Joseph Howland (December 3, 1834 in
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
– March 31, 1886 in
Menton
Menton (; , written ''Menton'' in classical norm or ''Mentan'' in Mistralian norm; it, Mentone ) is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region on the French Riviera, close to the Italian border.
Me ...
,
Alpes-Maritimes
Alpes-Maritimes (; oc, Aups Maritims; it, Alpi Marittime, "Maritime Alps") is a department of France located in the country's southeast corner, on the Italian border and Mediterranean coast. Part of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, it ...
,
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
) was a
Union Army
During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...
officer during the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...
, politician and
philanthropist
Philanthropy is a form of altruism that consists of "private initiatives, for the Public good (economics), public good, focusing on quality of life". Philanthropy contrasts with business initiatives, which are private initiatives for private goo ...
.
Early life
Howland was born into a prominent merchant family that had grown rich in the
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
trade. His first American ancestor,
John Howland
John Howland (February 23, 1673) accompanied the English Separatists and other passengers when they left England on the to settle in Plymouth Colony. He was an indentured servant and in later years an executive assistant and personal secretary ...
, was one of the
Pilgrim Fathers
The Pilgrims, also known as the Pilgrim Fathers, were the English settlers who came to North America on the ''Mayflower'' and established the Plymouth Colony in what is today Plymouth, Massachusetts, named after the final departure port of Plymo ...
and a signer of the 1620
Mayflower Compact
The Mayflower Compact, originally titled Agreement Between the Settlers of New Plymouth, was the first governing document of Plymouth Colony. It was written by the men aboard the ''Mayflower,'' consisting of separatist Puritans, adventurers, an ...
, the governing document of what became
Plymouth Colony
Plymouth Colony (sometimes Plimouth) was, from 1620 to 1691, the British America, first permanent English colony in New England and the second permanent English colony in North America, after the Jamestown Colony. It was first settled by the pa ...
. Howland's father was
Samuel Shaw Howland
Samuel Shaw Howland (August 15, 1790 – February 9, 1853) was a prominent American businessman who was a founding partner in the merchant firm of Howland & Aspinwall and an incorporator of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company.
Early life
Howland wa ...
, a partner in the shipping firm of
Howland & Aspinwall Howland & Aspinwall was a merchant firm based in New York City in the 1830s and 1840s. It specialized in the Pacific Ocean trade, especially the importing of goods from China. It is best known for taking a pioneering role in the financing of clipp ...
; his mother was Joanna Esther Hone, the niece of
Philip Hone
Philip Hone (October 25, 1780 – May 5, 1851) was Mayor of New York City from 1826 to 1827.Minutes of the Common Council of the City of New York, 1784-1831. Volume XV, November 10, 1825 to December 25, 1826'. New York: City of New York, 1917. p. ...
, the noted diarist and
mayor
In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...
of
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
. The family lived at 12 Washington Square. The Howlands were a deeply religious family; at one time Howland considered entering the
ministry
Ministry may refer to:
Government
* Ministry (collective executive), the complete body of government ministers under the leadership of a prime minister
* Ministry (government department), a department of a government
Religion
* Christian ...
, but gave up those plans due to ill health. This same ill health also prevented Howland from attending school and university; he was educated at home, with several years of
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
an travel to round out his education.
["General Joseph Howland", The Howland Cultural Center]
His mother died when Joseph was fourteen; his father when he was nineteen.
At the age of twenty-one, Howland married
Eliza Newton Woolsey of New York, one of seven sisters well known as prominent reformers and
anti-slavery
Abolitionism, or the abolitionist movement, is the movement to end slavery. In Western Europe and the Americas, abolitionism was a historic movement that sought to end the Atlantic slave trade and liberate the enslaved people.
The Britis ...
activists. The couple honeymooned in Europe and the
Holy Land
The Holy Land; Arabic: or is an area roughly located between the Mediterranean Sea and the Eastern Bank of the Jordan River, traditionally synonymous both with the biblical Land of Israel and with the region of Palestine. The term "Holy ...
. While touring Italy, the Howlands commissioned two marble busts of themselves from the Italian neo-classical sculptor,
Giovanni Maria Benzoni
Giovanni Maria Benzoni (28 August 1809 – 28 April 1873) was an Italian neoclassical sculptor. He was trained in Rome, where he later set up his own workshop.
Benzoni designed some of his sculptures with a production line in mind using ot ...
; these busts stand today in the Howland Public Library in
Beacon, New York
Beacon is a city located in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The 2020 census placed the city total population at 13,769. Beacon is part of the Poughkeepsie– Newburgh– Middletown, New York Metropolitan Statistical Area as we ...
. The couple returned to the
United States of America
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territo ...
in 1859. That same year Howland bought the Freeland farm along
Fishkill Creek
Fishkill Creek (also Fish Kill, from the Dutch ''vis kille'', for "fish creek") is a tributary of the Hudson River in Dutchess County, New York, United States. At U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data ...
in the village of
Matteawan, naming his new estate Tioronda.
[ He commissioned architect ]Frederick Clarke Withers
Frederick Clarke Withers (4 February 1828 – 7 January 1901) was an English architect in America, especially renowned for his Gothic Revival ecclesiastical designs. For portions of his professional career, he partnered with fellow immigrant Cal ...
to design the main house on the estate. Howland's great-uncle, Philip Hone, was a partner with Peter A. Schenck in establishing the first factory, a cotton mill, in Matteawan in 1814.[Verplanck, William E., "the Town of Fishkill" in Hasbrouck's ''History of Dutchess County'', S.A. Mathieu, Poughkeepsie, 1909]
/ref>
Civil War
Howland's life as a country gentleman ended with the beginning of the American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...
in 1861. Upon the outbreak of the war, Howland immediately joined the 16th New York Infantry Regiment, where he served as the regiment
A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation.
In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscripted ...
's adjutant. When the commander of the 16th New York received a promotion, Howland was the unanimous choice to replace him as colonel
Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...
.[ Howland saw service in the ]First Battle of Bull Run
The First Battle of Bull Run (the name used by Union forces), also known as the Battle of First Manassas in July 1861.
Howland's time as commander of the 16th New York was short-lived. On June 29, 1862, during the Battle of Gaines's Mill
A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force ...
, one of the Seven Days Battles
The Seven Days Battles were a series of seven battles over seven days from June 25 to July 1, 1862, near Richmond, Virginia, during the American Civil War. Confederate General Robert E. Lee drove the invading Union Army of the Potomac, command ...
of the Peninsula Campaign, Howland was directing his men into their place in the line when a Confederate
Confederacy or confederate may refer to:
States or communities
* Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities
* Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between 1 ...
bullet struck him in the thigh. He refused to go back to the hospital, staying with his men until the end of the battle. The regiment's official report credits Howland with "…the most undaunted bravery and marked coolness…" as he stayed on his horse and rode up and down the line, giving orders and shouting encouragement to his men, "…unmindful of…the leaden hail…" through which he had to ride.[ Harlow, Samuel Ralph, and Boone, H. H., ''Life Sketches of the State Officers, Senators, and Members of the Assembly of the State of New York, in 1867'', Weed, Parsons, 1867]
/ref>
The official report also stated that Howland's wound "…will disable him for several weeks." In fact, the wound ended Howland's military career; the wound and the resulting fever dangerously undermined his health and made further active service impossible. He resigned as commander of the 16th New York and never served again in the field.[ Howland returned to duty during the ]New York City draft riots
The New York City draft riots (July 13–16, 1863), sometimes referred to as the Manhattan draft riots and known at the time as Draft Week, were violent disturbances in Lower Manhattan, widely regarded as the culmination of white working-cla ...
in 1863, placing himself at the disposal of the civil and military authorities as they tried to quell the largest municipal riots in American history. Howland quickly organized a regiment of civilian volunteers to help suppress the chaos, but after the emergency passed he returned to civilian life.
On January 13, 1866 President
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
*President (education), a leader of a college or university
*President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson (December 29, 1808July 31, 1875) was the 17th president of the United States, serving from 1865 to 1869. He assumed the presidency as he was vice president at the time of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Johnson was a Dem ...
nominated Howland for appointment to the grade of brevet
Brevet may refer to:
Military
* Brevet (military), higher rank that rewards merit or gallantry, but without higher pay
* Brevet d'état-major, a military distinction in France and Belgium awarded to officers passing military staff college
* Aircre ...
brigadier general
Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...
of volunteers, to rank from March 13, 1865, for his courage at Gaines's Mill and the United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and pow ...
confirmed the appointment on March 12, 1866.[Harlow, 1867, p. 35 states that President Lincoln commissioned Howland as a brigadier general to rank from March 4, 1864. This is not supported by Eicher, United States War Department, The Military Secretary's Office]
''Memorandum Relative to the General Officers in the Armies of the United States During the Civil War, 1861-1865'' (Compiled from Official Records.)
1906. (Compiled by Wright, Marcus J.) Retrieved August 5, 2010. p. 36 or Warner, Ezra J. ''Generals in Blue: Lives of the Union Commanders''. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1964, .
Post-war
After the war, Howland was New York State Treasurer The New York State Treasurer was a state cabinet officer in the State of New York between 1776 and 1926. During the re-organization of the state government under Governor Al Smith, the office was abolished and its responsibilities transferred to the ...
from 1866 to 1867, elected on the Republican
Republican can refer to:
Political ideology
* An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law.
** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
ticket. He also had an active role in drafting the trust deeds for Cornell University
Cornell University is a private statutory land-grant research university based in Ithaca, New York. It is a member of the Ivy League. Founded in 1865 by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White, Cornell was founded with the intention to teach an ...
and in organizing the Hudson River State Hospital for the Insane, the humane treatment of the mentally ill
A mental disorder, also referred to as a mental illness or psychiatric disorder, is a behavioral or mental pattern that causes significant distress or impairment of personal functioning. Such features may be persistent, relapsing and remitti ...
being one of his and his wife's great concerns. In Mattewan, Howland was instrumental in building the Presbyterian Church, and the public library that still bears his name.[ Howland commissioned his brother-in-law, the architect ]Richard Morris Hunt
Richard Morris Hunt (October 31, 1827 – July 31, 1895) was an American architect of the nineteenth century and an eminent figure in the history of American architecture. He helped shape New York City with his designs for the 1902 entrance faà ...
, to design the library building. The building is now the Howland Cultural Center
The Howland Cultural Center, formerly known as Howland Library, is located on Main Street ( New York State Route 52 Business) in Beacon, New York, United States. It is an ornate brick building designed by Richard Morris Hunt in the 1870s. In 1973 i ...
and is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
. The library moved to another Main Street location in 1976. He also took an active part in the establishment of the National Bank at Fishkill-on-Hudson. Howland served as president of the Mechanics' Savings Bank of Fishkill-on-Hudson from March 24, 1866 to September 30, 1868.[Smith, James H., ''History of Dutchess County'', D.Mason & Co., Syracuse, 1882]
/ref>
Highland Hospital was established on May 1, 1871. Howland purchased the property, fitted it for a hospital and presented it to the town.[
]
Death
Howland died in Menton
Menton (; , written ''Menton'' in classical norm or ''Mentan'' in Mistralian norm; it, Mentone ) is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region on the French Riviera, close to the Italian border.
Me ...
, France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
, on March 31, 1886, and was buried there. He and his wife had no children and after his death Eliza Howland
Eliza Newton Woolsey Howland (1835 – 1917) was an American author and the wife of Union Army officer Joseph Howland.
Life
Howland was born in 1835[Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is an American seaside city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island. It is located in Narragansett Bay, approximately southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, Providence, south of Fall River, Massachusetts, south of Boston, ...]
, in 1917[], at the age of eighty-two. After her death Tioronda became Craig House, a hospital for the mental illness, mentally ill.
The author Louis Stanton Auchincloss is his great-grandnephew.
]
See also
*List of American Civil War brevet generals (Union)
__NOTOC__
This is a list of American Civil War brevet generals that served the Union Army. This list of brevet major generals or brevet brigadier generals currently contains a section which gives the names of officers who held lower actual or sub ...
*New York state election, 1865
The 1865 New York state election was held on November 7, 1865, to elect the Secretary of State, the State Comptroller, the Attorney General, the State Treasurer, the State Engineer, two Judges of the New York Court of Appeals, a Canal Commis ...
Notes
References
Political Graveyard
Short bio at rootsweb
{{DEFAULTSORT:Howland, Joseph
1834 births
1886 deaths
Union Army colonels
Military personnel from New York City
People from Beacon, New York
New York State Treasurers
19th-century American politicians
Howland family