My Genealogy Hound

JOHN FLETCHER HOWETH is engaged in general farming and stock-raising on section 10, township 45, range 29, Johnson County, his property comprising two hundred acres of finely cultivated land, one hundred and twenty acres of which Mrs. Howeth inherited from her father, who died when she was only four years of age. In 1849 he went to California and died of cholera on shipboard, while on the return voyage, being buried at sea. For nine years our subject served as School Director, but since resigning that office he has never acted in a public capacity. His first Presidential ballot was cast for Horace Greeley, and, like his father, he is a Democrat.

The parents of our subject are Harvey and Susan (Dorsett) Howeth, natives of Alabama and Texas, respectively. The father, who is still living, was born October 1, 1822, and went to Texas with his parents about 1845. During the last of the Mexican War, he enlisted in the service, being with Scott at the capture of the City of Mexico, and served a little over a year. He was married in Rusk County, Tex., about 1848, and moved to Cooke County the following year. Of their eleven children all but three are still living. For about two years Mr. Howeth served as a private in the Confederate army, as a member of a Texas regiment, and after the war joined the State Militia, assisting in keeping the Indians in check. He is a farmer, and at one time had one hundred and sixty acres. This tract he sold, however, buying land near Gainesville, the county seat of Cooke County.

J. F. Howeth was born in Cooke County Tex., March 5, 1850, and while his father was in the army the main dependence of the family fell upon his young shoulders. Thus he did not obtain much of an education at school, but has acquired his knowledge mainly through private study and observation. When he was twenty years of age he commenced learning the carpenter’s trade, receiving nothing for the first three months, but at the end of that time getting about $1 per day. He served three years, finally being given fair wages. He continued to follow his trade in Texas until 1875, when he moved to his present home.

December 31, 1872, Mr. Howeth married Mrs. Mattie Venable, nee Frier, who was born in Cooper County, Mo., June 3, 1844. Her parents were James H. and Margaret (McCulloch) Frier, natives of Kentucky and Virginia, respectively. The father emigrated to Missouri in his early manhood alone, and the mother came with her parents. Their marriage was celebrated at New Franklin, Mo., in 1829, Mrs. Frier being then only seventeen years of age. Mrs. Howeth first married Thomas B. Lee, at the age of twenty years, and subsequently became the wife of J. A. Venable, who died in Texas. There were no children by either marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Howeth have two daughters and a son, namely: Ella J., born April 1, 1875; Robert Stanley, June 4, 1878; and Besta, May 8, 1890, and all three are natives of this county. The two elder children are attending the normal school at Warrensburg. Harvey Howeth is a Democrat, as is also his son, our subject. The latter was reared a Methodist and his wife a Universalist. She united with the Christian Church when she was nineteen years of age, but they are both now identified with the same congregation, as are their two elder children. They are in favor of woman suffrage, and take great interest in the indications which point to the speedy fulfillment of their desires in this direction.