The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-05-14
MARSHALL @. HOWE
DIES IN NEWFANE
One of Towns Oldest Residents and
Writer on Agricultural and Nat
ural History Subjects.
Especial to The Reformer.)

NEWtANE, May IA.
Marshall Otis Howe, one of the old
est residents Of Newfane, died in his
home Tuesday. May Is, from a eompli
cation of troubles incident 10 age. He
was born in Wardsboro October 4, 1892
and had therefore reached the second
half of his S7th year. He was son of
Otis and Sally (Marsh) Howe and was
one Of four children, the others dying
from pulmonary disease in early man
hood and womanhood He was of the
old New England stock on all sides, be
ing a descendant of John Howe. who
settled in Marlboro, Mass, in 1888 and
of members of the distinguished Sher-
man family.
His early education was acquired in
the district schools of Wardsboro, sup
plemented By terms at the Townshend
and Saxtons River academies. He after
wards read law with Il. ". Clark Of
Brattleboro and prepared himself for
admission to the bar, but, showing in
dications of the disease that had ear
ried off his brother and two sisters, he
abandoned that purpose and devoted
himself chiefly 10 Quito door pursuits,
On August l., 1866, Mr.. Howe mar
!. and Mary (White) Dexter Of Wards
boro, and in the spring of 1867 he pur
chased the Reuben Taft farm q halt
mile north Of Newfane village. and this
was his home for the remainder of his
life. - years. His farm work was lin
tied by a condition of health that was
never vigorous and his life on the farm
was that Of a scholar and student Of
nature rather than that of a practical
| farmer lie made considerable coliec
| tions of grasses and minerals and was
| always interested in various branches
1 of natural history, as well as in projects
! for local betterment. such as the estab.
! lishment of the Moore Free library
For nearly 80 years he was superin
/ tcndent of schools in Wardsboro and
/ Newfane
An article comparing, according tc
| the t. :. census statistics. the agricul
tural products of Vermont with those
of other eastern states and the leading
! agricultural states Of The West, whicl
he contributed TO the New York Tri
hune. showed a result surprisingly favor
able 10 Vermont. 20 far as Weld PEI
acre was concerned and The article wa,
extensively copied and commented upon
This theme was afterwards elaborated
in other articles published in othel
newspapers, in reports of the Vernon
board Of agriculture, and in a lectur,
delivered at the University Of Vermont
A scholarly article on Past and Presen
Products of the Soil was published il
Vol. Y. of The Report of the Stat,
Board of Agriculture.
In 1881 Mr. Hpu.n bnno, ma a1ria,,I II !, !.
al editor of the Vermont Phoenix. re
| signing this position in 1890, when ol
recommendation of the Vermont dele
, CATION in Congress. he was appointe,
supervisor of the Eleventh census TO
the district of Vermont. He afterward
: contributed articles on agricultural am
statistical topics to the New Englant
Homestead, the Burlington Free Pres
and other newspapers and published ma
lture ESSAYS in magazines. In 1882 h
represented the town of Newfane i
the state legislature.
Mr.. Howe leaves his wife and fiv
. sons, the latter being DR.. Marshall a
Howe, member of the scientific sta
of the New York Botanical Garden, i
: Bronx park, New York city; Hermon 4
Howe, a farmer of Brookline; Arthu
O. Howe, and electrical engineer, VIII
for the past few years has been Twin
with his parents on the old homestead
Prof. Clifton ID. Howe of the faculty c
: forestry of the University of Toronto
:, and Carlton ID. Howe, who is distric
superintendent of schools for the towr
: of MorristoMn, Stowe and Elmore.
) The passing of the head of the famil
is the first break in a family life thu
= has continued for nearly 80 years
: The funeral will be held from his la
!, residence Thursday afternoon at .;
\ o clock.