DAVID N. HOWSER was born on the farm which he now occupies August 31, 1844. His father was one of the first settlers and was born in Tennessee. He was of German parentage, as his father, Nicholas, was a native of that country and came to America during the progress of the Revolutionary War. He made his home for a time in Tennessee, and thence went as a pioneer to Kentucky. He bought land there and engaged in farming, making it his home to the end of his life.
The father of our subject was reared in Kentucky and resided there until the fall of 1833, and then came with his family to Illinois. They made their journey in wagons drawn by ox teams, and brought with them everything they could call their own. He located in what is now Scottville Township and entered one hundred and twenty acres of Government land. Here he erected a log house, which is still standing and in use. His family occupied this house until 1860, when he erected a pleasant frame residence, in which he lived until his death in 1870, being called away from life August 30.
The maiden name of the mother of our subject was Sarah Jackson. He was a native of Tennessee, and a daughter of David Jackson, who was born in North Carolina, and moved from there to Tennessee and came on to Illinois about the year 1833, settling near Athensville, Greene County. There he improved a farm and resided on it during the remainder of his life. His daughter Sarah was first married in Tennessee to Wesley Henderson, and came from that State to Illinois in 1830, settling in Morgan County in the locality known as Buck Horn, and resided on the same place until after the death of her husband. She died upon the home farm May 3, 1887. In the period when these early pioneers made their home in Macoupin County markets were almost inaccessible, and it was next thing to an impossibility to obtain manufactured goods. It therefore fell to the lot of the women of the families to not only manufacture the garments of the household, but to manufacture the cloth out of which they were cut. Mrs. Howser, like the other matrons of her neighborhood, spun and wove and made all the cloth used in the family. Deer and wild turkeys were plentiful and wandered at will over the farms of Macoupin County.
Young Howser continued to assist his father on the farm, attending the district school as he had an opportunity, but after he was large enough to be of much help on the farm his school days were short. After the death of his father he bought out the interest of the other heirs, and made the old homestead his own. He now resides in it with his family.
The marriage of David N. Howser with Keziah J. White took place in 1866. She was born in Macoupin County, and is a daughter of Samuel and Cyrena White. Eight children have blessed this union, namely: Leonard M., Iva E., Sarah C., Celia S., Bertha H., Colia A., Howard H., and Elva; C.W., A.H. and a baby unnamed are deceased. Their mother is a devoted and active member of the United Brethren Church.
This gentleman's political affiliations are with the Democratic party, and he has a number of times been placed in positions of trust and responsibility. He served for one year as Highway Commissioner, and four terms as Assessor. His religious training was in the Baptist Church, as his father joined that body in his younger days, and was a consistent member of it throughout life.