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Converse HOWE^{1, 2, 3}

Born 1838/1839 in Muskingum County, Ohio^{1, 2} to John Mark HOWE, born Massachusetts^{1, 2}, and Mary WEST, born New York¹ and died 1852 at sea on her way to California.² Married Union Augusta CLAWITER 05 April 1869 in Alameda, California.³ Died 1891 in Los Angelese, California, soon after being elected auditor of that city.²

Children with Union Augusta CLAWITER:

Robert Curtis Howe, born 14 June 1870 in Los Angeles, California.⁴

Edward C. Howe, born 1872 in Los Angeles, California.⁵

Converse Walter Howe, born 1875 in Los Angeles, California.^{2, 5}

Frederick C. Howe.⁵

*Great grand-uncle (by marriage) of the Cactus.

CONVERS HOWE DEAD.

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He Passed Away After a Severe Illness

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The Cause of Death - Something About the Life of the Deseased - His Experience in the Army and in California

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Converse Howe, auditor of Los Angeles county and a well known citizen, died at 4:!5am today at the residence of E.E. Hall, 714 Edgeware road, in this city. Heart failure was the cause of death.

Mr. Howe had been seriously ill for many weeks, and for several days previous to his death it was thought that he could not recover. He had for years been a sufferer from asthma. Having experienced great hardship while in the army, the seed of the disease implanted itself in his system and it was never uprooted.

The remains will be taken to Pomona, where they will be consighed to the earth, beside the wife of the deseased, who died about two years ago.

Convers Howe located in Pomona in 1882, where he entered into merchandise business with Edward Evey. About a year later he purchased Every's interest and conducted the business -dry goods and furnishings- alone until elected County Auditor at the last election.

Mr. Howe was born in Muskingum county, Ohio, in 1838. In 1852 he started with his mother for California, where his father had preceded them in 1849. His mother was fated never to see the Golden State, for she died at sea en route.

Mr. Howe commenced his life on this coast as a clerk in Sacramento. In 1855 he commenced teaching school. In 1856 he was sergeant-at-arms of the Republican State convention, and in 1861 organized the Republican party in Lake county. In 1864 Mr. Howe went East and entered the army as a private in the Fifteenth Connecticut Infantry. His regiment was stationed in North Carolina. In October he was taken sick with yellow fever. Upon his recovery he joined his comrades, and while en route to open communication General Sherman's army at Raleigh he was captured by the Confederates and sent to Libby Prison at Richmond. After the surrender of General Lee Mr. Howe was exchanged and ordered to the front. He was discharged at the close of the war, and returned to California. He followed various occupations in a number of places and finally came to Los Angeles county in 1872. First he engaged in farming at Westminster, and taught school there. In 1877 he was keeping store at Garden Grove, and in '82 went to Pomona. In the latter place Mr. Howe proved himself to be an earnest, active, upright business man. For a time he was president of the Board of Education of the town, and a trustee of the Presbyterian church. He was at the time of his death a member of Vicksburg Post, G.A.R. Mr. Howe was married in 1872 to Miss Union Augusta Clawiter, a native of California, and was born in 1850. Four children survive Mr. Howe- Robert C., about 21 years old, Edward C., Walter C. and Louis P., aged about 11 years.

Today the flag on the Court House was at half mast. Many expressions of sorrow were made at the death of Mr. Howe. He was a warm-hearted man and many many warm friends.

FUNERAL NOTICE.

The remains of the late Convers Howe have been removed from his late residence on Edgeware road to the undertaking parlors of Messrs. Orr & Sutch, No. 147 S. Spring street, where an opportunity will be given to his friends in Los Angeles to view them between the hours of 2 and 4 p.m. tomorrow, Wednesday. On Thursday morning at 90:05 they will be taken to Pomona, where funeral services will be held in the First Presbyterian church at 11 o'clock a.m.

RESOLUTIONS OF RESPECT AND SYMPATHY.

At the meeting of the Board of Supervisors held today, the following resolutions were offered by Mr. Cook and unanimously adopted:

Resolved, That in the death of Converse Howe, late Auditor of Los Angeles county, the county has lost an honest, upwright and capable officer, who, until sickness made it impassible, was ever at his post of duty. An officer who by his uniform courteous and gentlemanly bearing won the regard of his fellow officers and of all who had business relations with him.

Resolved, That we extend our profound sympathy to the grief stricken children in this their hour of deep affliction.

Resolved, That a token of respect for deceased that the County Auditor's office be draped in mourning for the period of thirty days.

Resolved, That these resolutions be spread upon the minutes of this board and that an engrossed copy of the same be enclosed to his family.

1. United States Census, 1880.

2. Obituaries and Newspaper Articles pasted inside the prayer book of Mary Gading.

3. International Genealogical Index, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

4. California Death Index.

5. Wilma Schumacher, personal knowledge and research.

This page last updated 25NOV2004.

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