My Ancestor Edward Howell and His Son

Edward Howell, son of Henry Howell and Margaret Hawten Howell, was born (as the records say) at Westbury Manor, which had been purchased by his grandfather William Howell and inherited by his father Henry Howell.  He was married by the Rev. Peter Bulkeley, rector at Odell, Bedfordshire, England, 7 April 1616, to Francis Paxton.  They had seven children, all baptized at Marsh Gibbon.  On the death of his father Henry in 1625 he became the new lord of Wesbury Manor.  In 1630 his wife Frances died and he remarried Eleanor and had 3 children, the last of whom was baptized in 1634, and it is possible that they migrated to New England as early as 1635 as part of the "great migration" of English puritans.  As Mr. Howell, he was recorded with a connection of a mill in the 1630's.  In 1638 Edward Howell sold Westbury Manor.  He took the oath as a freeman in Boston in 1638/39 and about the same time received 500 acres in Lynn, Massachusetts.  In 1640 he led a party to Southampton, Long Island, New York, laying out home lots along Main Street.  As Edward Howell Gent he headed the group for perfect freeman on 8 March 1649.  He also took a leading role in the affairs of the town of Southampton serving in many roles there, and in Connecticut--of which Southampton became a part following a request made by himself, John Gosmer and John Moore on 25 October 1644.  He served as a judge in Southampton until 1653, and as an assistant to the colony of Connecticut as a judge in Southampton until 1653. He died around 6 October 1655, and was buried at Southend burying ground, Southampton. His estate was given to Mrs. Eleanor Howell and in 1657 she was granted 20 shillings for her house being burned by Indians.  She was remarried to Thomas Sayre of Southampton.

Children of Edward Howell and Frances (Paxton) Howell)

1.   Henry Howell unmarried, died in early youth.

2.   Dorothy Howell married Richard Woodull

3.   Margaret Howell married Reverend John Moore and later Frances Doughtry

4.   John Howell married Susannah Mitchell

5.   Edward Howell, Jr.  married Mary Fordham

6.   Richard Howell married Elizabeth Halsey

Children of Edward Howell and Eleanor Howell

1.   Henry Howell died in childbirth

2.   Arthur Howell married Elizabeth Gardiner second Hannah Raynor, third Hannah Osborn

3.   Edmund Howell married Sarah Judson then Katharine Barwick

Now I will go on to the lives of John Howell and Edward Howell, Jr.:

John Howell was born at Westbury manor Burckinghamshire, England and baptized at Marsh Gibbon in the same area.  He was 13 years old when he and his family migrated to New England and 16 years when they went to Southampton.  In 1647 despite his youth he was listed as Mr. John Howell and was given 3 acres for his home lot.  In 1648 he was listed as a freeman and listed as a townsman in 1640 and again in 1659. He filled many offices through the years. He served as a corporal of a band of soldiers in 1650 and as a captain in 1667.  He was with Henry Pierson in a dispute with Southold, and was commissioner for Indian affairs with Mr. Thomas Baker.  In 1661 and 1662 he and some others set the rate for the country, and in 1664, he was instructed by Governor Nicholl to gather all the fines, taxes, rates and duties on Long Island.  He often traveled to Hartford as deputy to the court and as a magistrate.  In 1681 he was chosen to go to Huntington to settle a dispute; in 1682 he went to Boston to get a minister; and in 1684 he went to Southold to set a country rate.  He was deputy with Thomas Topping for Southampton to a general meeting of Long Island communities at Hempstead in 1665 to protest the annulment of former grants, treaties and charters when Long Island became a part of the Province of New York.  He served in many civil jobs making the statement of W. S. Pelletreau that:

The history of our town boasts no wiser head nor braver heart than Major John Howell

In 1687 he was given 11 acres of land for his expense of "time and trouble and about the town business".  With John Mulford of East Hampton and John Youngs of Southold he refused to acknowledge the Governor of New York, preferring Connecticut. Nine years later, during the short return of the Dutch to New York, Captain John Howell led a part of the defense of Southold in February 1674. (After an engagement, the Dutch left).  He was listed as a major after a drawing of lots.  In 1680 he was paid 25 pounds and 10 shillings for the expenses of Captain John Young, high Captain of Yorkshire.  In 1687 when the French threatened the area, the militia was put into action and he and Captain John Fordham were placed in command.  He was mentioned in a will by his cousin Thurston Raynor dated 13 November 1670.  Throughout his life he was also an executioner, witness and record. In 1689 he became the Justice of Suffolk County and also became the justice of Southampton in 1683.  John Howell was a great man and like his Father was one of the leading men not just of Southampton but also of Long Island.  As he was dying he signed his will ( by which my ancestor Abraham, John Howell's son, received land at Wikapouge and Shinacocke) and on the 3 April 1693, he died.

The life of Edward Howell, Jr.

Edward Howell, Jr.  was born at Westbury Manor and was about 11 years old when he and his family immigrated to the New World.  When he was 25 years old he received his lot (100 pounds), in 1654 he was chosen as a townsman and in 1656 served on the jury, in 1663/64 he was a deputy to the general court of Connecticut.  He married Mary Fordham the daughter of Reverend Robert and Alice Fordham around that time.  In 1674 he served as an attorney and became a Lieutenant.  In September 1676, along with John Jagger, Joseph Raynor, Francis Sayre and John Foster, he wrote to the Governor of New York for Southampton and Southold as overseers of the towns.  In 1678/79 he and John Jessup and fourteen Indians formed a whaling group.  In 1683 he was chosen as town commissioner (of Southampton); he was also chosen as the head policeman but refused to serve.  He was treasurer for Suffolk County in 1686.  In 1697 he surveyed highways, but that was one of his last jobs and he passed away 29 April 1699.

Here are my genealogies: From Edward Howell married to Frances Paxton through his two sons, John and Edward, Jr.

1. John Howell & Susannah Mitchell                               1. Edward Howell Jr. & Mary Fordham
2. Abraham Howell & Abigail White                                2. Benjamin Howell & Hannah Norris
3. Abraham Howell & Mary Halsey                                  3. Benjamin Howell & Abigail Cook
4. Charles Howell & Deborah Jessup                                4. John Howell & Phebe Farrand
5. Henry Howell & Elizabeth Parrott                               5. Benjamin Howell & Elizabeth Cobb
6. James Howell & Mary Board                                       6. Monroe Howell & Henrietta Clay Stevens
7. Mary Smith Howell & John Nelson Mitchell           
8. John James Mitchell & Elizabeth Howell                                    * Elizabeth Howell & John Mitchell
9. Nelson Howell Mitchell & Margaret Howard Hanway
10. John Howell Mitchell & Lois Marilyn Peck  *
11. Maria Lane Mitchell & Hugh Owen
12. Edward Owen (Myself)

My siblings:

• Arthur David Kemp Owen married Arena Badillo and they have one child Salomon Mathias
• Quinby Owen married Jordan Finch and they have two children, Aurelia Maude and Asher James
• Elisabeth Owen married Joshua Mclain and they have three children, Owen Dominic, Edwin Xavier and Gillian Veronica
• Lois Peck Owen born 6 January 1985
• Gwyneth Howell Owen born 20 August 1986
• Maria Magdalen Owen born 26 April 1989
• John Trevor Augustine Owen born 15 September 1991
• Hugh Michael Joachim Owen born 1 August 1993
• Edward Daniel Gabriel Owen born 24 March 1997

My aunts and uncles are:

• Howell Mitchell (mother's brother) married Caroline Vaughn and their children are Margaret, Elizabeth and Sarah
• Scott Mitchell married Betsy Atkins and they have two sons, John and Eric Ross born 20 March 1987
• James Mitchell married Cynthia Barwick and they have tow children, Quinby Anne born 24 March 1995 and Nathan Howell born 8 November 1997

Conclusion:

I am proud to be one of Edward Howell's descendants.  He was an aristocrat and he owned lots of things, but he sold them and he chose a better life for his wife and children in the New World.  He left his home and land and instead went to the New World, which shows how much he loved other people and cared for them.  To have the courage to cross the Atlantic Ocean for them shows that even more.  He was a leader of the people in the New World and helped his community, and he did the same thing for his sons and grandsons.  I want to be like him and his sons, and to be a true Howell.

Of course, it is fun to do genealogical work, but to know and discover that I am a Howell is a privilege, and to be descended from such a great man is awesome.  Also, other children my age do not have the chance to do something like this, so I am really blessed. That is why I wrote this essay: to tell you why I am proud to be a Howell.