Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Howard, Edgar E 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com September 5, 2007, 9:43 pm

Author: Biographical Publishing Company

EDGAR E. HOWARD, who has resided in Joliet since 1876, has been engaged in the 
insurance business in this city since 1883. The agency of which he is the head 
was established in 1856 by W. C. Wood and is the oldest and largest in Will 
County. After Mr. Howard became connected with Mr. Wood the title became Wood 
& Howard and continued as such until the death of the senior member in 1890, 
since which time Mr. Howard has been alone. He represents the following large 
American and foreign companies: AEtna, Philadelphia Underwriters, Svea, 
Franklin, Hamburg-Bremen, Home, North British & Mercantile, Manchester, 
Hartford, Imperial, Lancashire, Liverpool & London & Globe, North America, 
Niagara, National, Pennsylvania, New York Underwriters, Palatine, Queen, 
Royal, Springfield, Western Assurance, Connecticut and Union Assurance 
Society. The headquarters of the agency are in the Barber building, Joliet. In 
April, 1899, Mr. Howard and E. O. Wood, of Dekalb, were selected by the 
American Steel & Wire Company to control all of their insurance, amounting to 
$15,000,000, extending from New York to San Francisco, and at that time they 
opened an office in the Home building, Chicago.

The original name of the Howard family was Hayward, but by act of legislature 
the spelling was changed to the present form. During the war of 1812 Zuriel 
Howard, a farmer in Massachusetts, served as a major of artillery. His son, 
Samuel J., was born in Milford, Mass., where he engaged in the mercantile 
business and, later, in the manufacture of boots and shoes, continuing there 
until he died, in 1863. He was a strong Abolitionist and a faithful member of 
the Methodist Episcopal Church. He married Sarah Ward, who died at Milford in 
1884. Of their two sons and three daughters all are dead but Edgar E., who was 
born in Milford September 15, 1845. When thirteen years of age his father's 
health failed and he was obliged to begin work, aiding in the factory until 
his father died, when the business was closed out.

In August, 1864, Mr. Howard volunteered in the Boston Fusileers that were 
later consolidated with the Fourth Massachusetts Heavy Artillery and assisted 
in the defence of Washington, D. C., until the close of the war. At the time 
of the assassination of Lincoln the company was put on duty to guard, day and 
night, and continued at their post until Booth was shot. In July, 1865, they 
were discharged in Massachusetts. On his return home Mr. Howard secured work 
in a straw hat factory. In 1867 he went to Sing Sing, N. Y., as an instructor 
in the shoe department of the state penitentiary, and continued there until 
1875. Afterward he was in charge of the blocking department of a straw hat 
factory in Brooklyn, N. Y. In July, 1876, he came to Joliet, as an instructor 
for Selz, Schwab & Co., shoe manufacturers in the state penitentiary, and 
continued in that position until he resigned to engage in the insurance 
business. While in New York he married Sarah J. Bowen, who was born in 
Leicester, Mass., and accompanied her father, H. F. Bowen, to Sing Sing, N. 
Y., where she married.

During his residence in Sing Sing Mr. Howard was made a Mason. For many years 
he was secretary of Matteson Lodge, A. F. & A. M., in Joliet; also of the 
Joliet Chapter, R. A. M., and recorder of Joliet Commandery No. 4, K. T. He 
also belongs to the Oriental Consistory and Medinah Temple, N. M. S., of 
Chicago. In politics he is a Repubjican. He is interested in the work of the 
Grand Army of the Republic and a worker in the local post. At the time of the 
building of the Eastern Avenue Baptist Church he was treasurer of the building 
committee. He also served as chairman of the finance committee, church 
treasurer and member of the board of trustees.

Additional Comments:
Genealogical and Biographical Record of Will County Illinois Containing 
Biographies of Well Known Citizens of the Past and Present, Biographical 
Publishing Company, Chicago, 1900

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