Thomas T. Howe - update 5/2/2017

Thomas T. Howe was born December 3, 1835, in Ohio or New York, the son of New York natives Jonathan J. Howe (1821-1858) and a Caroline Shepherd (1830-1888).

Jonathan may have been living in Van Buren, Onondaga County, New York in 1840. By 1850 Thomas was living with his parents in Richland, Kalamazoo County.

Thomas married Ohio native Jane (b. 1836), and they had at least two children: William Rice (b. 1854) and Edward (b. 1856). By 1860 Thomas was working as a laborer living with his wife and children in Richland, Kalamazoo County. His parents and other members of his family eventually moved to Otsego, Allegan County by 1860.

Thomas was 24 years old, unable to read or write, when he enlisted in Company K on May 13, 1861. He was eventually detached as a teamster in July of 1862, a saddler in August and absent sick in the hospital in October. He was transferred to either the 2nd U.S. Cavalry on November 13, 1862, or Company F, 5th U.S. Cavalry, possibly on November 29, 1862, at Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania. After the war Thomas returned to Michigan.

He was probably living in Michigan when he Michigan native Florence Furgeson (1863-1942) on February 8, 1888, in Plainwell, Allegan County, and they had at least three children: Ida (b. 1889), Myrtie (b. 1891) and Leon Eugene (1897-1959), all born in Michigan.

He was living in Plainwell, Allegan County in 1888, in Michigan in 1889, in Plainwell in 1890, in Michigan in 1891 and in Gun Plain, Allegan County in 1894. He and Florence were living in Michigan in 1897 when their son Leon was born.

In 1891 he applied for and received a pension (no. 877520?).

Thomas and Florence eventually moved to Oklahoma and by 1900 they were living in Perkins, Payne County, Oklahoma; also living with them were their three children; also living with them was a son George Howe (1879-1948), presumably Thomas’ son by his first marriage, although this remains unconfirmed. In 1910 he and Florence were living on Oak Street in Perkins’ 3rd Ward, Payne County, Oklahoma; also living with them were their children Myrtie and Leon. By 1920 he was listed as an invalid and living on E. 5th Street with his wife and son Leon, who was working as a teamster, in Lynn Lane, Tulsa County, Oklahoma.

Thomas died on December 28, 1927, in Tulsa County, Oklahoma and was buried in Rose Hill Cemetery, Tulsa: section Highland (14) L-269 no. 6.

In February of 1928 his widow was living in Oklahoma when she applied for a widow’s pension (no. 1604309). She was still living in Tulsa in 1930 and 1940.