James was reportedly born in Ireland in 1702 or 1705. It has been suggested that he was actually born in Scotland and that his family relocated to (Northern) Ireland when he was an infant. He married first to Mary McCurdy, apparently before 1733. He and his reported brother, Lt. Samuel Howard, were at St. Georges River in 1736. He was a first settler of Augusta, Maine (then part of Massachusetts) in 1754. He commanded Fort Western during the French and Indian War, and subsequently purchased the fort for his residence and businesses. He was a justice of the peace, 1766-1786, and treasurer, 1777.
James and Mary McCurdy Howard had four children:
1. [Capt.] John Howard, reportedly b. 1733, d. 30 July 1804 [he accidentally shot a companion in 1761 and subsequently lost his mind];
2. [Capt.] Samuel Howard, b. abt. 1735, d. 29 Mar. 1799, m. 1766 to Sarah Lithgow;
3. Margaret Howard, b. 25 Oct. 1738, d. 21 Mar. 1806, m. 1763 to Capt. James Patterson; and
4. [Col.] William Howard, b. abt. 1740, m. 1768 or 1769 to his first cousin Martha Howard, daughter of Samuel--linked below.
Mary McCurdy Howard died 22 Aug. 1778. James then married second to Mrs. Susanna Johnson Cony on 1 Jan. 1781 in Hallowell, old Lincoln Co., Mass. (now Kennebec Co., ME). They had two children together, when James was in his late 70s (even possibly over 80):
5. Isabella "Ibbey" Howard, b. 2 Dec. 1781, d. 23 June 1787 [note that her death is reported in the journal of midwife Martha Ballard and that North's history of Augusta gives incorrect dates for Isabella]; and
6. James Howard Jr., b. 9 June 1783, m. 1800 to Ann "Nancy" Cousins Coffin--linked below.
James Howard Jr. was named as heir in his father's will, but was deprived of his vast inheritance by older half-brothers Samuel and William (then in their 40s-50s), who were in control of their father's estate and their brother John (who was then incompetent). Their sister Margaret Patterson is documented as supporting young James Jr.'s claims. Tragically, James Jr. died at sea at the age of 24 years while trying to recover his father's estate through the courts. His young widow subsequently left Maine, returning with her little daughters to her native Martha's Vineyard. Their descendants attempted to sue for James Jr.'s inheritance in 1850. However, the court determined that the titles to extensive land holdings of James Howard Sr. had descended to multiple owners at that point, and there was no way to recover the inheritance. For more detail, see the West Memorandum in the collections of the Maine State Library.
James and Mary McCurdy Howard had four children:
1. [Capt.] John Howard, reportedly b. 1733, d. 30 July 1804 [he accidentally shot a companion in 1761 and subsequently lost his mind];
2. [Capt.] Samuel Howard, b. abt. 1735, d. 29 Mar. 1799, m. 1766 to Sarah Lithgow;
3. Margaret Howard, b. 25 Oct. 1738, d. 21 Mar. 1806, m. 1763 to Capt. James Patterson; and
4. [Col.] William Howard, b. abt. 1740, m. 1768 or 1769 to his first cousin Martha Howard, daughter of Samuel--linked below.
Mary McCurdy Howard died 22 Aug. 1778. James then married second to Mrs. Susanna Johnson Cony on 1 Jan. 1781 in Hallowell, old Lincoln Co., Mass. (now Kennebec Co., ME). They had two children together, when James was in his late 70s (even possibly over 80):
5. Isabella "Ibbey" Howard, b. 2 Dec. 1781, d. 23 June 1787 [note that her death is reported in the journal of midwife Martha Ballard and that North's history of Augusta gives incorrect dates for Isabella]; and
6. James Howard Jr., b. 9 June 1783, m. 1800 to Ann "Nancy" Cousins Coffin--linked below.
James Howard Jr. was named as heir in his father's will, but was deprived of his vast inheritance by older half-brothers Samuel and William (then in their 40s-50s), who were in control of their father's estate and their brother John (who was then incompetent). Their sister Margaret Patterson is documented as supporting young James Jr.'s claims. Tragically, James Jr. died at sea at the age of 24 years while trying to recover his father's estate through the courts. His young widow subsequently left Maine, returning with her little daughters to her native Martha's Vineyard. Their descendants attempted to sue for James Jr.'s inheritance in 1850. However, the court determined that the titles to extensive land holdings of James Howard Sr. had descended to multiple owners at that point, and there was no way to recover the inheritance. For more detail, see the West Memorandum in the collections of the Maine State Library.
James was reportedly born in Ireland in 1702 or 1705. It has been suggested that he was actually born in Scotland and that his family relocated to (Northern) Ireland when he was an infant. He married first to Mary McCurdy, apparently before 1733. He and his reported brother, Lt. Samuel Howard, were at St. Georges River in 1736. He was a first settler of Augusta, Maine (then part of Massachusetts) in 1754. He commanded Fort Western during the French and Indian War, and subsequently purchased the fort for his residence and businesses. He was a justice of the peace, 1766-1786, and treasurer, 1777.
James and Mary McCurdy Howard had four children:
1. [Capt.] John Howard, reportedly b. 1733, d. 30 July 1804 [he accidentally shot a companion in 1761 and subsequently lost his mind];
2. [Capt.] Samuel Howard, b. abt. 1735, d. 29 Mar. 1799, m. 1766 to Sarah Lithgow;
3. Margaret Howard, b. 25 Oct. 1738, d. 21 Mar. 1806, m. 1763 to Capt. James Patterson; and
4. [Col.] William Howard, b. abt. 1740, m. 1768 or 1769 to his first cousin Martha Howard, daughter of Samuel--linked below.
Mary McCurdy Howard died 22 Aug. 1778. James then married second to Mrs. Susanna Johnson Cony on 1 Jan. 1781 in Hallowell, old Lincoln Co., Mass. (now Kennebec Co., ME). They had two children together, when James was in his late 70s (even possibly over 80):
5. Isabella "Ibbey" Howard, b. 2 Dec. 1781, d. 23 June 1787 [note that her death is reported in the journal of midwife Martha Ballard and that North's history of Augusta gives incorrect dates for Isabella]; and
6. James Howard Jr., b. 9 June 1783, m. 1800 to Ann "Nancy" Cousins Coffin--linked below.
James Howard Jr. was named as heir in his father's will, but was deprived of his vast inheritance by older half-brothers Samuel and William (then in their 40s-50s), who were in control of their father's estate and their brother John (who was then incompetent). Their sister Margaret Patterson is documented as supporting young James Jr.'s claims. Tragically, James Jr. died at sea at the age of 24 years while trying to recover his father's estate through the courts. His young widow subsequently left Maine, returning with her little daughters to her native Martha's Vineyard. Their descendants attempted to sue for James Jr.'s inheritance in 1850. However, the court determined that the titles to extensive land holdings of James Howard Sr. had descended to multiple owners at that point, and there was no way to recover the inheritance. For more detail, see the West Memorandum in the collections of the Maine State Library.
James and Mary McCurdy Howard had four children:
1. [Capt.] John Howard, reportedly b. 1733, d. 30 July 1804 [he accidentally shot a companion in 1761 and subsequently lost his mind];
2. [Capt.] Samuel Howard, b. abt. 1735, d. 29 Mar. 1799, m. 1766 to Sarah Lithgow;
3. Margaret Howard, b. 25 Oct. 1738, d. 21 Mar. 1806, m. 1763 to Capt. James Patterson; and
4. [Col.] William Howard, b. abt. 1740, m. 1768 or 1769 to his first cousin Martha Howard, daughter of Samuel--linked below.
Mary McCurdy Howard died 22 Aug. 1778. James then married second to Mrs. Susanna Johnson Cony on 1 Jan. 1781 in Hallowell, old Lincoln Co., Mass. (now Kennebec Co., ME). They had two children together, when James was in his late 70s (even possibly over 80):
5. Isabella "Ibbey" Howard, b. 2 Dec. 1781, d. 23 June 1787 [note that her death is reported in the journal of midwife Martha Ballard and that North's history of Augusta gives incorrect dates for Isabella]; and
6. James Howard Jr., b. 9 June 1783, m. 1800 to Ann "Nancy" Cousins Coffin--linked below.
James Howard Jr. was named as heir in his father's will, but was deprived of his vast inheritance by older half-brothers Samuel and William (then in their 40s-50s), who were in control of their father's estate and their brother John (who was then incompetent). Their sister Margaret Patterson is documented as supporting young James Jr.'s claims. Tragically, James Jr. died at sea at the age of 24 years while trying to recover his father's estate through the courts. His young widow subsequently left Maine, returning with her little daughters to her native Martha's Vineyard. Their descendants attempted to sue for James Jr.'s inheritance in 1850. However, the court determined that the titles to extensive land holdings of James Howard Sr. had descended to multiple owners at that point, and there was no way to recover the inheritance. For more detail, see the West Memorandum in the collections of the Maine State Library.
Gravesite Details
James's memorial is tentatively placed with his second wife Susanna's in the Cony Cemetery. No record of a gravestone for him has been found.
