Pioneers of Riverhead Town
LDS Family History Library US/Can 974.725/RL D2W, pp 41-43

HOWELL

Each of the so-called "literal" copies of the 1731 memorandum names three members of the Howell family, "John houell," "David hoel" and "Jacub hoel." My research had been completed on each of these before the actual notebook kept by Daniel Wells became available. However, after close examination of Daniel's handwriting, it became obvious that it was not "John houell" but "John Horten" Whose name appeared fourth on the list. Nevertheless, material compiled on John Howell is being included because of its interest and because it is only by quirk of the later town boundary location that John, like his brother Jacob, can not be claimed as a Riverhead Town pioneer.

Much of the information on the early Howells in the Town of Southold is from old papers found in a cordovan-covered trunk, now in the Suffolk County Historical Society at Riverhead.

This trunk was discovered in the attic of the second Howell home built on the farm which had been deeded to the first Richard Howell by his father-in-law, William Hallock, in 1675. The west boundary of the Howell farm became the dividing line between Southold and Riverhead towns when Riverhead Town was established in 1792.

A descendant of Richard Howell, Wilbur F. Howell, had the fascinating task of sorting and transcribing the wills, deeds, accounts and other ancient records contained in this centuries-old trunk. The earliest document, dated November 12, 1678, is an account of products and services paid by Richard Howell to John Salmon for "framing my house, and helping to shingle it." This reference to the first Howell house is one of the treasures discovered in what is known as the "Chauncey Perkins Howell" collection.

Richard and Elizabeth (Hallock) Howell and their four daughters and six sons lived in the original house. He died on April 9, 1709. By will he left to his son "John Howell, all my messuage or farm where I now live, bounded north by the Sound, south by the road (Sound Avenue) lately laid out, that leads to Brookhaven by the way of the Beach." This indicates that John lived on the northern part of the strip located on the west side of William Hallock's original 1661 allotments. Richard willed to his eldest son Jacob, "all that land lying between the bay and the highway leading to Brookhaven, by the way of the Beach, which is the remaining part of the allotment where my messuage is, which is given to my son John." Therefore, it can be assumed that Jacob, when the Jamesport church was built, was living on the southern part of the original Howell farm, somewhere between Sound Avenue and the Bay.

John Howell, Richard's son, was born May 24, 1670. By his father's will, he received the farm north of Sound Avenue, which was part of the original Howell farm and remained in the Howell family from 1675 until the death of Elizabeth Howell on July 8, 1951. The line of descent is as follows: Richard (1) , John (2), Jonathan (3), John (4), Sylvester (5), Chauncey Perkins (6), and Elizabeth (7). Elizabeth was the daughter of Chauncey P. Howell (1845-1920), in whose home the old trunk with its collection of documents was fou8nd and for whom the collection was named.

John, in 1690, married Margaret who died February 2, 1707/8. He then married Hannah Corwin, who died March 15, 1768.

John died January 20,. 1733/4. His will dated December 14, 1733, was probated February 12, 1733/4. He left to his own son John (by Margaret Howell, his first wife) two steers and one heifer;" to his son Jonathan Howell (by Hannah Howell, his second wife) all the lands and tenements after his wife's decease, two steers, and one heifer, and to each of his daughters, Eunice, Jemima, and Esther, "one good cow." (Click here to go to complete text of John Howell's Will)