HOWARD, J. W.

History of Northern Wisconsin. Chicago: Western Historical, 1881, p 170

J. W. HOWARD, merchant and Postmaster, Gilmanton [Gilmantown Township, 
Buffalo County, Wisconsin], was born 23 February 1832 in Orange County, 
Vermont. When old enough he went to Randolph [Norfolk County], 
Massachusetts, where he was engaged in the manufactory of boots and shoes for 
fifteen years. In 1865 he came to Gilmanton, and started a general 
merchandise store, it being the first one in the village.

In November 1867 J. W. HOWARD was married to Miss Irene MARTIN, a native of 
Vermont. J. W. and Irene (MARTIN) HOWARD have two sons: Leigh H. and Dwight 
A. Mr. HOWARD has held the office of Postmaster of Gilmanton for fifteen 
years, and has been Town Treasurer four years. He is a member of the Ancient 
Order of United Workmen, Mondovi Lodge No. 23, and also of the Knights of 
Pythias, Minneapolis Lodge No. 1, being a member of "Howard Public Library" 
at Gilmanton, which was founded by Sidney HOWARD, who gave $500 fund, the 
interest of which was to purchase books to establish a public library. It 
now contains 1,000 volumes.

[The J. W. HOWARD family is enumerated in the 1880 census of Gilmanton, 
Buffalo County, Wisconsin (p 231): J. W. is forty-eight years old, a 
merchant, born in Vermont, from his census age about 1832, to a father born 
in Vermont and a mother born in Massachusetts. His wife, Irene is 
thirty-eight, keeps house, and was born, by calculation about 1842, to 
parents both born in Vermont. J. W.'s son, Leigh HOWARD, is nine years of 
age, attends school, and was born in Wisconsin, about 1871, to parents both 
born in Vermont. Another son, Dwight, six years old, also attends school and 
was born in Wisconsin, about 1874, to parents both born in Vermont. The 
three remaining members of the household are unrelated to J. W. HOWARD: 
Charles LaDuke, a nineteen-year-old store clerk; William HADLEY, a 
twenty-four-year-old farm laborer; and the housekeeper, Mary CODY, twenty-one 
years of age, single, born in Wisconsin to parents both born in New York. 
Bracketed material added by submitter (who is not researching these surnames) 
to support and clarify information given in the biography and to raise 
questions.]

Submitted by Cathy Kubly