The Portland daily press., 1877-01-15
Death of Edward Howe.

hl' ioWo uleu Il riudy ulRut dt Inc SIcdb aye
of SO years and months. He was for more
than half a century merchant and business
man of Portland. He was born in Dorchester
Mass, July -, 1888. (the year of the acknowl-
eDgment of our independence by Great Brit
ain) He was the son of Abraham Howe, a
brick maker, whose house is yet standing.
The son worked with his father at brick max
ing until he was 1.-THE last year as master
workman of the yard. When he was II years
old he carted 100000 bricks from the yard to
Beacon Hill for the construction of the Boston
State House, the corner stone of which was
laid July 4th, 1895. He was probably the last
person living who assisted in the erection OF
that bailding. In grading the hill thirty feet
of the pointed top, on which was monument
commemorative the events which led to inde-
pent ence was removed to the foot of Beacon
street, and in this work Mr. Howe recollected
that wooden rail way Che thought with strap
iron on top of the wooC) with cars on two
trucks were used. This was the first railroad
in New England of which there is any anthem
tic evidence.
liz July 1900, young Howe, then II, moved to
Boston as an apprentice to John B. Hammatt
No. 10 Union street, to learn the trade of up
holsterer, and served four years. In 1905, at
the age of 81, he came to Portland and set
himself up as an upholsterer 10 store which
belonged to Gen. Peleg Wadsworth, and which
had been occupied by him. 1t stands next to
the Generals residence (near the Lougfelow
house) and was removed the next year to make
way for the erection of the Preble mansion.
Mr. Howe removed to wooden store next to
the south corner af Middle and Union streets,
belonging to to Eben Storer. In 1907 he re-
moved to Merchants Row." which stood
where the Falmouth Hotel now does. Here
he remained, dealing in upholstery and dry
goods, q years, and sold out in 1885. He was
at that time partner with Calvin edwards in
the manufacture of piano fortes. In 1888 he
commenced the dry goods business again in
store uext to the Canal Bank, and continued
there until 1856; then, at the age of 70, he sold
out his stock and retired from businese.
Mr. Howe's residence was for many years in
three story brick house on the south side of
Cross st.eet, which was built by Gershom
Rogers in 1904, where he raised up family of
sons and daughters,o of whom only one daughter
ASoioeo III AOiblduus NIL hoWO w co al doUifO
member of the Second Parish church in its
palmest days. He was admitted to its COM
munion i'll 1914, only seven years after the ord
ination OF DR.. Payson to the pastorate. They
were born in the same month OF the same year.
Mr.. Howe led the choir in the Singing seats
for many years. His associates in the choir
were the we'll remembered substantial citizens
Joseph Pope, james Kimball, Charles Morris,
Oliver Everett, Hosea Ilsley and others not
recollected. None of those mentioned are now
living but Mr.. Isley, who resides
in Chelsea, Mass. They were all church mem
bers and sang with the spirit and the under
standing also. Although there were no pro-
fessional artists in it, the music OF this fine
choir will be recolected with pleasure by many
old residents.
Mr.. Howe's recollection reached back to the
time when the General Court held their ses-
sons in the old State House, Boston, and the
state prison was Castle William, now Fort In
dependence, Boston harbor, and the prisoners
were guarded by company of state troops;
and of the notorious Stephen Burroughs es-
cape to Dorchester Point.
Mr.. Howe was man of strict integrity and
according to the strictest sect of their religion
he lived a. Congregationalist, but modern
"isms'' received no favor from him.
"Unpracticed he to tawn or seek for power
By doctrines fashioned to the varying hour"
There was no doubt in his mind about the
truth of his religious belief-he believed it
thoroughly. If be had lived under the pro-
tectorate Of Oliver Cromwell he would have
been minister of state or general of divi-
sion. VIC.
THE BALDWIN EXPOsE.-Saturday evening
Prof and Clara Baldwin gave their second and
closing entertainment at Music Hall The
tricks of the evening before were all repeated