Springfield-Greene
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of Many of the Representative Citizens
HARVEY W. HOWARD. Although Americans do not take nearly so much, interest in their family trees as do the Europeans or better classes of Orientals, yet it should be a matter of pride with us, who like the subject of this sketch, is able to refer to a long line of honorable progenitors-men and women who have left behind them records of which their descendants may not be ashamed but proud. Records of this fine old family may be traced back to William the Conqueror of England, to the year 1066, and their record in America goes back to our first settlers, when the original of this name landed either in Rhode Island or Massachusetts, it is believed in the year 1628, not so very long after the memorable arrival of the Mayflower.
Harvey W. Howard, pit foreman in the new shops of the Frisco at Springfield, a direct descendant of this old family, was born in Peabody, Kansas, September 27, 1877. He is a son of Albert S. and Charlotte E. (Trimble) Howard, the mother now a resident of the state of Idaho, being at this writing seventy-six years of age. The father was born in Wisconsin, from which state he came to Kansas in an early day. In his earlier life he followed the trade of millwright, later devoting his attention to carpentering and contracting, and although he is now seventy-seven years of age he is still active. He makes his home at Boise, Idaho. Politically, he is a Republican, and he is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. His family consisted of four children; namely: Clinton, Who was killed some years ago in a railroad accident; Samuel, who is a brass-maker, lives in Denver, Colorado: Hattie married Rev. P. B. Knepp, minister of the Methodist Episcopal church, now stationed at Axtell, Kansas; and Harvey W. of this sketch.
Mr. Howard of this review received his education in the common schools at Council Grove, Kansas, but left school when sixteen years of age, and began learning the machinist's trade in that town, working under his father in a contract shop; after serving his apprenticeship he worked for ten years at his trade in Osawatomie, Kansas, then worked there in the Missouri Pacific shops at his trade. For two years he worked in Colorado City as machinist for the Hassell Iron Company. His next position was with the Colorado Midland railroad, continuing his trade, part of the time in Colorado City, then went to La Junta, Colorado, for the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe railroad, working in their shops there until in 1903, when he came to Springfield, Missouri, and took a position in the south side Frisco shops, working as machinist a year, then went to Leadville, Colorado, and was division foreman for the Colorado Midland a year, after which he went back to the Hassell Iron Works at Colorado City for five months, then came back to the south side shops in Springfield, and after working here as machinist for three months he was promoted to the position of erecting foreman, which he held over three years, then went to the new shops in 1911, working as machinist for six months, then was promoted to the position which he now holds, that of pit foreman in the erecting department. He has about twenty hands under his direction and is giving eminent satisfaction in this important position. He is regarded as one of the most expert machinists the Frisco has ever employed from a Western road.
Mr. Howard was married on March 15, 1899, to Hattie Stickney, a daughter of John and Jane (Helm) Stickney, of Springfield, and to this union one child has, been born, Helen Charlotte Howard, born January 15, 1905. John Stickney, father of Mrs. Howard, served in the Union Army. The maternal grandparents of our subject's wife were born in Germany.
Politically, Mr. Howard is a Republican. He belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church. He holds membership in Orient Lodge No. 86, Knights of Pythias, of which he was elected chancellor commander for the year 1915, and is also a member of the Machinist's Union No. 363.
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