Albert Howe Family

The present Albert Howe Homestead, located 1 3/4 miles northeast of Grelton in Damascus Township, Henry County, is a parcel of the land grant issued by the land office at Defiance, Ohio, to Ebenezer Howe and William Wilber.

The said grant is now in the possession of Albert R. Howe. It was signed by Franklin Pierce, President of the United States of America on the fifteenth day of December, 1854.
Ebenezer's son, Albert, was married to Ervilla Peck in 1866. The young pioneers left their parents homes at Wakeman (Huron County), Ohio, and came to clear the land and build a house.

[Photo, p. 263a] Pioneer home built by Albert and Ervilla Howe in 1867.

Ervilla had attended a Normal Academy in Norwalk, Ohio, so her education came in handy and she taught a term of school on the Crockett farm a mile north of Grelton.

Albert was a wagon maker.

In 1870, twins were born: Charley Eugene and Clara Charlene (Howe) Shidler (1870-1890); and another son, Willis R. (1872-1962). In 1880, Albert was stricken with typhoid fever, so Ervilla and her children went back to her parents in Huron County.

Two years later, she married a Grelton widower by the name of Silas Hollopeter.

In 1891, Charley Eugene married Agnes Hillis and with their meager possessions of a cook stove, heating stove, rag rug, and a sewing machine, they worked and cleared more farming land.

Agnes's parents died, so she lived with the Asa Senter family. She would hire out with her sewing machine to sew for various families.

In 1897, Albert Reilley Howe was born, and in 1906, his mother passed away.

In 1911, Charley married Gertrude Liddle of Trumbull County, Ohio. She died in 1913.

In 1916, Charley married Cora Love of Trumbull County, Ohio.

In 1918, Charley and Cora built a new brick home with maples in the foreground, that as a small boy, he and Willis had helped their father plant. The maples are still there.

A daughter, Clarabel (Howe) Rhoads, was born in 1919. Charley died in 1920.

Cora Howe, having graduated from Ohio University, and having a lifetime teaching certificate, taught in Trumbull County and Youngstown until her retirement.

[Photo, p. 263b] Damascus Twp. Pioneer Homesteaders, Ervilla and Albert Howe. (1867)

[Photo, p. 263c] Albert Reilley Howe home, Damascus Twp.

[Photo, p. 263d] Men of Howe family. Left to right: Virgil B., Clayton, Albert Eugene, Albert R., Willis R.; Gary, front.

Charley's daughter, Clarabel, married Grant Rhoads of Youngstown and they have three children: Ann (Rhoads) Mull, Alice (Rhoads) Hamilton, and David.

Albert Reilley Howe and 011ie Shuler were married in 1922, and now live at the Homestead farm. They had two children. Albert Eugene (1926-1959) married Oleta Deck of Delta in 1955, and a daughter, Teresa, was born in 1957. Mary Agnes married Robert Gilbert in 1950. They have two children, Stanley and Hedy, and live one mile north of Grelton on the old Crockett farm, later known as the Fred Kelly farm.

Willis Riley Howe married Hattie Hollopeter in 1896, and they had four children. Clayton (1897-1973) married Irene Kelly of Fort Wayne. Leona married Peter Shidler of McClure. They had two children, Donald and Clifford. Marjorie is the wife of Roy Dull of McClure, Ohio. Marjorie's children are Ruth (Dull) Whitman, Gilbert, Carl, Leslie, and Kathryn (Dull) Bernath. Virgil Howe married Grace Pope in 1927. They have two children. Jacqualine (Howe) Sautter married Robert Sautter, and they have two daughters, Renee and Rochelle. Gary Dean married Bonnie Pease in 1958. Their children are Richard, Faith, James, and Charlie.

Charley Howe was a farmer and active in community affairs. He was a trustee of Damascus Township and also the Grelton Church.

Willis Howe had a livery stable in McClure, was a farmer, grocer, and a field man for a sugar beet company. He also served on the Grelton School Board.

Virgil was a grocer, and a manager of the Grelton Elevator for a number of years. He is now a baliff in the Municipal Court, Napoleon.

Albert Reilley is a farmer and member of the Grelton Church. He has served in the following positions: 1. Secretary to the Grelton Farmers' Elevator for twenty-five years; 2. Damascus Township Trustee and Justice of the Peace; 3. Director and President of the Farmers' State Bank of McClure; 4. Director of Tri-County Rural Electric Association; 5. Director of Henry County Mutual Insurance Company; 6. Veteran of World War I American Legion.

[Photo, p. 264b] Virgil Howe Family (Grelton). Left to right: Richard, Gary, Bonnie, Grace, Faith, Virgil, James, Renee Sautter, Jacqualine Howe Sautter, Rochelle, Robert Sautter.

[Photo, p. 264b] Albert Reilley Howe Family. Left to right: Albert Reilley, Albert Eugene, Ollie, and Mary Agnes.

Albert Eugene served in the Air Force (World War II) and in the Korean Conflict. Mary Agnes (Howe) Gilbert graduated with a Bachelor of School Music from Baldwin Wallace College, and has her Master's in Education from Bowling Green State University.

Jacqualine (Howe) Sautter is a graduate of Bowling Green State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree. Gary Howe is a car inspector for the Detroit, Toledo, and Ironton Railroad at Malinta, Ohio.

Submitted by Albert Reilley Howe