John Marshman Howell (1849–1925) was a horticulturist and
alderman in
Dallas, Texas.
Biography
J. M. Howell was born in
Jefferson County, Tennessee on August 2, 1849.
In 1872, he settled on a tract of land along McKinney Avenue where he planted
orchards and opened a
greenhouse
A greenhouse (also called a glasshouse, or, if with sufficient heating, a hothouse) is a structure with walls and roof made chiefly of Transparent ceramics, transparent material, such as glass, in which plants requiring regulated climatic condit ...
. He was one of Dallas' most civic-minded and progressive citizens, serving on the Dallas School Board for 10 years. He served several terms as the President of the Texas State Horticultural Society and was active in the planning of the
Texas State Fair.
He served as secretary and treasurer of the Texas State Nurserymen's Association, and treasurer of the Central Texas Horticultural Society.
Following his return from the
Philadelphia Exposition in 1876, Howell made plans for his property that would reflect the beauty he saw in
Philadelphia. He is credited with planting the first
magnolia tree in Dallas. A few of his trees can still be found at Howell Park.
He died at his son's home in Dallas on November 8, 1925.
Legacy
Howell Park is the neighborhood immediately Northwest of the intersection of Hall and Howell Streets.
[Subdivisions](_blank)
/ref> Today the neighborhood custodian is the Howell Park Homeowners Association, a non-profit organization.
Several streets in Dallas were named with his influence: Routh (after his wife's family), Howell, Fairmount (after Fairmount Park, the site of the Philadelphia Exposition), Maple and Thomas Street (after his uncle). John was laid to rest in Greenwood Cemetery, adjacent to Howell Park.
Works
*
*
*''Dallas Nurseries''Henry G. Gilbert Nursery and Seed Trade Catalog Collection
- J.M. Howell (Firm),
References
Further reading
*
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Howell, J. M.
1849 births
1925 deaths
American horticulturists
Politicians from Dallas