Fifty Years In Howard (November 18, 1926)

[genealogynut]

Howard Courant
November 18, 1926

(Second try---I had abt 3/4 of this article transcribed, then something happened and I lost it all )

The Courant Publisher Arrived In Howard City Fifty Years Ago Last Monday

On the evening of November 15, 1876, the present publisher of The Courant arrived in Howard City, accompanying the office and printing material of The Elk County Ledger, which was removed from Elk Falls to the new country seat on that date.  The Ledger had been established at Longton early in 1871; in 1874 it had been moved to Elk Falls, then the county seat of Howard county. The county was divided in 1975, and the county seat of the new county of Elk was permanently located at Howard City in October following.  The Ledger struggled on for a year and then succumbed to the inevitable and again took up the chase to keep up with the county seat.  Adrian Raynolds who had founded the Ledger was still its publisher and editor. This writer had been working as printer boy on the Ledger since February 1875 and was when he arrived in Howard City not yet seventeen years old.  The story of his coming to Howard City was told last week in our Fifty Years Ago column.  This town was known as Howard City the first few years of its existence, but when it was incorporated as a city of the third class in November 1877, it was renamed Howard, dropping the "City" from the name.

In November 1877 The Ledger and The Courant were merged, taking the name of The Courant-Ledger, and Reynolds and Steinberger were publishers.  Some months later Mr. Reynolds disposed of his interest in the paper to Mr. Steinberger who dropped the Ledger from the title line and the paper has been The Howard Courant since that time.

There are at this time less than twenty persons living on the present townsite of Howard who were living here fifty years ago.  Almost the entire population of the town has changed.  There is not a store, business house or business or professional office which was operating then which has come down  to the present.  E. K. Longley, attorney, had previously hung out his shingle in Howard City, but in 1876 he was living on a farm out in Union Center and was elected justice of the peace.  Some years later he came back to town.  Mr. and Mrs. Tom Carter, H. G. Zirn and perhaps others among the pioneers lived in the country near town at that time, but moved into town many years later.  Among those who were actual residents of Howard City when this writer arrived fifty years ago and who are still here are G. A. Warner, Frank Osborn; W. M. Crooks and wife (not then married), Mr. and Mrs. R. F. Crawford, (then but newly married), Mark McBee, Mrs. Milt Vinson, Mrs. H. E. Hubbell and children, all of then quite young; J. Whit Eby, with his first pair of red-top, copper-toed boots which were a whole lot too big for him, but he liked them so well he wouldn't take 'em off when he went to bed; Clarence Thompson and a few others who were but babies, and who may not care to be listed with those of that age.  Val Momma was one of the first kids we got acquainted with--he is now a grandpap and not ashamed of his age.

There was one union Sunday school, which met regularly at the school house, A. F. Eby was superintendent and singing leader, and J. R. Hall was secretary.  Miss Ella Dodd was treasurer.  The "collections" regularly amounted to one dollar.  (actual contributions were in pennies and nickels, and usually ran from forty cents to seventy-five or eighty; but the secretary invariably ran it up to a dollar out of his own pocket, and announced it at that figure.)  There was no organ or piano for Sunday school or church services until two or three years later.

Howard City's business directory fifty years ago was as follows:  Thomas Bruce, dry goods, groceries, boots and shoes.  Strachan Bros., dry goods and groceries. Fletcher & Rambo, dry goods , clothing, shoes.  C. T. Adams, general store and hardware.  Mr. Adams was postmaster.  W. M. Vinson, general merchandise, H. E. Hubbell, groceries.  J. R. Hall, drugs. A. W. Kirby, drugs.  M. W. Jones, hardware and tinware. Mrs. Jenny Cartmell, millinery.  Mrs. E. L. Albright, millinery and photo gallery.  Thomas Ferrell, saloon.  Abe Clark, saloon and lunch.  Luzader & Howe, blacksmiths.  Warner & Wallace, blacksmiths.  W. H. Steward, wagon shop.  G. W. Payton, meat market.  Wm. Strachan, harness shop.  Carl Schumacher, shoe shop.  John McBee, City Hotel.  A. B. Hicks, Commercial Hotel.  G. W. Payton, Central Hotel.  The Elk County Ledger, A. Reynolds, publisher. The Courant, A. B. Steinberger, publisher.  James Stewart, livery stable.  P.C. Topping, Isaac Cline and Sylvester Lucas, physicians.  S. B. Oberlander, R. H. Nichols, N. B. Cartmell, J. M. White, J. A. Oliphant, J. C. Steele, J. B. Jennings, Luther Scott, Lawyers.

Rev. J. A. Nowlen was pastor of the Howard M. E. Church, and also preached at Clear Creek and Lima.  He was a young man of not more than 21, tall and athletic, and was ready to wrestle, box, jump or run a race with anybody.  He was always glad to help the local editor write up the town news, and penned a very clever verse or rhyme. He was a good singer and most likeable young man--but it was a hard task for him to be a minister.  He was transferred to Sedan the following spring, and soon after retired from the ministry and began the study of law.  He married a Howard youn woman, and some time in 1878 took sick and died.  Rec. Broadhurst visited Howard occasionally and preached to the M. E. Church South congregation.  Baptist, Congregationist and Christian church ministers frequently visited Howard and held services.

The Ledger office was located in the rear room up-stairs in the Fletcher & Rambo store building, now the Allen Cafe.  This, by the way, is the only building on Wabash Avenue still standing that was here in 1876--fifty years ago.  The Courant office was upstairs over Tommy Farrell's saloon, which stood about where Clarence Crismas' store and pressery stands now.  The total population of Howard City was then about 400.  There were no sidewalks, and not all the stores even had porches or platforms at the front door.  There were no street lamps and when night came on, the town was "dark." The only public hall in town was the school house, a frame structure over one the school square, and it served for school, church, and court room, and when public dances were held, it was also brought into requisition for that.