Edward Howell was the eldest son of Henry Howell & Margaret Hawten Howell. He married Elizabeth Frances Paxton on 7 April 1616 in Odell, Bedfordshire, England. They had seven children before Elizabeth died, in England, on 2 July 1630. He married Eleanore Maier shortly after moving to Long Island, Connecticut Colony in 1640. Eleanore had traveled with him from England to Boston in 1639. He had three additional children with Eleanore.
In search of greater religious freedom, on 8 June 1639 he sold his two-story stone Westbury manor house and considerable landholdings in Marsh Gibbon, Buckinghamshire County, England for 1600 pounds sterling and set sail for America. His 1639 arrival in Boston was just 19 years after the famous Mayflower voyage to Plymouth Colony, Massachusetts in 1620. He first settled in Lynn, Massachusetts, where he obtained a grant of land from King Charles I for 500 acres, but he did not find the religious freedom he sought there. Howell co-owned and captained a sloop by which he ferried "dissatisfied colonists" from Massachusetts to Long Island, which was a part of the Connecticut Colony at that time. In March of 1640, Edward and eight other families, collectively referred to as "The Undertakers", purchased a track of land on Long Island from James Farrett. Howell was the primary financier. The track was near Mecox, a town between Southampton and East Hampton. Before departing Massachusetts for Long Island, another 11 families joined the group, making a total of 20 families. They made a pledge before departing for their "promised land". That pledge included, "…shall a church be gathered and constituted according to the minde of Christ, that anything we do may tende to the good and welfare of the place at the feete of Christ and His Church." (sic) Their 17 April 1640 deed to the Long Island land states its use shall be to, "…sitt down upon Long Island - there to possess, improve and enjoy eight miles square of land to them and their heyers forever, and they are to take their choice to sitt down upon as best lyketh them and also that they and their associates shall enjoy as full and free liberty in all matters that do or may concern them or conduce to the good and comfort of them and theirs both in church order or civill government." (sic) These statements attest to the group's unbending determination to find a home with the religious and civil freedom they longed for; the same spirit that would give birth to a nation in 1776. The group agreed to pay "…four bushels of the best Indian Corne" (sic) in yearly rent to the Earl of Sterling.
Shortly after arriving in Mecox, Howell announced he would build a mill for the grinding of grain, rye and wheat into flour. Until that date, all mills in what is now the State of New York, were wind-powered mills, due to the scarcity of lively streams. Wisely, Howell had chosen his Long Island land carefully to include a lively stream and thus, in 1644, built what is now recognized as the first water-powered mill in the State of New York. It continued to supply flour for a wide area of communities for many generations after Howell's death. In fact, Edward built the mill so well it still stands today, 367 years later, in Water Mill, New York, near Mecox. The town of Water Mill chose its name to honor Edward Howell's mill. To further honor Howell for his many contributions to the State of New York, the Howell Family Arms (Gules, Three Towers) is engraved on the Great Western Staircase of the State of New York Capitol building in Albany, New York (circa 1897). Also, several of the grave stones in the South End and North End Burying Grounds on Long Island carry the Howell crest. Edward Howell served as a Governor's Assistant of the Connecticut Colony from 1647 to 1653. He was a member of the Connecticut Legislature at Hartford from 1647 to his death in 1655. He was also a local magistrate at Mecox.
In 1657, two years after his death, Howell's Long Island home was burned to the ground by Indians. His widow, Eleanore, was granted 20 shillings by the town as compensation for the loss. Parts of the manor home he sold in England in 1639 are still standing today.
Cause of death: Unknown
Bio provided by his greatX10-grandson (2007).
In search of greater religious freedom, on 8 June 1639 he sold his two-story stone Westbury manor house and considerable landholdings in Marsh Gibbon, Buckinghamshire County, England for 1600 pounds sterling and set sail for America. His 1639 arrival in Boston was just 19 years after the famous Mayflower voyage to Plymouth Colony, Massachusetts in 1620. He first settled in Lynn, Massachusetts, where he obtained a grant of land from King Charles I for 500 acres, but he did not find the religious freedom he sought there. Howell co-owned and captained a sloop by which he ferried "dissatisfied colonists" from Massachusetts to Long Island, which was a part of the Connecticut Colony at that time. In March of 1640, Edward and eight other families, collectively referred to as "The Undertakers", purchased a track of land on Long Island from James Farrett. Howell was the primary financier. The track was near Mecox, a town between Southampton and East Hampton. Before departing Massachusetts for Long Island, another 11 families joined the group, making a total of 20 families. They made a pledge before departing for their "promised land". That pledge included, "…shall a church be gathered and constituted according to the minde of Christ, that anything we do may tende to the good and welfare of the place at the feete of Christ and His Church." (sic) Their 17 April 1640 deed to the Long Island land states its use shall be to, "…sitt down upon Long Island - there to possess, improve and enjoy eight miles square of land to them and their heyers forever, and they are to take their choice to sitt down upon as best lyketh them and also that they and their associates shall enjoy as full and free liberty in all matters that do or may concern them or conduce to the good and comfort of them and theirs both in church order or civill government." (sic) These statements attest to the group's unbending determination to find a home with the religious and civil freedom they longed for; the same spirit that would give birth to a nation in 1776. The group agreed to pay "…four bushels of the best Indian Corne" (sic) in yearly rent to the Earl of Sterling.
Shortly after arriving in Mecox, Howell announced he would build a mill for the grinding of grain, rye and wheat into flour. Until that date, all mills in what is now the State of New York, were wind-powered mills, due to the scarcity of lively streams. Wisely, Howell had chosen his Long Island land carefully to include a lively stream and thus, in 1644, built what is now recognized as the first water-powered mill in the State of New York. It continued to supply flour for a wide area of communities for many generations after Howell's death. In fact, Edward built the mill so well it still stands today, 367 years later, in Water Mill, New York, near Mecox. The town of Water Mill chose its name to honor Edward Howell's mill. To further honor Howell for his many contributions to the State of New York, the Howell Family Arms (Gules, Three Towers) is engraved on the Great Western Staircase of the State of New York Capitol building in Albany, New York (circa 1897). Also, several of the grave stones in the South End and North End Burying Grounds on Long Island carry the Howell crest. Edward Howell served as a Governor's Assistant of the Connecticut Colony from 1647 to 1653. He was a member of the Connecticut Legislature at Hartford from 1647 to his death in 1655. He was also a local magistrate at Mecox.
In 1657, two years after his death, Howell's Long Island home was burned to the ground by Indians. His widow, Eleanore, was granted 20 shillings by the town as compensation for the loss. Parts of the manor home he sold in England in 1639 are still standing today.
Cause of death: Unknown
Bio provided by his greatX10-grandson (2007).
Edward Howell was the eldest son of Henry Howell & Margaret Hawten Howell. He married Elizabeth Frances Paxton on 7 April 1616 in Odell, Bedfordshire, England. They had seven children before Elizabeth died, in England, on 2 July 1630. He married Eleanore Maier shortly after moving to Long Island, Connecticut Colony in 1640. Eleanore had traveled with him from England to Boston in 1639. He had three additional children with Eleanore.
In search of greater religious freedom, on 8 June 1639 he sold his two-story stone Westbury manor house and considerable landholdings in Marsh Gibbon, Buckinghamshire County, England for 1600 pounds sterling and set sail for America. His 1639 arrival in Boston was just 19 years after the famous Mayflower voyage to Plymouth Colony, Massachusetts in 1620. He first settled in Lynn, Massachusetts, where he obtained a grant of land from King Charles I for 500 acres, but he did not find the religious freedom he sought there. Howell co-owned and captained a sloop by which he ferried "dissatisfied colonists" from Massachusetts to Long Island, which was a part of the Connecticut Colony at that time. In March of 1640, Edward and eight other families, collectively referred to as "The Undertakers", purchased a track of land on Long Island from James Farrett. Howell was the primary financier. The track was near Mecox, a town between Southampton and East Hampton. Before departing Massachusetts for Long Island, another 11 families joined the group, making a total of 20 families. They made a pledge before departing for their "promised land". That pledge included, "…shall a church be gathered and constituted according to the minde of Christ, that anything we do may tende to the good and welfare of the place at the feete of Christ and His Church." (sic) Their 17 April 1640 deed to the Long Island land states its use shall be to, "…sitt down upon Long Island - there to possess, improve and enjoy eight miles square of land to them and their heyers forever, and they are to take their choice to sitt down upon as best lyketh them and also that they and their associates shall enjoy as full and free liberty in all matters that do or may concern them or conduce to the good and comfort of them and theirs both in church order or civill government." (sic) These statements attest to the group's unbending determination to find a home with the religious and civil freedom they longed for; the same spirit that would give birth to a nation in 1776. The group agreed to pay "…four bushels of the best Indian Corne" (sic) in yearly rent to the Earl of Sterling.
Shortly after arriving in Mecox, Howell announced he would build a mill for the grinding of grain, rye and wheat into flour. Until that date, all mills in what is now the State of New York, were wind-powered mills, due to the scarcity of lively streams. Wisely, Howell had chosen his Long Island land carefully to include a lively stream and thus, in 1644, built what is now recognized as the first water-powered mill in the State of New York. It continued to supply flour for a wide area of communities for many generations after Howell's death. In fact, Edward built the mill so well it still stands today, 367 years later, in Water Mill, New York, near Mecox. The town of Water Mill chose its name to honor Edward Howell's mill. To further honor Howell for his many contributions to the State of New York, the Howell Family Arms (Gules, Three Towers) is engraved on the Great Western Staircase of the State of New York Capitol building in Albany, New York (circa 1897). Also, several of the grave stones in the South End and North End Burying Grounds on Long Island carry the Howell crest. Edward Howell served as a Governor's Assistant of the Connecticut Colony from 1647 to 1653. He was a member of the Connecticut Legislature at Hartford from 1647 to his death in 1655. He was also a local magistrate at Mecox.
In 1657, two years after his death, Howell's Long Island home was burned to the ground by Indians. His widow, Eleanore, was granted 20 shillings by the town as compensation for the loss. Parts of the manor home he sold in England in 1639 are still standing today.
Cause of death: Unknown
Bio provided by his greatX10-grandson (2007).
In search of greater religious freedom, on 8 June 1639 he sold his two-story stone Westbury manor house and considerable landholdings in Marsh Gibbon, Buckinghamshire County, England for 1600 pounds sterling and set sail for America. His 1639 arrival in Boston was just 19 years after the famous Mayflower voyage to Plymouth Colony, Massachusetts in 1620. He first settled in Lynn, Massachusetts, where he obtained a grant of land from King Charles I for 500 acres, but he did not find the religious freedom he sought there. Howell co-owned and captained a sloop by which he ferried "dissatisfied colonists" from Massachusetts to Long Island, which was a part of the Connecticut Colony at that time. In March of 1640, Edward and eight other families, collectively referred to as "The Undertakers", purchased a track of land on Long Island from James Farrett. Howell was the primary financier. The track was near Mecox, a town between Southampton and East Hampton. Before departing Massachusetts for Long Island, another 11 families joined the group, making a total of 20 families. They made a pledge before departing for their "promised land". That pledge included, "…shall a church be gathered and constituted according to the minde of Christ, that anything we do may tende to the good and welfare of the place at the feete of Christ and His Church." (sic) Their 17 April 1640 deed to the Long Island land states its use shall be to, "…sitt down upon Long Island - there to possess, improve and enjoy eight miles square of land to them and their heyers forever, and they are to take their choice to sitt down upon as best lyketh them and also that they and their associates shall enjoy as full and free liberty in all matters that do or may concern them or conduce to the good and comfort of them and theirs both in church order or civill government." (sic) These statements attest to the group's unbending determination to find a home with the religious and civil freedom they longed for; the same spirit that would give birth to a nation in 1776. The group agreed to pay "…four bushels of the best Indian Corne" (sic) in yearly rent to the Earl of Sterling.
Shortly after arriving in Mecox, Howell announced he would build a mill for the grinding of grain, rye and wheat into flour. Until that date, all mills in what is now the State of New York, were wind-powered mills, due to the scarcity of lively streams. Wisely, Howell had chosen his Long Island land carefully to include a lively stream and thus, in 1644, built what is now recognized as the first water-powered mill in the State of New York. It continued to supply flour for a wide area of communities for many generations after Howell's death. In fact, Edward built the mill so well it still stands today, 367 years later, in Water Mill, New York, near Mecox. The town of Water Mill chose its name to honor Edward Howell's mill. To further honor Howell for his many contributions to the State of New York, the Howell Family Arms (Gules, Three Towers) is engraved on the Great Western Staircase of the State of New York Capitol building in Albany, New York (circa 1897). Also, several of the grave stones in the South End and North End Burying Grounds on Long Island carry the Howell crest. Edward Howell served as a Governor's Assistant of the Connecticut Colony from 1647 to 1653. He was a member of the Connecticut Legislature at Hartford from 1647 to his death in 1655. He was also a local magistrate at Mecox.
In 1657, two years after his death, Howell's Long Island home was burned to the ground by Indians. His widow, Eleanore, was granted 20 shillings by the town as compensation for the loss. Parts of the manor home he sold in England in 1639 are still standing today.
Cause of death: Unknown
Bio provided by his greatX10-grandson (2007).
