During his residence in New York he experimented on India-rubber, and in 1828 obtained a patent for a rubber compound. After settling in North Salem, he built a factory for the manufacture of rubber, which was abandoned soon after, owing to lack of success. Mr. Howe says: “So far as I know, I was the first person who attempted to utilize rubber by combining other substances with it, but I did not happen to stumble upon the right substance.” He then began a series of experiments with a view of constructing a machine for the manufacture of pins, and, after laboring during the winters of 1830-'1, made a machine that was successful as a working model, and would make pins, though in an imperfect manner. He patented this machine in 1832, and during the same year was awarded a large silver medal by the American institute. A second machine was completed early in 1833, after which he went to Europe for the purpose of securing patents abroad. In January, 1834, he began the building of a machine, in Manchester, with which pins to the weight of 24,000 to the pound were made, but he was unsuccessful in disposing of his European patents, and returned to New York after an absence of about two years. Soon after his return the Howe manufacturing company was organized for the purpose of making pins with the machine he had invented. Dr. Howe was appointed general agent of the company, and continued in that capacity until 1865, having the management of the manufacturing department. Shops were fitted up in New York in 1836, but the factory was removed in 1838 to Birmingham, Conn. Late in 1838 a new “rotary machine” was invented by Dr. Howe, which he patented in 1840. For upward of thirty years this machine was used without any material improvement or alteration, and in 1842 Dr. Howe was awarded a gold medal by the American institute for the “best solid-headed pins,” which were made on this machine. Subsequently he invented improvements in the methods used for “sheeting” pins, and was associated in the invention of means by which japanned “mourning-pins” were made.
HOWE, Mark Antony De Wolfe, P. E. bishop, b. in Bristol, R. I., 5 April, 1809. He was graduated at Brown in 1828, ordained deacon in 1832,
and priest in 1833. In October of the latter year
he became rector of St. James's church, Roxbury,
Mass., where he remained three years, and then re-
moving to Cambridge was rector of Christ church,
and editor of the " Christian Witness." Returning
to Roxbury in 1836, he remained there ten years,
and then became rector of St. Luke's church, Phila-
delphia, where he officiated till 1865, when he was
consecrated bishop of central Pennsylvania. From
1850 till 1862 he was secretary of the house of
clerical and lay deputies, and he was a deputy to
the general convention from that date till 1872.
In 1865 he was elected missionary bishop of Nevada,
but declined. He received the degree of D. D.
from Brown in 1848, and from the University of
Pennsylvania in 1876. He has published, besides
sermons, essays, and addresses, " A Review of the
Report of the Boston Public Schools" (Boston,
1845) ; " Oration before the Phi Beta Kappa So-
ciety " (Hartford, 1852) ; " Domestic Slavery, a Re-
ply to Bishop Hopkins " (Philadelphia, 1864) ; " Life
of Bishop Alonzo Potter " (1871) ; " Poem read at
the Bi-Centenary of Bristol, R. I." (Providence,
R. I., 1882) ; and " Charge to the Clergy of the Dio-
cese of Central Pennsylvania " (Reading, 1886).
HOWE, Nathanael, clergyman, b. in Ipswich,
Mass., 6 Oct., 1764; d. in Hopkinton, Mass., 15
Feb., 1837. He was graduated at Harvard in 1786,
and, after teaching one year in Ipswich, studied
theology under Dr. Nathanael Emmons (q. v.), of
whose Calvinistic theology he was a zealous ex-
pounder. He was pastor of the Congregational
church in Hopkinton from 1791 until his death.
Dr. Howe was a characteristic divine of the old
New England school, and his pithy sayings, such
as "Leisure is time for doing something use-
ful," and " A dead fish can swim with the stream,
but only a living one can swim against it," have
passed into proverbs. His most famous discourse,
which was delivered on the one hundredth anni-
versary of the settlement of Hopkinton, is a valu-
able history of the town, and was described in the
" North American Review " of 1815 as " a unique
specimen, beyond all praise." It passed through
several editions, and was reprinted with a memoir
of Dr. Howe by Rev. Elias Nason (Boston, 1851).
His other publications are " Design of John's Bap-
tism " (Hopkinton, 1819), and " A. Catechism with
Questions and Proverbs " (1820).
HOWE, Robert, soldier, b. in Brunswick county,
N. C, in 1732 ; d. there, 12 Nov., 1785. He was de-
scended from an English family, and, having lost
his parents at an early age, received an irregular
and scanty education. Marrying while still a youth,
he took his wife to England, and remained there two
years, the guest of his kindred. On his return in 1766
he was appointed captain of Fort Johnson, N. C,
under the commission of Gov. Tryon, and baron of the exchequer. He was a member of the assembly in 1772-'3, a delegate to the colonial congress that met at New Berne, 25 Aug., 1774, and chairman of the committee to which the speech of the loyal governor Martin, opposing the congress, was referred. Howe's able and patriotic reply so incensed Martin that on 8 Aug.. 1775, the latter issued a proclamation on board the British ship "Cruiser," denouncing Howe for having taken the title of colonel, and for summoning and training the militia. On 21 Aug. of this year Howe was appointed colonel of the 2d North Carolina regiment by the colonial congress, which met at Hillsborough, and in December, 1775, with his regiment, was ordered to Virginia. Joining Gen. William Woodford at Norfolk, he drove the loyal governor, Lord Dunmore, out of that part of the state, received the thanks of the Virginia convention and of congress for the successful conduct of this campaign, and was promoted brigadier-general. In March, 1776, Howe, with his regiment, joined Gen. Henry Lee in Virginia, and went to the south, being received with public honors as he passed through North Carolina. The next month, Sir Henry Clinton, who had excepted Howe when he had offered the royal clemency to all who would lay down their arms, sent Lord Cornwallis with 900 men to ravage Howe's plantation in Brunswick county. Gen. Howe commanded the North Carolina troops at the defence of Charleston, and a short time afterward succeeded Gen. James Moore as chief in command of the southern department. In October, 1777, he was commissioned major-general, and in the spring of the next year he made an expedition against Florida, which want of proper supplies, insubordination, and a fever epidemic rendered disastrous. Howe was forced to retreat to Savannah with a shattered command, with which, and a small militia force, he endeavored to defend the city against the British under Gen. Provost ; but, being surprised in the night by Lieut.-Col. Campbell, was forced to evacuate the place. Although he was honorably acquitted by a court-martial, Howe's conduct was severely criticised, especially in a public letter by Gen.
