Seth C. Howard, An "Intemps" from New York (1836-1908)

 Johann Gottfried Hauer (John Godfrey Howard) Family Line

Seth C, Howard (1836-1908)
____________________

by Carolyn Ann Howard

Seth Howard was a grandson of John Godfrey Howard, the Hessian soldier who came to the U.S. from Germany to fight in the Revolutionary War.  He was the son of Jacob Howard and Mary J. "Polly" Covell. The "C" in Seth's middle name might be Covell, but I am not certain. Seth is my 1st cousin, four times removed.

I became interested in Seth because of a document that Ancestry showed me, and that was the "New York Census of Inmates in Almshouses." Inmates did not mean prisoner. Patients were also called inmates at that time - just a blanket term for anyone housed in an institutional setting. Seth and his wife, Frances, both were institutionalized in The Genesee County Poorhouse.

Thinking of poorhouse, I think of the County Farm in Monticello, Indiana,  where I grew up in the 1960s-1970s. We didn't have a poorhouse, but we did have a County Farm that housed inmates. Two of those inmates - men - went to my dad's church, Bill Kretchmar picking them up every Sunday. They were an odd couple. It feels like one was tall and slender and the other shorter and portly. They were always in good spirits, though, so I didn't attach a negative connotation to the place where they lived. As I got older and more musically inclined, I began to accompany my father to Sunday afternoon services there so that I could play hymns for the "old folks" to sing.

Getting back to Seth Howard. He was born March, 1836 in Middlebury, New York in what was then Genesee County, now Wyoming County. The 1850 census was the first census that listed everyone by name, and in this census, 14-year-old Seth was with his parents and siblings in Middlebury. Also nearby were his aunt and uncle, as Seth's father was one of three brothers who made their way to Middlebury from Grafton, New York, in or around 1831. Seth's father, Jacob and his Uncle Elias settled in Middlebury. The other brother is my 3x great-grandfather, Abraham, who moved on to nearby Attica. On the 1950 census, the farm where Seth lived with his father was valued at $1200. Nice!

In the 1860 census, 24-year-old Seth was now married to 18-year-old Frances Peck. They had a 5-month-old daughter, who went by many names during her life, but in the end, she settled on "Ella." In this census, she was Eleda. Seth was correctly listed as a carpenter and his net worth was $75.

In the 1870 census, 33-year-old Seth was still married to 27-year-old Frances, as he would be the entirety of his life. His occupation was listed as wagon maker, also correct. He had done well in 10 years. His real estate was valued at $700 and his personal worth $300. Their eldest daughter on this census was listed as 10-year-old Alice M. who "attends school." Merritt, who was 8 years old also "attends school." Quite a jump from 8-year-old Merritt to the newborn, Carrie, who is one year old.

My dear cousin Glenn also obtained an entry from a business directory for 1870-1871. This directory listed Seth Howard as part of the firm "Cowley and Howard," who were blacksmiths and carriage makers. Cowley's first name was Covel.

The next census I have is the 1875 New York State Census. Everything looks fine here as well. Seth and the fam were in Warsaw. He was valued at $1800 and listed as a carpenter. Everyone is else is there, too: Frances, his wife, along with children Ella, listed this time as Alida, Merritt, Carrie, Henry, May, and Charles.

But here is where it gets interesting. The 1880 census tells an unusual story. What is going on here? Seth is still very much alive, but his family is all divided up. His wife, Frances, was listed with their son, Merritt, in Middlebury. He was head of household at the age of 19. His occupation: carpenter. Ella - listed as Alice - is in Warsaw with her new husband, Charles McClure.  Henry and Charles are with their aunt and uncle, Seth's sister Catherine and her husband, John Van Buren, in Warsaw. Their youngest, Ida, was with Seth's nephew George and his wife. I can't find their daughters, May or Carrie anywhere. Believe me it's not for a lack of trying.

If you use Family Search for the 1880 census records and put in Seth Howard with a birth year of 1836, you will get 9 entries for "Seth Howard." However, only one of those Seths match with ours, and it probably is our Seth Howard, who was living not in New York but in Davison, Michigan. This Seth was born in 1836 in New York, he used the "C" as his middle initial, and he was listed as a wagon maker, which is the correct occupation. He was living in the same household as 75-year-old John Golden, who was born in Ireland. But here - get this - he was listed as living with Carrie - and not his daughter, Carrie, who was born in 1869. This Carrie was born in or around 1856, is 20 years Seth's junior, AND she was listed as Seth's wife!!!!

I made a tree for John Golden, but it was futile, because I have so little information. Who was he? Was he Carrie's dad? How did all this come about?

The next record we have is the 1892 New York State Census. Seth was back with his true wife, Frances, but he is listed as a mechanic, not a carpenter or a blacksmith. However, being a wagon maker or a blacksmith would naturally transition to mechanic, so this is not a red flag by any means. Their 22-year-old son Peter was with them, listed as a carpenter. 

And then, very real tragedy struck as fire swept through Wyoming Village, taking many structures with it. Fires were a real threat as most buildings were all wood structures. Even if made of brick, the fire would still burn everything inside. Seth lost his house in this fire. Another man by the name of Cowley also lost his home. This might have been Seth's business partner. A church was lost, a cider mill, nine homes in all, and countless businesses. It must be something to be a victim of this type of tragedy. And one might think this was the start of Seth's true downfall if he had not built a post office in Warsaw, New York a year later.

On the 1900 census, Seth was with his wife in Warsaw. Everything here looks fine except for one detail. Frances states that she had 4 total births with only 2 living children. What is this? Seth and Frances had at least 4 living children at this time: Merritt, Ella, Henry, and Charles. I have found, in my research, that they had at least 7 children total. Knowing that this couple both ended up in the poorhouse, I'm wondering if a little dementia was settling in. Or maybe she or Seth were just mad at 2 of them, something like "you're dead to me" type of attitude.

The last little bit of info I have on Seth Howard before entering the poor house is a theft in 1903. He allegedly stole a bench vise from W. E. Evans. He was let out on his own recognizance, and Evans dropped the charges.

I've read a little bit about the newfangled poorhouses of the early 1900s. It was not pretty.  A huge social push was overtaking the country where reformers thought they could abolish poverty. New York had a huge bureaucratic hierarchy when it came to the poorhouse system. The thing most notable to me in my studies is that they were always trying to save money and cut corners and that everyone was lumped into the same system - those with mental illness, delinquents, and old folks. This was not going to work, and it didn't.

When entering into the poorhouse, the first thing that happened was that the inmate was stripped of their clothes, made to bathe in an antiseptic soap, and given a uniform. This intimate act of bathing was all done under watching eyes. If that didn't further affect someone's mental health, what else would? And we all know that bad, bad things happened in these dark, dreadful places.

A person wasn't just placed into a poorhouse, though. It had to be determined that they needed to be there. Things that determined this, for example, were begging in the streets or sleeping outside. In New York, a particular form was filled out for each inmate, called a census. On Seth's census, it states that he had been on "public relief" - where? "several places" and when? "about 10 years." It described his physical condition as helpless and the cause of his dependence on sickness. The one thing that really concerns me, though, is that his habits are marked as "intemps." This was an abbreviation for intemperance, meaning they thought he drank too much. Alcohol was indeed very much a problem in the U.S. at this time; however, alcohol was also given as medicine and apparently it wasn't hard to come by, even in the poor house. So, I'm not sure we can really surmise much if anything from this observation. But also, if he was sundowning, he could have very much acted like a drunk.

Unfortunately also for his wife, Frances, she was admitted to the poorhouse the very same day. Many times, the families were separated from each other and were punished if they were caught talking to each other. Her census stated that her health was "fairly good" but that she was "homeless and destitute." It stated that she had been on public relief for about 15 years. Doing my research, women were not often institutionalized in the poorhouse, because their children, while not feeling guilt for not taking care of their father, usually felt differently about their mother. But yet, here she is, living in the direst of places - a New York poorhouse in the early 1900s.

Seth died from a stroke 28 Sep 1908. He is listed on the Genesee County Home web site as having been an inmate there, he is not on the list of people who died there. Same goes for Frances, who died 29 Nov 1909 from stomach cancer. Her obit stated that she died at Ella's house and had 4 surviving children: Ella, Merritt, Henry, and Charles.

© 2022 by December Moonlight Publishing, LLC

Henry F. Howard (1870-1953)

 Johann Gottfried Hauer (John Godfrey Howard) Family Line

Henry F. Howard (1870-1953)
____________________ 

by Carolyn Ann Howard

Something I've learned, even though it seems like it should have been so clear, is how little information Ancestry really can tell you about your family. For instance, Henry F. Howard, in the 1880 census, the first census that he is counted, lived not with his parents but with his aunt and uncle. His younger brother is living there, too. Henry is 10 and his brother, Charles, is 6. Henry's mom, Frances, was listed with her son, Merritt. Merritt was listed as the head of household and as a carpenter.

A lot of the Howard family line ended up in Michigan, which led my dad to assume that the Howard family, as a group, walked from New York to Michigan. And then - according to his incorrect theory - our direct Howard line walked from Michigan down to Martin County, Indiana. This is untrue, and I have proven that this is not the case. My Howard family line came directly from New York to Martin County, Indiana, perhaps via the Erie Canal. This is where Ancestry's limitations come in. The point is that Henry F. Howard's family was disjointed in the 1880 census, and the cold, hard facts cannot, as of now, tell us why.

Henry F. Howard is my second cousin, three times removed. His parents are Seth C. Howard and Frances Peck. There's that name Peck again. It keeps coming up over and over, seemingly unrelated, but we know that nothing in genealogy is unrelated. My common ancestor with Henry F., though, is his great-grandfather, who is my 4x great grandfather, John Godfrey Howard. When Godfrey came to the colonies from Germany to fight in the Revolutionary War as a Hessian soldier, did he realize how vast and diverse his family would become? Does my father, who has since passed and is in heaven, talk with John Godfrey about any of this? Does it matter by then? I don't know, but I love, love, love researching family stories here on earth! And not just my family, but I have a few Martin County and Orange County, Indiana, families who are unrelated to me that I research and study. It's so interesting.

In 1893, Henry F. married Louise Thompson. My friend and cousin, Glenn, has her listed as Sarah Louise. I'm sure he is correct. He also provides a picture of the happy couple: Click on photos to enlarge

Henry and Louise Howard
Courtesy Lovell Family Collection

In the 1900 census, Henry and Louise lived at 114 State Street in Batavia, New York. They have two children with them on this census. Florence was 4 years old and Ernest was 2. This census tells us how many times she had been pregnant, and it was 2 times. So fortunately, she had not suffered any miscarriages or stillbirths. The home they lived in was rented, and he was a carpenter. His father had also been a carpenter.

In the 1905 New York State Census, the family lived at 307 North Street in Buffalo. He was still a carpenter and living with them were their three children, Florence, Ernest, and Delbert. (I love the name Delbert.)  The two older children were listed "at school," and the youngest, 5-year-old Delbert, is "at home."

In the 1910 census, Henry and Louise lived at 108 E. North Street in Buffalo, New York. Their now four children are listed with them: Florence, Ernest, Delbert, and Dorothy. This census showed that she has had 5 births with 4 living children. The house they lived in was also rented, and he was a carpenter of "buildings." So... a construction worker then? He was a wage earner, so he worked for someone else.

In the 1915 New York State Census, the family lived at 283 Lemon Street. Why did they move around so much? He was still a carpenter. Florence was not in their house anymore, as she was now married and living with her husband. The eldest son, Ernest, who was 17, was a lithographer. Delbert and Dorothy were "at school."

In 1920, the family still lived on 283 Lemon Street in Buffalo. It was Henry and Louise with their two youngest children, Delbert and Dorothy. Henry F. was still a carpenter of "house." Their eldest, Florence, was married and still in Buffalo. Their eldest son, Ernest, was living with Florence and her husband, Albert Windisch! Ernest's wife on the 1920 census was listed as "Mrs. Ernest." Ernest was a "motor mechanic" working in a garage. Florence's husband was a lithographer. They were both wage earners. Of course the women and children's occupations were listed as "none." That was the culture at that time. That doesn't mean, however, that they didn't earn wages. They may have been self-employed as seamstresses or other domestic services.

Funnily enough, after reading Florence's obituary, it said she was a retired seamstress. Why did the census enumerator list her occupation as "none?" Did he just assume that, as a woman, she was at home, keeping house? Did he discount that she was bringing money into the home? Did he even bother to ask what her occupation was?

In the 1925 New York State census, Henry and his wife lived on 374 Florida Street in Buffalo. Their son, Delbert, 25 years old, lived with them as a machinist. Their daughter, Dorothy, 17 years old, was a clerk. Henry was still a carpenter, and he would be listed as such until he retired.

In 1930, Henry and his wife lived with their daughter Florence and her husband, Russell Jones. Also on this census was Florence and Russell's 16-year-old daughter, Doris Jones, and Henry and Louise's 22-year-old daughter, Dorothy Howard. They are also no longer in New York but now are in Detroit, Michigan. Interesting. Dorothy was a "saleslady" at a department store. Florence was listed as a dressmaker at "garmentworks" and her husband a "photo engineer." It is good to see that Florence was given credit for her career as a seamstress and also Dorothy in sales.

Henry F's wife, Louise, died in 1938, if I have researched correctly. Something feels off here, though, and, even after an entire day's worth of researching, I am unable to put my finger on what I'm feeling. I wish I knew more! Hopefully one day I will!

Henry F. Howard
Carolyn Ann Howard Family Collection

 In the 1940 U.S. census, Henry was correctly listed as a widow, still lived with his daughter, Florence and her husband, Russell Jones. They were at 1764 Helen Avenue. And now, Henry's daughter, Doris, who was married to Lanis Robbins, along with their children, lived in the same household as well. On this census, we find out that Henry F. had a 6th-grade education. He apparently is retired, as the block for his employment is blank. I looked up 1764 Helen Street on Google Maps, and it looks like this house has been torn down. Comparing it to other houses in the neighborhood, they look big enough to support three families. Being used to living in a so-called "nuclear family," I find it fascinating how parents and children so often cohabitated together. I love it.

Unfortunately, the cohabitation wasn't enough for Henry F. Howard. And no amount of time on Ancestry can let us know what demons this poor soul was dealing with. I will, of course, continue to study. Unfortunately, Henry ended his own life 28 Oct 1953 by putting a bullet into his head. He and his wife are not buried side-by-side. I'm not even sure at this point if they're in the same cemetery together. There's something there, that is for sure.

Henry with his sister, Ella, who died in 1952
Ella went by many different names in her life
In the end, she went with Ella
Carolyn Ann Howard Family Collection

© 2022 by December Moonlight Publishing, LLC