Untitled Surnames: Wood, Purcel, Skinner, Turner, Porter, Aithison, Carpenter, Tourtellotte, Carrier

From Commemorative Biographical Record of the Counties of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa and Lafayette Wisconsin, publ. 1901 - page 117-118

WILLIAM EDWIN HOWE, of Boscobel, is the district attorney for Grant county, and the present mayor of the city in which he resides. He is a prominent lawyer, and displays great familiarity with the fundamental principles of the law, is quick to make application of those to the complicated cases that come before the courts, and is regarded as a rising man in his profession.

Mr. HOWE came to Grant county in April, 1892, and located in Boscobel, which has been his home to the present time. He was born in Monona, Clayton Co., Iowa, Jan. 17, 1851, a son of Henry E. and Mary E. (WOOD) HOWE, natives of Gill, Mass, and Cattaraugus county, N.Y., respectively. They were married at Galena, Ill., where they lived some years, in 1850 removing to Clayton county, Iowa, where they engaged in farming, to him a most congenial occupation. In 1870 they came to Madison, Wis., and there Mr. HOWE was for a time in business as a groceryman. He died in Madison, at the age of sixty-nine, in 1879, and his death marked the close of a busy and upright life. He was the father of two children by his first wife, one of whom, Leonard HOWE, is now living at Owatonna, Minn. Mrs. Mary E. HOWE first married a Mr. PURCEL, and had two daughters by him; Melissa, Mrs. SKINNER, of Madison; and Anna, Mrs. C. W. TURNER, of La Crosse, Wis. Mrs. HOWE died in Madison in 1890, at the age of sixty-six. Both she and Mr. HOWE were buried at Monona, Iowa. They were the parents of six children, five of whom grew to maturity: Elmer L. is the publisher of a paper at Ripon, Wis. William Edwin lives at Boscobel. Frank A. is in the wood and coal business at River Falls, Wis. Carrie L. married Lew F. PORTER, of Madison. Eliza M., Mrs. AITHISON, is a resident of Madison.

William Edwin HOWE passed his early boyhood on the farm, and attained a strong and vigorous manhood. He had a thirst for knowledge, and made such advancement in the local schools that at the age of eighteen he was able to enter the Freshman class of the University of Wisconsin. He was graduated with the class of 1873, with the degree of B. A., took first honors, and displayed marked ability throughout his course. He at once entered the law office of J. H. CARPENTER, of Madison, and when the fall term opened became a student in the law school of the University. He was graduated from the law school in 1874 and was at once called to St. Louis to assist in settling the estate of his uncle, Lyman HOWE, for years an extensive lumber dealer in that city. In 1876 Mr. HOWE entered into partnership with Mill TOURTELLOTTE, under the firm name of HOWE & TOURTELLOTTE, and opened a law office in La Cross, Wis. They practiced together in that city until the firm was dissolved by the election of Mr. HOWE as municipal judge. In 1885 Mr. HOWE went to Madison, S. Dak., and followed his profession two years but was obliged to engage in other business on account of ill health; he turned his attention to real estate, and was in a hotel at Madison for a time. In 1892 as noted above, Mr. HOWE came to Boscobel and opened a law office. Here he resumed the practice of his profession, and his success was immediate. He now stands in the front rank among the members of the Bar in the district. In 1896 he was elected district attorney, and again in 1898. In the spring of 1899 Mr. HOWE was chosen mayor of Boscobel, and he has also served the city two years as city attorney; held that position also at Madison, S. Dak. Mr. HOWE has a good law library, and is very familiar with its contents. He does a general law business, and practices in both the State and United States district and circuit courts. He is a Republican, and during campaign times his voice is frequently heard on the hustings. Socially he is a Mason, and a member of the Independent Order of Foresters.

Mr. HOWE was married June 23, 1875, to Miss Mary I. CARRIER, daughter of Terrence CARRIER, of Boscobel. Mrs. HOWE was born in Janesville, Wis., and is a lady of most estimable character. Mr. and Mrs. HOWE have had four children: Fannie, the oldest, died at Madison, S. Dak., when nine years old, and is buried at Boscobel; T. H. was born in La Crosse June 11, 1881; Grace C. and William C., twins, were born in Madison, S. Dak., Aug. 8, 1888.



This biography generously submitted by Carol Holmbeck