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biography from Portrait & Biographical Album of Mahaska Co., Iowa, 1887
B. C. HOWELL is a retired farmer living in Fremont. He was born in Fairfield County, Ohio, Jan. 9, 1824, and is the son of Jacob and Jane (Diman) Howell. Jacob Howell was a contractor and builder, and a soldier in the War of 1812. He died in Pickaway County, Ohio, in 1833, and his wife in Fairfield County, in 1832. The subject of this sketch at the time of his mother's death was eight years old, and was taken by his brother-in-law to rear, with whom he lived until fifteen years of age. He then went to Tiffin, Ohio, and began to learn the trade of carriagemaking with J. B. Flagler, remaining with him four years, and, returning to Indiana, worked at his trade for thirty years. Our subject was married, in that State,. to Jane A. Williams, who was a native of Kentucky, born Feb. 5, 1826. Mr. and Mrs. Howell became the parents of six children: Joseph A., born Feb. 12, 1849, died when ten months old; Franklin P., born Nov. 8, 1851, died in August, 1854; Clarence A., born Oct. 12, 1854, married Amelia Stephens, and lives in Pottawattamie County; Charlie, born Aug. 21, 1858, died in April, 1864; Benoni C., born Nov. 24, 1861, died Aug. 16, 1877; Anna J., born Oct. 8, 1864, is the wife of 0. F. Bryan. Mr. Howell, in 1871, married Sarah McFall. daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth (Barbee) McFall. She was born in Bartholomew County,Ind., May 24, 1830. Her parents are both deceased, and buried on their own land in this township. The subject of this sketch removed from Indiana to Cedar Township, in 1848, put up a shop, and went to work at his trade in the town of Fremont, which was laid out that year by William Owen and James Waldrin, and carried on the business until 1853, when he went to Winterset, Madison Co., Iowa, and worked at the carriage business until 1866, when he came back to this county, bought land, and went to farming and stock-raising, which he continued until the fall of 1884, when, by reason of physical disability, he was compelled to relinquish his business and move into town, where he now resides. Mr. Howell enlisted Aug. 9, 1862, in Co. A, 23d Iowa Vol. Inf., and served until the 26th of August, 1863. During the siege of Vicksburg he contracted disease of the lungs, and was discharged from service at New Orleans, La. Himself and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity and G. A. R. Politically he is a Republican, and has held the offices of Township Trustee, Road Supervisor and School Director several terms. He owns eighty acres of good land on section 11, which is in a fine state of cultivation and well improved. Mr. Howell is highly respected as a man of sterling worth and integrity.
Portrait & Biographical Album of Mahaska Co., Iowa, 1887
Mahaska County, Iowa Genealogy