sulphur Springs, have read with much surprise the speech of Judge Douglas, recently delivered at Norfolk, and being many of them too remote from their homes to take part in any public expression of opinion there, deem it due to themselves to make known in this manner their dissent from its doctrines.
In this address, Mr. Douglas declares that if the Southern States (not a part but all) shall secede from the Union, upon the inauguration of Abraham Lincoln, it will be the duty of the President of the United States, who, in the case supposed, will be Lincoln, by arms to punish or subdue them, and that he will counsel him to do so and aid him to do so by all the means in his power.
Now as there is a large party at the North avowing the most implacable hostility to the institutions of the South; whose candidate for the Presidency is Mr. Lincoln, this declaration of Mr. Douglas is in effect -- that the election of a man to the Presidency of the U. States, by the votes alone of one section, who is pledged to use all the powers of the Government for the destruction of the rights and property of the other section, would not justify the weaker in resistance, but that if in such an event, the fifteen Southern States should assume to determine on the extent of their danger, and to quietly withdraw from it, he should regard their action as revolt, and as such to be punished with all the force of the Government. Than this we can conceive of no doctrine more dangerous to the South. It confounds resistance or established law, by individuals which it would be the duty of the Chief Magistrate to punish, with the peaceable Secession of States from a compact no longer consistent with the interest or existence of its constituents; but it treats the Union as a perpetual bond, exacting unconditional submission, forever, from a weaker to a stronger section. It strips the States of the chief attribute of Sovereignty, to wit: the right to determine when their existence is put to hazard as to the means necessary to their preservation, and affirms that, while it is legitimate in the people of the North having control of the General Government, through it, to inflict upon the States of the South whatever wrongs it may be consistent with their interest or feelings to impose, it would be treason in the people of the South to obey the orders of their States in opposition of Federal authority.
Fraught with error as this doctrine is, subversive of that constitutional theory, in which alone the rights of the States are to be found, it has, at this moment, and under the circumstances, a bloody significance. The enemies of the South, in the Northern States, have selected Abraham Lincoln to lead them in the "irrepressible conflict," which he has proclaimed. -- Mr. Seward, the most distinguished counsellor of Mr. Lincoln, declares at Boston that the election of Lincoln is sure – that with it the power of slavery will end, and that the "irrepressible conflict" will be pressed to its infamous and bloody close.
At such a moment in the proclamation of such sentiments by Judge Douglas, (coming immediately after Seward's Boston Speech,) uttered here at the South, and addressed to the citizens of a State whose Executive declared to General Jackson, that Federal troops should only cross her borders over the bodies of her sons -- by a man from the North, from the neighborhood of Lincoln himself, a candidate for the Presidency, volunteering his counsel to Lincoln, and, in the event of his election, his aid to wage war upon our people and to slay them on battle as rebels, or hang them in cold blood as traitors, if they shall render obedience to State rather than Federal authority, is repugnant to every sense of right, and merits from the people of the South, the severest rebuke. Such a rebuke, we sincerely hope will be given the doctrine and its author at the November elections."
James Lyons, Richmond city, John Perkins,
Louisiana, Allen S. Izard, South Carolina, H.K. Burgwyn, North
Carolina, H.R. Runnels, Texas, Edward Haile, Florida, D.W. Spratt,
South Carolina, John Cunningham, South Carolina, R.V. Barksdale,
Virginia, George R. Drummond, Virginia, John Miars, Virginia, E.C.
Thomas, Virginia, J.G. Keitts, South Carolina, A.R. Blakey,
Virginia, John C. Griffin, Virginia, A. B. Henegan, South
Carolina, Charles Irby, South Carolina, F.M. E. Fant, South
Carolina, J. Dantier, South Carolina, W. Ederington, South
Carolina,
Phillip
Howerton, Virginia, William H.
Terrill, Bath county, Va., N.F. Bowe, Virginia, Robert M. Taylor,
Virginia, George M. Bates, Virginia, John W. Struet, Virginia, W.
A. Street, Virginia, H.B. Tomlin, Virginia, Wm. Polk, Louisiana,
W.F. Johnson, South Carolina, John Prosser Tabbs, Virginia, Miles
W. Fisher, Virginia, Leland Noel, Mississippi, Langdon Cheves,
South Carolina, Wm. C. Bee, South Carolina, Wharton J. Green,
North Carolina, Edwd. O. Satchell, of Virginia, George F. Wilkins,
Virginia, A. Saltmarsh, Alabama, Jos. A. Graves, Virginia, Thomas
B. Lynch, South Carolina,Wm. R. Peck, Louisiana,J. A. Riddick. W.
A. Selden, Virginia, John A. Selden, Virginia, G. B. Sangeltary,
North Carolina
Jim Howerton
Missouri House of
Representatives , District 120
photo courtesy Missouri House of Representatives
I
thought it would be fitting at the end of this election season to
introduce Jim Howerton.
Howerton Heritage is non-partisan and we will not try to
influence our readers one way or the other. Editor
Jim Howerton is the sixth generation of his family to farm their land in northern Henry County. Born in Warrensburg, Jim has spent his life in the Chilhowee community where he is in business with his family.
After completing his high school education in the Clinton public school system, Jim earned a degree in Agriculture from the University of Missouri.
Returning to the farm, Jim married Debbie Brown in 1979. They have four children - Jennifer, Micheal, Jonathan and Andrew. Jim and his family attend First Baptist Church of Clinton.
If you would care to read Jim's biography please visit the websites listed at:
Jim Howerton1 or Jim Howerton 2
Walter
Scott Howerton IV
to Wed
Melissa
Lea Cunningham
Ric and Anita Cunningham of Mannington, West Virginia announced the engagement of their daughter Melissa "Missi" Lea Cunningham to Walter "Scott" Howerton IV of Kernersville, NC. Scott is the son of Wally Howerton of Richwood, WV and Kathleen Stevens of Elkhart, Indiana.
The wedding is set for December 16, 2000 at 5:00 p.m. at the Mannington Church of Christ. Missi graduates from WVU on December 15, 2000 with a Masters in Speech Pathology. Scott is a 3rd grade elementary school teacher at Piney Grove Elementary School in Kernersville. The couple will honeymoon in Jamaica.
Submit
any newsworthy clips/articles to the editor.
Howerton Heritage has scanning capabilities and will return
original documents or photos if needed.
Mail to:
Howerton
Heritage
P. O. Box
85
Richwood, WV 26261-0085
or e-mail the Editor
Lucille
L. Howerton Doughty
March 4, 1920- Sept 29, 2000
Lucille L. Doughty, 80, died at 8:25 a.m. Friday Sept. 29, 2000, in Mimosa Acres Nursing Home.
Services were at 11:a.m. Monday in Mitchell-Huges Funeral Home with the Rev. David Anderson officating. Burial will be in Rose Hill Cemetery. Mrs Doughty was a homemaker and a member of Parish Park Baptist Church.
She was born March 4, 1920, in Marion, IL. to Elmer Howerton and Nellie Cash Howerton. She married Clifford Doughty on Nov. 5, 1937, in Morganfield Ky. He died in July 1995.
Survivors include one son Charles Doughty of Brookfield two nephews, and one niece. Her parents and one brother Luther Howerton and one sister Delores Howerton Fluck preceded her in death.
Nothing submitted for this quarter
If your family is planning a reunion, we would be pleased to write about it in HOWERTON HERITAGE. Write and tells us the details and the announcement will be printed. We would also like a story about any annual reunions, including the place they were held, the number of people present, and the Howerton ancestors of the group.We will send pedigree forms and family group sheets for any family reunion if you will let us know. If you will give us the name of your ancestor(s) and a couple of weeks notice, we will try to find them and printout what we have in our files.
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