Howell was a doctor who was born in Massachusetts in 1797, but lived in New York before traveling to Texas by way of New Orleans in 1835. He came to Texas as a member of Capt. Thomas H. Breece's company of New Orleans Greys. Howell participated in the Siege of Bexar and later served at the Alamo as a member of Capt. William Blazeby's infantry company. On March 6, 1836 Howell died in the Battle of the Alamo.