Aaron Prentiss Howland Family from Walpole As It Was and As It Is (1880)

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Surname: HOWLAND
Source: Walpole As It Was and As It Is by George Aldrich, 
        The Claremont Manufacturing Co., Claremont, N.H., 1880, pages 287-289

HOWLAND, AARON PRENTISS, was a direct descendant in the sixth generation, from John 
Howland, who came over in the Mayflower and landed at Plymouth in 1620; whose name is the 
thirteenth to the compact signed on board the vessel, at which time he was 28 years old. John Howland 
was Lieutenant in Miles Standish’s troops. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Governor John Carver, 
and died Feb. 23, 1672. One of his great-great-grandchildren, John Howland, who was born Feb. 13, 
1720, graduated at Harvard College, in 1741, and was ordained Sep. 24, 1746, a minister of the 
second church in Carver, Mass., and continued in his ministry there fifty eight years, until his death, 
which occurred Nov. 17, 1804. From an obituary notice of him, published in the newspapers at the 
time, it is inferred that he was a man of great force of character, distinguished for learning and piety, and 
well known throughout the State of Massachusetts. He left a family of eleven children; six sons and five 
daughters, two of whom, James and Charles, came to Walpole and settled, between 1790 and 1800; 
the former on a farm flow owned by William W. Guild, and had two sons: James, b. Feb. 9, 1799, who 
died unmarried and John, b. Dec. 19, 1795, who married Sophia Snow, and moved to Woodstock, Vt, 
and had a large; family. He is still living, (1878.) John, sen. was a soldier in the Revolutionary war and 
was at the surrender of Burgoyne’s army. Rev. John Howland’s salary was inadequate to support and 
educate so large a family, hence they had to learn trades or become partners. Charles Howland, the 
father of Aaron P., was an ingenious mechanic, a cabinet-maker in trade; and settled in the Valley, 
where he lived, and died Nov. 28, 1826, aged 62, soon after the majority of his son Aaron P. He 
married Elizabeth Crease, of Boston, by whom he had one or two children that died in infancy, and 
Aaron Prentiss, who was born in 1801. His wife, Elizabeth, died May 28, 1830, aged 67. Aaron P. 
married Huldah Burke of Westminster, Vt., whose mother was a cousin of Silas Wright, of New York, 
and who is a second cousin of Hon. Edmund Burke of Newport, N.H. Mr. Howland was early in life 
thrown upon his own resources for a livelihood, and learned the trade of a carpenter, to which he 
applied himself with diligence, never letting an opportunity slip where he could turn his labor or a penny 
to his advantage. Possessed of more than ordinary natural abilities, he early commenced doing business 
by contract, rather than laboring by the day for others. In his multifarious undertakings his sound 
judgment was seldom at fault. He exercised for many years a marked influence in the affairs of the town, 
and was entrusted with much of its business. One peculiar trait in his character was that he would work 
for others with as much diligence as he would for himself. He represented the town in the General Court 
in 1853-4; and was United States District Assistant Assessor during and after the war till his death, 
which occurred July 9, 1867. Mr. Howland’s education was limited, it being only what was obtained at 
our common schools, in the rural districts, seventy years ago; a matter which he keenly felt during life, 
and which prompted him to give his children a good education, which was a matter of concern to him 
paramount to all others during their nonage. With the Puritan religious views of his ancestors, he was a 
firm pillar of support to the Congregational church and society in town. Under different circumstances, 
with his native comprehensive ability, he might have achieved a name and fortune with the more highly 
favored of the land. But as it was, with his practical mind, by industry and economy, he left at his death 
a handsome property. Ch. 1st. Elizabeth, d. June 10,1832, aged 4 years. 2d. Charles P., d. Oct. 5, 
1832, aged 1 year and 11 mo. 3d. Fred I., d. June 30, 1836, aged 3 years. 4th. Henry E., b. June 30, 
1845; graduated at Yale College, July 26, 1854, and studied the profession of law: m. Louise Miller, of 
N.Y. city, Oct. 5, 1865, and is now doing a prosperous business at 49 Nassau St., New York, under 
the firm name of Anderson & Howland. 5th. Alfred C., b. Feb. 12, 1838; m. Clara Ward, of N.Y. 
City, Jun. 26, 1871. He is a landscape painter; his headquarters are New York city. He received his 
professional instructions in various schools on the continent of Europe, during the American Rebellion. 
6th. Katherine H. W., b. Jan. 29, 1841; m. Josiah Grahm Bellows. Esq.