Biographical Sketches
W. B. HOWARD
Of Lee's Summit, has been to Jackson county a valued citizen who has played an important part in the development and upbuilding of his section. Educational, social and moral interests have been advanced through his generous aid, and the material welfare of the community has been largely promoted by his extensive business interests. From pioneer days up to the present time he has withheld his support from no enterprise that he believed would benefit the public good, and the enterprising town of Lee's Summit is a monument to his enterprising and progressive spirit. His name is inseparably connected with the county's history, and a volume of this kind would be incomplete without the record of his life.
A native of Jefferson county, Kentucky, Mr. Howard was born March 10, 1821, and is a son of John Howard, a native of Maryland. The paternal great-grandfather was the nearest heir to the Duke of Norfolk, of England, but forfeited his right to the property by emigrating to the Colonies. John Howard removed to Kentucky in 1800, and at that time was 30 years of age. He married Annie C. Buillitt, a native of Jefferson county, Kentucky, and a daughter of Colonel Alex S. Bullitt, of Virginia, who became a prominent citizen of Kentucky, and was president of the first constitutional convention of that state. He lived within 9 miles of Louisville. Mr. Howard had been previously married in his native state to Miss Lattimore, of that state, and removed on a flatboat from Pittsburg down the Ohio river to Louisville, where he arrived on the 1st of August, 1800. The city at that time contained only 4 brick houses. His wife died there. Six children of their family reached years of maturity, but all are now deceased. After the death of his first wife Mr. Howard married Miss Bullitt, and they always resided in Jefferson county, Kentucky, where he successfully carried on farming. Of their 4 children, 3 reached mature years: W. B.; Helen M., deceased; and Anna C. The last named is the widow of Robert G. Courtenay, of Louisville, Kentucky. She is still residing there, and has 2 sons and 2 daughters. Mr. and Mrs. Howard were members of the Presbyterian church, and took an active part in its work. He was a boy at the time of the Revolutionary war, and could well remember many of the scenes and incidents connected therewith.
W. B. Howard, whose name introduces this review, was educated in Jefferson county, Kentucky, and reared on the family farm, remaining at home most of the time until after his father's death. He had, however, previously visited Mission and purchased 220 acres of land in Jackson county, where on he made a location in 1842. By their marriage, which was celebrated February 8, 1844, he secured as a helpmeet on life's journey Maria D. Strother, of Bardstown, Kentucky, daughter of John D. Strother, who removed from that state to the Old Dominion, and was sheriff of Nelson county. Mrs. Howard was born November 22, 1825, and acquired her education in Bardstown. On the 1st of April, 1844, he located on his farm in Blue township, whereon stood a log house, somewhat more pretentious than its neighbors, as it was weather-boarded. It was surrounded by timber, which he began to clear away in order to make a farm. Six years later he removed to another farm in what is now Prairie township, but then formed a part of Blue township, 5 miles north of Lee's Summit. It was a tract of 833 acres, partly timber and partly prairie land, about 400 acres being under fence. He moved into a log cabin, but in 1854 this was replaced by an excellent frame residence, erected at a cost of $3,000. The energy and enterprise of the owner also soon made a vast difference in the appearance of the place which soon manifested the results of his care and cultivation. He lived upon the farm until October, 1862, when he was arrested by Colonel Pennock's command and taken to Independence, where he remained in jail for one month. He was then paroled under bond of $25,000 and permitted to go to Kentucky with his wife, who was at that time quite ill. She died February 16, 1865. In their family were 3 children: William Bullitt, who was born Mary 10, 1846, and died at the age of 5 years; Anna Strother, who was born February 18, 1848, and is the wife of George F. Lee, by whom she has one child living; and John, who was born August 6, 1849, and died at the age of 4 years and 4 months.
After his wife's death Mr. Howard returned to his farm in 1865. He found almost everything in the locality either burned or destroyed, and his own farm was despoiled of almost all of its improvements. The house had been set on fire by some of the soldiers, but the flames had been extinguished by 2 of the number, so he repaired the damage as well as he could and induced some of his neighbors to move into the place and keep house for him. He restocked and refenced the farm, and again soon had it under a high state of cultivation.
Mr. Howard was again married September 19, 1867, to Mary C. Jones, a native of Howard county, Missouri, and a daughter of William C. and Elizabeth (Jones) Jones, -- the former a native of Virginia and the latter of Tennessee. Her parents came to Missouri in 1840, and the mother died in 1849. Mr. Jones afterward married Miss Anna Moore, of Howard county, and both are now deceased. During the war he went with a company to Idaho, but died at Fort Laramie in 1863. His wife survived him until 1890. To them were born 3 children - Walter, Alphonzo and Mrs. Annie Carr. Mrs. Howard was the only child born of the 1st marriage. Her birth occurred November 3, 1845, and her education was acquired in Waverly, Missouri. She afterward taught a subscription school, and conducted the third school in Lee's Summit. Mr. and Mrs. Howard are the parents of 6 children: Maria E., now the wife of John R. Ransom, of Kansas City, by whom she has 3 children; Robert M., living on the old homestead; Mary Bullitt; Thomas C., a student; Florence C., who is now attending Central College; and William B. In the order named the dates of birth of the family are as follows: July 6, 1868, September 17, 1870, August 5, 1873, November 18, 1875, June 7, 1879, and May 26, 1887. The children have been provided with excellent educational privileges and the older children have all attended school away from home.
Mr. and Mrs. Howard are members of the Methodist church, south, and he has been steward for more than 40 years, while at various times he has served as trustee. He now teaches the Bible class in the Sunday school, and his wife is also active in church work. In politics, Mr. Howard has taken an active interest and staunchly advocated democratic principles; but has always refused office, save that in connection with schools, having been treasurer of the city school board. His time was devoted exclusively for many years to farming, and he lived on the old homestead until November 20, 1884, since which time he has resided in Lee's Summit. He now owns 2,300 acres of farm land and some valuable farm property, and is a director in the Bank of Lee's Summit.
In October, 1865, Mr. Howard laid out the town of Lee's Summit upon his own land, the original plat covering 70 acres. Of this 20 acres were divided into town lots, � of which were given to the Missouri Pacific Railroad. He gave to the town the name of Strother, but the name given it by the engineer was the one retained. He has taken a deep and abiding interest in the welfare and upbuilding of the town, and it is now the largest shipping point on the Missouri Pacific Railroad between here and St. Louis, except Sedalia. The commercial activity of the place has been largely promoted through his efforts, and Lee's Summit has proved of material benefit to the surrounding farming community. Howard Park was laid out by William B. Howard, and is still owned by him. It comprises 20 acres of land and contains a � mile track 60 feet wide and a � of a mile track 40 feet wide, surrounding beautiful picnic grounds. It is located on the Harrisonville road. Mr. Howard has donated as many as 12 lots to the different Christian churches in Lee's Summit, and evidences of his generosity are seen on all sides enhancing public improvements. Imbued with the progressive spirit of the west, he has been most active in the upbuilding of this town, of which he was practically the founder, and it is to such men that Jackson county owes its prosperity and improvement.
This page was last updated August 2, 2006.