FAMILY
HISTORY
OF
WILLIAM
HOWARD
(born in London England)
and
PATIENCE
DYER
(Descendant of Roger Williams of Rhode Island)
Researched by Louise Maxine Varisco
I would like to hear from any descendants of William Howard. I can be contacted at:sihoyt@hotmail.com and sihoyt@roadrunner.com
First Generation
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1. William HOWARD, ship master, of London, England.
William married Patience
DYER. Patience died on 14 Nov 1832 in , , NY, US.1
Known children:
2
i.
John (1769-1854)
3
ii.
Capt William (1770-1859)
4
iii.
Robert
Patience second married
Josiah FOSTER.2
Second Generation
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2. John HOWARD. Born on 27 Jul 1769 in Providence, Providence, RI,
US.2,3,4 John died in Burlington, Chittenden, VT, US on 24 Feb
1854; he was 84.1,5 Buried in Burlington, Chittenden, VT, US (Lake View
Cem).1 Occupation: Farmer, hotel keeper.6 Known residences of
John: Providence, RI; Pittstown,
NY; Addison, VT; Burlington, VT.2
In 1797 when John was 27,
he married Hannah EARLE, daughter of Joshua EARLE & Alice Sherman.3 Born on 23 Jul 1772 in Dartmouth (now Westport), Bristol, MA, US.3 Hannah died in Burlington, Chittenden, VT, US on 22 Sep 1865; she was
93.1,7 Buried
in Burlington, Chitten, VT, US (Lake View Cem). 1
Known children:
5 i. Sion
Earl (1799-1866)
6 ii. Daniel
DYER (1801-1871)
7 iii. Sidney
Smith (1803-1839)
8 iv. Hannah
Louisa (1808-1886)
9 v. John
Purple (1814-1885)
10 vi. Catharine
Maria (1817-1899)
"John Howard. By Sion Earl
Howard.
John Howard, late of Burlington, Vermont,
who died 24th February, 1854, aged 84 years, as well as his brothers, William
and Robert, was born at Providence, Rhode Island. Wm. went to Ohio and settled as a farmer among the Indians,
who were then generally hostile to the whites, and then it was that he found an
occasion for putting into requisition the principles and practice of his great
progenitor, Roger Williams, which was to treat them kindly, and in consequence
of so doing greatly ameliorated the condition of himself and other new comers
into the neighborhood. He was over
six feet in height, with a full commanding voice. The Indians called him their great friend, and gave him
protection instead of trouble.
Robert left for England, and as no letters were received he was supposed
to have been lost.
Their father was William Howard of London,
England, whose ship and all on board were lost, being burned by lightning in a
storm at sea, as was so reported by another ship in sight. He was said to have been of large
stature and an energetic, gentlemanly man of good repute. His being lost just at the commencement
of the Revolutionary War, when the troubles of the country were such, no
attempt was made to trace or look up his relatives, from whom, in his
life-time, on return voyages, he brought many valuable presents for his family,
and some of the keepsakes are still retained by its members. He was married to Patience Dyer of
Providence, Rhode Island, whose father was Samuel Dyer, the son of Charles and
Mary Dyer, who settled on Cabbage Neck, in the year 1712; and whose mother was
Patience Williams, before her marriage, who was the great-grand-daughter of
Roger Williams, the founder of Rhode Island, in 1637, and was a woman of great
energy and determination of character.
The house is still standing where most of the children of Samuel and
Patience Dyer were born, on the place known as the Rodney Dyer farm, Cabbage
Neck.
The widow of William Howard, the mother of
John, William, and Robert Howard, was again married to Josiah Foster by whom
there were four children, of whom three are living; and among their descendants
are the families of Esek Saunders and brothers of Saundersfield, and Mrs.
Patience Howard Whitin of Whitinville, Mass. Her latter days were passed in the family of her son John
Howard, and she died, aged 83 years, November 14th, 1832...
Brother (John) Howard was extensively
known as the landlord of one of the best and most popular hotels in Burlington
for many years, and was the father of Daniel D., and John P. Howard, formerly
of the Irving House, in the city of New York, and Sion E. Howard, a well known
merchant in Burlington. He was
born at Providence, Rhode Island, and was in early life deprived of his father,
who was lost at sea. He was placed
in the care of an uncle, and while a youth made several voyages at sea. He afterwards resided at Pittstown, New
York, whence he removed to Schaghticoke Point, and was in mercantile business
about six years. From thence he
returned to Pittstown and established himself as a tavern keeper; after
following which for six years longer, he removed to the town of Addison,
Vermont, and became a farmer upon a beautiful farm on the bank of Lake
Champlain. (It was the original
Case farm, lately Crane's, and adjoining the Gen. Strong place.) In 1812 he gave up farming, exchanged
his farm for a hotel in Burlington, and removed there to renew his business of
hotel keeping, which he pursued constantly for the next thirty-five years..."2
3. Capt William HOWARD. Born in 1770 in Providence, Providence, RI, , US.2,8 Capt William died in Hartland Tp, Huron, OH, US on 9 Dec 1859; he was
89.8,9 Buried in Hartland Ridge, Huron, OH, US (Hartland
Ridge Cem).9 Known
residences of William: Providence,
RI; Delaware Co, NY; Milan, OH; Perkins, Sherman, and Hartland townships, Huron
Co, OH.10
Capt William first married
Meribah AUSTIN, daughter of John AUSTIN. Born in 1782. Meribah died in Hartland
Tp, Huron, OH, US on 18 Nov 1832; she was 50.9 Buried in Hartland Rdg, Huron, OH, US (Hartland Ridge
Cem).9
Known children:
11 i. Mary
(1802-1880)
12 ii. Thankful
Fanny (1806-1905)
13 iii. Arthur
(abt 1810-1892)
14 iv. William
Sidney (1814-1891)
15 v. Alvah
(1816-1841)
16 vi. Almon
(1816-1894)
Capt William second married
Amanda SEAVERS.13 Born in 1784 in , , MA, US. Amanda died in Fairfield
Tp, Huron, OH, US on 20 Dec 1872; she was 88.9 Buried in Hartland Rdg, Huron, OH, US (Hartland Ridge
Cem).9
"CAPT.
WILLIAM HOWARD b. at Providence R. I. 1770 m. Meribah Ostin who bore him 11
children. She d. 1832 and he m. a second time Mrs.
Phelps (Amanda Seaver of Sullivan, O.) she d. 1872 ae. 89. Capt.
William Howard followed the sea for a few years, then went to Delaware County,
N. Y. He came to Milan, O. living
in the Indian Village in 1810. He was a member of the Huron Rangers, and when the war of 1812
came he took his family with the other settlers to the Black River Block House
(Now Lorain). There he left the
Rangers and continued with his family to Hudson, O. and still later moved
them to Portage County, where his son William Sidney was born in 1814.
Before the war, while he was living in the
Indian Village, three of his children died and were buried there, their names are not on record
here. Captain Howard and his
family returned to Milan township about 1815, and lived on the East line near
the Berlin Township border. 1816
he moved to Perkins township where he lost all his property because of sickness
in the family. 1817 he moved to
Sherman township, Huron County, where he lived until 1821, when he moved to
Hartland township, and there he d. Dec. 9, 1859 ae. 90.11
There were 11 children and
three children died young.10 That leaves 2 unaccounted for. There is one reference naming the other children as Simeon
born 1800 and Samuel M. born 1808.11 A quote from Roxanna (Howard) Sinclair
says 6 of the children lived to maturity.12 (I think Roxanna, a granddaughter of
Capt. William Howard, is probably correct. The only reason I can see for adding Simeon and Samuel is
because they lived in the same area; however further research needs to be done
on this--Louise Varisco)
4. Robert HOWARD. Born in Providence, Providence, RI, , US.2 He sailed back to England
and was never heard of again. He
probably perished at sea.2
Third Generation
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5. Sion Earl HOWARD. Born on 12 Dec 1799 in , , NY, US.3 Sion Earl died in Burlington, Chittenden, VT, US on 10 Nov 1866; he
was 66.1,14 Buried in Burlington, Chittenden, VT, US (Lake View
Cem).1 Occupation: Merchant.6
Sion Earl married Hannah
VAIL, daughter of Aaron VAIL & Mary RALEIGH. Born abt 1803.1 Hannah died in Burlington, Chittenden, VT, US on 2 Oct 1892; she was
89.1 Buried
in Burlington, Chittenden, VT, US (Lake View Cem).1
6. Daniel DYER HOWARD. Born on 3 Jul 1801.3 Daniel DYER
died in Geneva, , , SWI on 29 Mar 1871; he was 69.1,3,15 Buried in Burlington, Chittenden, VT, US (Lake View
Cem).1 Occupation: Hotel keeper, public benefactor.4
Daniel DYER married Delia
CARPENTER, daughter of Col. John CARPENTER, of Hoosac, N.Y..3
Known child:
17 i. Fanny
7. Sidney Smith HOWARD. Born on 9 Dec 1803.3 Sidney
Smith died on 30 Jun 1839; he was 35.1 Buried in
Burlington, Chittenden, VT, US (Lake View Cem).1
He never married.
8. Hannah Louisa HOWARD. Born on 2 Jul 1808 in , , NY, US.3 Hannah Louisa died in Burlington, Chittenden, VT, US on 23 Mar 1886;
she was 77.1,3 Buried in Burlington, Chittenden, VT, US (Lake View
Cem).1
She never married.16
"In any biography of John P. Howard it would be eminently fitting to enumerate the benefactions of his noble sister, Miss Louisa H. Howard...Some years ago she enabled the managers of the Home for Destitute Children to liquidate a debt by the timely gift of $4500. She also provided, at a cost of $6000, a beautiful Gothic chapel at the entrance of Lake View Cemetery, where it is now used for burial services...she has lately endowed five free scholarships in the University by the gift of five thousand dollars...One of her latest donations is the sum of $500 to the fund for the poor of St. PaulÕs Episcopal Church. To be such a Howard is to enjoy the highest relationship accessible to man; for it is to have the grace of giving both wisely and freely."
9. John Purple HOWARD. Born on 3 Jun 1814 in Burlington, Chittenden, VT, US.3,,6 John
Purple died in Malvern, , , ENG on 10 Oct 1885; he was 71.1,3,17 Buried in Burlington, Chittenden, VT, US (Lake View
Cem).1 Occupation: Hotel keeper, public benefactor.6 Religion: Episcopal.6
He never married.
"...at the age of fifteen, he left Burlington
to join his elder brother Daniel, who was in charge of the Exchange Hotel,
which was situated where the Stock Exchange now stands in New York...In course
of time the brothers left the neighborhood of Wall Street, and assumed direction
of the famous Irving House on Broadway...Its celebrity was increased by their
entertainment of Jenny Lind, the "Swedish nightingale,"...Whatever John P.
Howard touched was sure to prosper. Property increased in value under his hand, and his cooperation
was looked upon as the guarantee of success.
Mr. Howard retired from business in 1852,
and removed to Long Island.
..Means and opportunity for that foreign travel which is such a splendid
education in itself for those who know how to receive it were both at his
command. The instincts of
generations of maritine ancestors prompted him to utilize them. All, or nearly all, the habitable
countries of Europe and also other lands, were visited by him...Never a
speculator, he is one of the wisest investors in the United States. "Never buy what you cannot pay for, and
never sell what you do now own," is one of the golden maxims to which he has
rigidly adhered.
...The University of Vermont has ever been
a subject of deep and loving interest to Mr. Howard...The blood of the English
Howards is doubtless in his veins, though he cares not to claim consanguinity...Four
hundred years have elapsed since the creation of the dukedom of Norfolk, whose
incumbent is head of all the Howards...
...Mr. Howard began his benefactions to
the University of Vermont in June, 1881, by the gift of $50,000 for endowing
the Professorship of Natural History.
The college buildings then attracted his notice. Though not altogether devoid of
architectural taste, they were not worthy of what is conceded to be the finest
college site in America. He
therefore determined to reconstruct
the entire group of buildings with a view to beauty of effect and convenience
of use. This was done in a single
season, at a cost of about $50,000...
...Near to the small block of red
sandstone which bears the inscription "Laid by General LaFayette, June 29,
1825," is a similar one inscribed "Rebuilt by John P. Howard, 1882." Mr. Howard has also erected a bronze
statue of La Fayette, in heroic size, in front of the college...cost about
$25,000.
Charity as well as education has made its
appeals to his bounty. "The Home
for Destitute Children" in Burlington...has been befriended by benevolent
individuals...none so liberally as by Mr. Howard. In addition to pecuniary aid at different times, he has
bestowed upon it the really magnificent gift of the Howard Opera House...The
entire block, of which it forms a part, valued at $125,000, he transferred to
the manager of the Home...
...Belonging to the Protestant Episcopal
Church, Mr. Howard gave to the parish of St. Paul's an elegant stone chapel,
which cost over $10,000.
...Three elegant fountains in the city parks
pour out his kindly feelings to the needy; the handsome entrance to Howard
Park...while the improvements of the beautiful cemetery by the lake shore...Upon
the public institutions of Burlington he has expended $450,000 or $500,000."6
"...He probably leaves an estate of
not less than a million dollars."3
"The Howard Opera House took its name
from its benefactor, John Purple Howard, who built this brick structure in
1879 to answer a long-felt need in Burlington for a modern amusement hall. For a quarter of a century it served its
purpose well. In its heyday,
the Opera House was recognized as one of the finest theatrical auditoriums
in the country...
...The final curtain at the Howard Opera
house rang down on the evening of November 30, 1904."18
10. Catharine Maria
HOWARD. Born on 3 Nov 1817 in , , VT,
US.1,3 Catharine Maria died in Burlington, Chittenden, VT,
US on 20 Mar 1899; she was 81.1 Buried in Burlington,
Chittenden, VT, US (Lake View Cem).1
On 21 Jun 1842 when
Catharine Maria was 24, she married Amos C SPEAR.3 Born on 25
Nov 1814 in Burlington, Chittenden, VT, US.1,6 Amos C died in
Burlington, Chittenden, VT, US on 23 Feb 1892; he was 77.1 Buried in Burlington, Chittenden, VT, US (Lake View Cem).1
Known child:
18 i. Julia
H (1843-1897)
11. Mary HOWARD. Born in 1802 in , , NY, US.19 Mary died in Hartland Tp, Huron, OH, US on 26 Jul 1880; she was 78.9 Buried in Hartland Ridge, Huron, OH, US (Hartland Ridge Cem).9
Mary married Elijah BILLS.
Born in 1800/1802 in , , CT, US.20 Elijah died in Hartland Tp,
Huron, OH, US on 6/30 Oct 1867.9,20 Buried in Hartland Rdg, Huron, OH, US (Hartland Ridge
Cem).9
Known children:
19 i. Scion
E (-1870)
20 ii. Harriet
(-1889)
21 iii. Stephen
W
22 iv. Mary
Amanda
23 v. John
Elijah ÒChickyÓ (1840-1907)
24 vi. Charles
W (1848-1909)
12. Thankful Fanny
HOWARD. Born on 29 Apr 1806 in Delhi,
Delaware Co, NY, US.21 Thankful Fanny died on 27 Jan 1905; she was 98.9,21 Buried in Hartland Ridge Cem).9
On 1 Jan 1829 when Thankful
Fanny was 22, she married James WHITE, son of Samuel WHITE & Jane, in Huron
Co, OH. Born on 4 Apr 1802 in Hubbard, Trumbull, OH, US.21,22 James died in Hartland Tp, Huron Co, OH, US on 4 May
1882; he was 80.9,21,22
Buried in Hartland Ridge Cem).9
They had no children.
13. Arthur HOWARD. Born abt 1810 in , , NY, US.23 Arthur died in Monroe, Allen, IN, US on 29 May 1892.23 Buried in Monroe, Allen, IN, US (IOOF Cem. aka Monroeville Cem).23 Occupation: Farmer.24,25,26 Known residences of Arthur: Hartland Tp, Huron Co, OH27, 24, and Monroeville, Allen Co, IN25, 26
On 3 Oct 1833 when Arthur
was 23, he first married Sarah Jane WHITE, daughter of Josiah WHITE, in ,
Ashtabula, OH, US.28
Known children:
25 i. Augusta
(abt 1837-)
26 ii. Emiline
(abt 1840-)
27 iii. Fanny
(abt 1842-)
28 iv. Lewis
(abt 1844-)
On 3 Dec 1848 when Arthur was 38, he second married Lydia Ann, in , Huron, OH, US.29 Born abt 1815 in , Dutchess, NY, US.