Edward Howard
(EHowa1@aol.com) has been kind enough to share his
Howard
family with us, for more information contact him.
Samuel Howard, born in
the 1770's, and his wife Christiner Howard, moved from South
Carolina to Liberty County, Georgia in the 1800's. From there
they moved to Quincy, Florida. Samuel died Jun 8, 1835 and Christiner died Feb 6, 1836. The Tax Digest of Decatur County in
1824, listed Samuel Howard as parent of David Howard, 6 years
old. Samuel Howard must have owned property in Georgia, as well
as in Florida. Samuel and Christiner Howard's children were:
*George Howard, born 1801, died Oct 29, 1881
*Peter Howard, born Oct 22, 1808, died May 21, 1887
*John Howard, born Jan 24, 1812, died May 16, 1857
*David Howard, born 1818, died ???
(The name Permelia Howard appears in the 1850 Early County census,
but was not connected with the other Howard's.)
George Howard (1801-1881), one
of the early settlers of Blakely, Georgia was born in South
Carolina, but moved to Liberty County, Georgia with his family
and later moved to Quincy, Florida. Apparently, a friendly real
estate man, farmer and trader, he acquired a great deal of land
in Early County, arriving here around 1832. His brothers also
came to Early County, bought some of George's holdings and
settled here. George Howard established Howard's Landing. He
later sold it to the Hutchins family. He then moved back to
Jackson County, Florida in 1851. In 1854, George Howard sold
thirty three Negro slaves, over 1000 acres of land, his live
stock and entire crop in Jackson County, Florida to his brother,
Peter Howard, for over $23,000. George later moved to Henry
County, Alabama and died there at his residence on Oct 29, 1881
at the age of 80. His wife, Lucretia, was born in South Carolina
in 1808. George and Lucretia's children were:
*Harriett Howard, born 1828 FL
*Henry Howard, born 1830 (became a gunsmith)
*Joshua Howard, born 1832 FL
*Allen Howard, born 1834 GA
*George Howard, born 1837 GA
*Stephen Howard, born 1839 GA
*Lucinda Howard, born 1849 GA
Peter Howard (1808-1887) whose
name today is engraved on a placard at the base of the
Confederate Flag Pole on the Northwest corner of the Court House
Square in Blakely, Georgia, donated the Pole prior to a Ceromony
and Farewell to the Boys in Grey, in May of 1861. Peter Howard, a
landowner, merchant, farmer, and builder chose the tallest virgin
pine from his land. He cut the 90 foot tree to be used for this
very occasion. He wanted Blakely, Georgia to have the tallest
Confederate Flag Pole in the State. Peter Howard and his friend,
Judge Thomas Williams, spliced the top of the tree with another
10 foot piece, making the pole 100 ft. high. Many celebrations
have been held in Blakely, Georgia centered around this Flagpole.
It has made many interesting stories since it was erected in
1861. Peter Howard came to Early County, Georgia in 1836 with his
wife, Sarah Ann Shaw Howard from Quincy, Florida. It was Peter's
custom to rise early and take his produce by wagon to the market
in Tallahassee, Florida to sell early in the day. His son, Dr.
Tom Howard, wrote of his father in the May 1887 issue of the
Early County News, "His life was a long example of ceaseless
energy and wonderful industry". It was accomplished by work,
work, work. In God's own way, how much better the world has been
made by his living in it, we don't know - never will.
"Whatever he did in the way of work was a Model of
Neatness". This was said in the Church records concerning
Peter Howard. In writing about both Peter Howard and Captain R.
W. Wade, the Church Resolutions at the time of their deaths
stated, "They were not ordinary men, their names will occupy
a long space in the history of this Church, Town and County. They
were men of great Force of character, men of strong intelect and
culture, to those were added industry, energy, and true Christian
Piety, forming in them a combination, which made life for both of
them a success". The first house to be built in Blakely,
Georgis by Peter Howard is presently home of Mr. and Mrs. William
Barksdale (at the writing, Oct 1970). Mrs. Barksdale is a Great
Granddaughter of Peter Howard. It was erected right over the
Three Notch Trail, made famous by Andrew Jackson's men who cut
three notches on the trees to mark the route they blazed from Ft.
Gaines, Georgia to Ft. Scott, Georgia below Bainbridge, Georgia.
Many houses were built in Blakely, Georgia by Peter Howard, and
at the time of his death in 1887, it was said he had erected more
houses than any six other men. The value of his personal estate
was $20,000 according to the 1860 census.
The Howard Family was said to
have established "Howard's Hall" in Blakely. This was a
public meeting place and a hall for Social Gatherings. It was
torn down before 1900.
Mister Peter Howard, later was
called, "Uncle Peter" was one of Blakely's old
Patriarchs. His wife Sarah Ann Shaw Howard, was one of the best
women that ever lived anywhere. They had six sons and three
daughters, Lewis and Lafayette Howard gave their lives to the
"Lost Cause" (Civil War), Sam, Peter and Tom were in
that fight also. Lewis and Sam were loved schoolmates and
playmates of the writer and afterwards of the others, except
George, pupils of his.
"Uncle Peter" had two
brothers, George, who was founder of Howard's Mill, and father of
that good man, Henry Howard, who died recently in Blakely,
Georgia. He other other sons and daughters, whom I knew nothing
about. They moved back to Florida. Another brother David, was a
blacksmith and farmer and lived in the old Academy on the Albany
Road, opposite the old Tan yard. He had several daughters and one
son, Frank. They went West, sometime in the later 1850's, at the
time there was an exodus of Early County Citizens. Another
brother, John Howard, was the builder of Howard's Mill, near
Cedar Springs Georgia, on Kirkland's Creek, which provided power
for the mill. Further down a sawmill was built. It is still owned
by the family.
The Howard Family were remarkable for
their mechanical genius. "Uncle Peter" was an
exceedingly nice man in anything he undertook to do, from
butchering a beef or robbing a Beegum (bee hive in hollow trees),
to building a house. He was a Whig and a Baptist, having been one
of the pillars of the Blakely Church for a long time. At an
advanced age, he fell asleep without being sick or suffering any
pain.
The Howard Family, left their
impression on Early County, Georgia and Howard's Landing,
Howard's Mill and Howard's Hall will always remain as old
landmarks of the County.
If you have questions or comments please
contact
Last updated Tuesday, April 22, 2025