Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-05-15
DEATH OF vOLNEY E. HOWARD

A Great Man Passes Quietly Away
The people of this city were greatly
shocked yesterday morning to learn tha'
General Volney E. Howard, one OF oui
oldest and most conspicuous citizens, had
died. The career of this distinguished
American is instructive and filed with
interest.
Volnev E. Howard was born in Oxford
county. Maine. on October %, 1909. His
father Richard Howard. a farmer, was a
man of considerable literary attachments,
the bent of whose mind is somewhat in
dicated nv the two names given by him
to his eldest son-Volney Erskine. The
mother. Mehitable Root, was the daugh-
fer of a Uuiversalist minister of some re-
pute. Young Howard had the usual ex-
nerience of q bright, ambitious New
England boy. In the intervals of his
labors on the farm he got some school
inc. and finally attended the Bloomfield
Academy, and afterwards the Wateryille
College, with what diligence and profit
his after career will demonstrate. He af-
forwards studied law with Felix Sprague,
Senator and E. H. Lombert, at Water.
vile. In his 22d year he was offered
a partnership by an uncle, N. G..
Howard, who was practicing law in
Mississippi, and in 1882 set out for that
State but after long and tedious jour
ney, indispensable in those days, he
found, upon his arrival, that his uncle
had been dead for some weeks, and
young Howard was thrown upon his own
resources, slender, indeed, pecuniarily,
but as the event proved, ample enough
in other respects. He at once devoted
himself to the prosecution of his law
studies, was soon admitted to the bar,
and commenced practice at Brandon.
The reputation made by young Howard,
at 30 able bar as was that of Missis-
sippi at that time, composed, as it was,
of men of the stamp of S. s. Prentiss,
General Quitman, George Poindexter,
Robert J. Walker, etc., is evidenced by
the fact that he was member of the
Legislature in 1885, at which session
Robert j. Walker was for the first time
elected to the United States Senate,
Howard taking an active part in his
election, he being even then pronounced
Democrat. That Howard had been
successful in his practice, is shown by
the fact that he was short time after
this able to purchase the Mississippian, a
newspaper which he 80 ably edited that
it became perhaps the most powerful
Democratic organ of the Southwest. In
1886, Howard was deputed to carry to
Washington the State electoral vote for
Van Buren,, and while at the Capital he
married Catherine Elizabeth Gooch, q
native of Massachusetts, a young lady OF
more than ordinary literary atainments,
and who has been his lifelong compan-
ion, and has borne to him large family
of children, ten in number.
Upon his return from Washington he
was appointed Reporter of the Supreme
Court of the State, and the we'll known
seven volumes of Towards Mississippi
Reports attest his industry and capacity.
He at the same time took an active
part in politics, and attained so high
a reputation as an able speaker
were then prominent in Mississippi, that
in 1910 he was the nominee of the Dem
ocratic party for Congress. In the contest
he was defeated by Governor Tucker, the
Wing candidate, although he ran LOCO
votes ahead of his ticket.
When in the Legislature he voted
against the bill by which the State guar.
anteed the issue of the Union Bank, anC
afterwards severely criticized lin the press
the management of the bank. He was
chosen by the Democracy to answer the
challenge of Mr.. Prentiss to discussion
of the currency question at Jackson
which polemical passage at arms has evel
been considered a famous event in the
history of Mississippi. Old Wings
claimed of course, the victory for Prem
tiss, and old Democrats claimed thai
Howard carried off the palm. But the
mere fact of such contest with such 6
man, shows the standing to which How
ard had attained.
Mr.. Howard's predictions were veri
fed. The bank became hopelessly in
volved. Howard, severely, and as wat
his wont all through life, fearlessly crit
cised the bank officers, and Hiram Run
nels, the President of the bank, chal
lenged Howard, call which no mar
could afford to refuse in those days. The
meeting took place at Colum bus, anC
Howard was shot, the ball striking rit
and coursing around the breast. A re
action was created by the insolvency o
the guaranteed bank, and the question o
Reputation arose. Although he had
opposed the assumption, Mr.. Howard
took his stand against Reputation, anC
became 30 much disguised by the success
of the reputation party that he moved
his family to New Orleans and was ad
mitted to that bar; but as Texas was OF
the point OF being admitted to the Union
he determined that this was better felC
for his future work.
The steamers, being all crowded by
the transportation OF fruits, he took hi
family in a sailing vessel to Port Labaca
and then went along the San Antonio t,
Bexar. Being much pleased with thu
country, he returned to Port Labaca TO
his family, which he transported in OK
carts to San Antonio, attended one tern
of court and then returned to Mississippi
to transact some unfinished business
How he was appreciated in his new com
munity was evidenced by his election
during his absence, as member of tn
Convention to frame the Constitution TO
the new State. The condition of tn
country at that time is evidenced by tn
fact that, while on the way to Austir
from San Antonio, in company will
other members of the Convention. tn
horses of the party were all stolen b.
the Comanches, near Braunfels, ant
the party was obliged to prosecute it
Journey in an ox-cart procure
at Braunfels. Mr.. Howard took a
influential part in the framing of tn
Constitution. 1t is interesting to not
that one day while the Convention wa
in session a herd OF buffaloes stampede
through the town, and the Conventio
for q huffQln hnnt.