HOWARD. HOWARD. 325 the Gardner Colby Ministerial Relief So- ciety. He is author of the following books : "A Memoir of the Life and Times of the Rev. Isaac Backus, A. M.," (1859); "The State of the Impenitent Dead " (1858) ; " The Miracles of Christ Attested by the Evangelists" (1864); "The Scriptural Law of Divorce " (1866); " God with Us " (1872); "Religion and the State" (1876); " The Doctrine of the Higher Christian Life Compared with the Scriptures " (1S77); "Manual of Christian Theology and Ethics" (1S78); " Commentary on the Gospel of St. John" (1885); and " Bibli- cal Eschatology " (18S8). He is also general editor of "An American Commen- tary on the New Testament," of which seven volumes have been published. HOWARD, CHARLES D., son of James and Harriet (Shaw) Nowell, was born in Haverhill, Essex county, October 20, 1829 — the name being changed to Howard by an act of the Legislature in 1849. His early education was obtained in the public schools of Salem, limited to a gram- mar school course. He entered the office of the " Salem Ad- vertiser," a Democratic paper, in 1846, to learn the printing business. After work- ing there four years, he went to the " Essex County Freeman " office, a Free Soil paper ; from this to H. J. Butterfield's office in Lynn, where he worked at job printing. He afterwards worked on " Gleason's Pic- torial," in Boston, a number of years, and then for several years was foreman of the Lynn "Bay State" office. In 1858 he went to South Danvers (now Peabody) and started a job printing office. Two years later he issued the first number of the "South Danvers Wizard" (now the "Peabody Press"), and published it until 1882, when he sold out to Fernald & Vit- tum. In July, 18S2, he went to Salem and published the " Salem Evening Post," a penny daily. In February, 1885, he sold the office to the " Evening Telegram " Company. He then went to Natick and took the " Citizen " office, where he is at present located, doing a large business, publishing the "Citizen," the "Wellesley Courant," " The College Courant," and the " Sherborn Tribune." Mr. Howard has been in the printing and publishing business more than thirty years, and has achieved an honorable finan- cial success without a single reverse. Mr. Howard was married in Lynn, Feb- ruary 8, 1854, to Sarah C, daughter of John C. and Sarah (Thayer) Blaney. Of this union are three children : L. Flora (now Mrs. Dr. A. F. Story), William Thayer, and Charles Nowell Howard. Mr. Howard held the surveyorship of the port of Salem during President Grant's first term, and was trustee of the Peabody Institute, in Peabody, for six years. HOWARD, ROBERT, son of Dennis and Elizabeth (Miller) Howard, was born in Northwich, Cheshire county, England, February 8, 1845. His early education was limited to the common schools. He began life as a back-boy in the spin- ning room of a cotton mill when eight years old. He was engaged in the various lines of work in the spinning department until 1879, when he became secretary of the Fall River Spinners' Union, at a salary the same as wages received by a spinner. This selection was made after a six years' residence in Fall River — he having come to America and settled in Fall River in 1873- Mr. Howard was master workman of the Knights of Labor (State of Massachusetts) in 1 886. .Robert Howard Assembly, Knights o,f Labor, was named in his honor. He was a representative to the General Court in 1880, and declined to serve for a second term. He was elected as state senator, 1886, '87, '88 and '89. He is a Democrat, but represents a strong Repub- lican district. He has been chairman of the committee on labor the last three years. He has been director of the People's Co-operative Loan Association ; president of the Fall River Boot & Shoe Company, and associate editor of " Fibre and Fabric." As the executive of the Fall River Spin- ners' Association, Mr. Howard's policy has been to adjust differences by arbitration, in a quiet and business-like manner. Nearly all differences between Fall River spinners and their employers are now settled prompt- ly and satisfactorily, after a conference be- tween the secretary and a representative of the board of trade. Mr. Howard has been called upon to confer with the directors of labor move- ments throughout New England, has fre- quently addressed public meetings and appeared before legislative committees, and has exerted a controlling influence in shaping legislation to limit the hours of labor, and to lighten the burdens of women and children, not only in Massachusetts, but throughout the country. Mr. Howard is unmarried. His residence is Fall River.