Howe Family

Donald Howe was a descendent of the John and Solomon Howe, the best known printers in the Quabbin region during the nineteenth century. Based in the relatively remote towns of Greenwich and Enfield, the Howes built a vibrant practice, printing almanacs, songs and occasional poems, pamphlets and small books for a popular audience.

A graduate of the Cushing Academy and one-time student at Bates College, Donald Howe was treasurer of Ware Coupling Co., and owner of the Quabbin Book House and Radio Station WARE. In 1951, he wrote Quabbin, The Lost Valley, one of the first personal accounts of the evacuation and inundation of the towns Greenwich, Enfield, Dana, and Prescott, as the Swift River Valley was dammed up to create the Quabbin Reservoir to provide Boston with water.

Generation A John? Howe of Sudbury?, MA. Generation B Solomon Howe b.: Sept. 14, 1750, North Brookfield, Mass. m.: Mary (Polly) Holmes of New Braintree, daughter of Adam and Hannah Holmes (1753-1833) 8 children: Jedidiah, Silas Warren, Nancy, Solomon Jr., Jonah, Abigail, Hannah, John Milton m.: (2) Catherine Grant (d. Nov. 18, 1835, New Salem, Mass.) Solomon was a 1777 graduate of Dartmouth, a Baptist minister, printer and farmer in various towns like Brookfield, Enfield, New Salem. A hymn book he wrote, wholly or partially, is held at the American Antiquarian Society. The Dartmouth Alumni Sketches (1867) describes Solomon Howe, "His life was eccentric and desultory." Generation C Milton Howe b.: Brookfield, Mass., Dec. 20, 1783 or 1785 m.: Rhoda Babbett of Ware, May 1815 (d. 13 Sept 1837) m.: (2) Fanny (d. 16 Feb. 1845, Enfield) 6 children: John Holmes, Myra M., Frances M., Henry Clay Milton, Solomon Bolivar Jackson, Fenelon Warren John Milton Howe was a printer, farmer and storekeeper in Enfield. He printed Howe's Genuine Almanac 1804-1826, reportedly doing the astronomical calculations himself (see Special Collections for several editions). Note: Enfield was part of Greenwich until legally incorporated in 1816. John M. Howe was an Enfield Town Collector. Generation D Henry Clay Milton Howe b. Jan 10, 1823, Enfield m. 1848 Theodocia Ann Johnson of Dana, (b. April 20, 1824, d. Sept. 18, 1898) daughter of Nathaniel Johnson and Martha Joslyn 4 children: Edwin H., Henry J., William F., Theodocia Lillian (Lillie) H.C.M. Howe was a Methodist, a Democrat, a surveyor, assessor, storekeeper, and postmaster in Enfield. Solomon Bolivar Jackson Howe, "Bolivar", brother of H.C.M. Howe, attended Amherst Academy (?), was a schoolteacher in Delaware, then a bookkeeper in Philadelphia during the Civil War and after. He expressed radical politics in letters home to Enfield. m.: (1) Francena; (2) Mary M. (d. 1869) Fenelon Warren Howe, brother of H.C.M. and Bolivar, moved to California during the gold rush, wrote home from Placerville 1856, Castroville 1872. Apparently went bankrupt. Generation E Edwin H. Howe (b. March 9, 1859, Enfield) m.: Annie A. Williams of Hyde Park, Franklin, Mass. (d. Feb. 10, 1943, Ware) 3 children: Henry C., Donald Williams, Milton Freeman Edwin H. graduated from the Eastman School of Business, Poughkeepsie, N.Y. in 1882. He ran the store and was Enfield postmaster for 25 years beginning in 1889, started a telephone exchange, was on the school board, and was a town clerk. William F. Howe, brother of Edwin H. (b. Nov. 17, 1855) m.: Harriet Hubbard William F. was also storekeeper and postmaster at times in Enfield. Generation F Edwin C. Howe,"Ned" (b. Aug. 6, 1898, Enfield) m.: Ruth Ward Edwin C. was the last postmaster of Enfield before the Quabbin was built. Donald Williams Howe (b. Mar. 18, 1892) m.: (1) Josephine R. Bradford, 1914 4 children: Donald Jr., Elizabeth Bradford (m. Roger Nye Lincoln), Malcolm, Nancy (m. Howard Buckner) m.: (2) Antonia Blyskal 1948 (d. after 1960)

From the guide to the Howe Family Papers MS 19., 1730-1955, 1820-1940, (Special Collections and University Archives, University of Massachusetts Amherst Libraries)