The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-09-06

Frank z. Howe comes from Windham
county stock. His ancestors were among
the early settlers in Dover, Marlboro,
Newfane, and Wardsboro. The great
grandfather of the subject of this sketch
was Lieutenant Gardner Howe, who
served in the Revolutionary army for
FIVE years At the close of the war he
took his young bride and came from
Shrewsbury, Mass, to what is now Dow
err, though then known as the south dis
trict of Wardsboro, where he became one
of the leading citizens Of the town and
raised family of eight sons.
Frank Z. Howe was born in Heath,
Mass, Oct 2, 1870. His father and moth
er were both natives of Dover, and spent
their lives in Vermont except for the
four years when they lived in Massa-
chusetts during which time their only
son was born. Mr.. Howe's father, Ed
mund Perry Howe, served in the Civil
war, enlisting in the first company or
ganized in Brattleboro.
In 1872 the family moved to farm in
Brattleboro, near the Guilford and Marl-
boro town lines, and here the boy grew
to manhood, working on the farm and at
tending the district school.
His father died when Frank was IA
years old and his further educational adj
vantages were limited because of being
compelled to aid in the support Of his
mother and two sisters. BY working
the rest of the year he was able to at
tend the seminary at West Brattleboro
several fall terms, although, to do it, he
had to walk four miles each way every
day and do the farm chores at home
night and morning. At the age of II, he
passed the required examination to get a
teachers certificate with the highest
average Of any candidate that year, and
taught school in the town of Guilford.
At the age of 10, he left the farm
and became a printers apprentice in the
office of the Brattleboro Reformer, where
he spent three years learning the trade.
His wages during that period were three
dollars per week the first year, four dol
lars the second, and five dollars the third.
AT the end of his apprenticeship, he be-
came reporter on The Reformer, but
left Brattleboro in 1893 to join the rep
ortorial staff Of the Montpelier Argus.
During the next nine years he worked
on The Argus. was Tor a year the editor
of the Montpelier Daily Record, worked
two years in Florida as a special CORE
spondent of the New York Herald and
other papers, and for three years was
editor of the Barre Daily Times. During
these years he worked as a newspaper
reporter at the State House while the
legislature was in session and became an
enthusiast in efforts for the industrial
and educational advanee of Vermont.
In 1902 with three hundred dollars cash
capital, he left Barre and went to Ben
nington, where he bought the Benning-
ton Reformer on credit. few months
later, he took over the Bennington Ban
ner on similar terms In December, 1908,
he established the Bennington Evening
Banner, and as editor and publisher dur
ing the past rs years he has made it one
of the well-known papers of Vermont.
In 1908, he was elected to the legisla-
ture from Bennington. He was a presi-
Dental elector the same year and was
the messenger sent TO carry t'zs Vermont
vote to Washington. He was reelected
to the legislature in 1910 and was chosen
speaker. In 1912, he was elected lieuten'
ant governor,
At the age Of q, Mr. Howe joined
the Columbian lodge, No, SO, f. and A.
M, of Brattleboro, and is now a member
Of the Mount Anthony lodge of Benning-
ton. He ia a member of the Benevolent
Protective Order of Elks the Fraternal
Order of Eagles, the grange and Sons Of
| Veterans, and was member of the
Knights Of Pythias until the Bennington
lodge was disbanded. For ten years he
has been a trustee of the Bennington
graded school district and of the Ben
/ nington public library. He was the first
1 president of the Bennington Board of