Tarrant County TXGenWeb - The James Howard Sr. Family

Tarrant County, TXGenWeb

The James Howard Sr. Family

See Howard Cemetery for related information.

James HOWARD Sr., b. ca 1805 Tennessee, d. bef 31 Jul 1884 Tarrant Co. TX; married (1) unknown bef 1832 TN, b. 1810-16, d. 1848-50 Greene Co. MO; married (2) Elizabeth HENLEY, 17 Mar 1850 Greene Co. MO, b. ca 1810 TN, d. 1880-84 Tarrant Co. TX. James and Elizabeth are buried Howard Cemetery, Benbrook, Tarrant Co. TX.
Children by first wife:
1.	Mary J. HOWARD, b. ca 1832 TN; married Ira HARMON after Nov. 1865 (This may be a second marriage.)
2.	Louisa HOWARD, b. ca 1834 Greene Co. MO; married John H. MATHES 7 Oct 1852 Greene Co. MO
3.	Nancy Jane HOWARD, b. Mar 1836 Greene Co. MO, d. 1925 Tarrant Co. TX, buried Howard Cemetery, Benbrook, Tarrant Co. TX; married (1) MATHEWS; married (2) Frederick BEAT
4.	Maria E. HOWARD, b. ca 1837 Greene Co. MO
5.	Julia A. HOWARD, b. ca 1839 Greene Co. MO, lived Menard Co. TX; married ELLIS
6.	Minerva HOWARD, b. ca 1842 Greene Co. MO; married Henry BOOKER, lived Parker Co. TX
7.	Alexander HOWARD, b. ca 1843 Greene Co. MO, d. probably 1875-80 Tarrant Co. TX, buried Howard Cemetery, Benbrook, Tarrant Co. TX
8.	Asa HOWARD, b. ca 1845 Greene Co. MO; married Mary J. _____
9.	James Howard Jr., b. 1848 Greene Co. MO, d. 1891 Tarrant Co. TX, buried Howard Cemetery, Benbrook, Tarrant Co. TX; married Sarah/Sallie LUDWICK
Children by second wife:
10.	Lizzie A. HOWARD, b. Nov. 1853 Greene Co. MO; married Larkin A. DURRETT

James Howard Sr. brought his family to Tarrant County early in the year 1854. His children of school age are listed in the school census in June of that year.

He received a Preemption Land Grant in 1857. This Certificate was issued when a person "filed on the land and lived thereon 3 years." The grant was for 320 acres. The present location of this tract of land is in southwest Fort Worth and was southwest of the 160 acre Preemption Grant of James Howard Jr. which was located near Overton Park East, Ranch View Road and Fox Hollow, east of Hulen Street and north of the 820 Loop. The James Howard Sr. Grant was bisected by the present Loop 820. [now I-20]

Before his death James Sr. sold 200 acres of his 320 acre grant to Elmyra Willoughby. He sold 50 acres of his grant to his son Asa. At his death he still owned the 70 remaining acres which was sold by the heirs August 11, 1884.

On June 12, 1877 James Jr. sold his father 40 acres from the southern end of his 160 acre grant. One acre of this tract was set aside as the Howard Family Cemetery. A small creek, a branch of the Clear Fork of the Trinity River, ran through the center of the 160 acre tract from north to south. The cemetery would have been located away from the creek, probably in the southeast corner of the 40 acres. The oldest grave in the cemetery was probably that of James Howard III, son of James J. who died in 1882. The printed list from the cemetery gives Elizabeth Howard as dying in 1874, however, the only Elizabeth Howard who died in this time period was the wife of James Sr. who was still living when the 1880 census was taken. The printed record must be in error.

Alexander Howard, son of James Sr., is also buried in the cemetery. If he died before 1882, then he is probably the first person buried there..It is likely that Alexander died before 1880 as he is not found on the census taken that year.

Living with James Jr. on the 1880 census was a Jimmie Howard, born 1875 and listed as his nephew. He must have been the son of Alexander. James Jr.'s only other brother was Asa who was still living and listed with his wife on this census.

On August 11, 1884, the heirs of James Sr. sold the 40 acre tract purchased from James J.r, reserving the one acre cemetery tract in the sale. This and the 70 acre tract remaining from James Sr.'s 160 acre grant were sold to C.O. Edwards. Tarrant County Deed Book 2891, page 331 should show the final sale of the one acre cemetery tract by Mrs. Willie Mae Edwards to the Casco Land Co. Inc. after permission was given by the heirs for the removal of the graves in the cemetery to the Benbrook Cemetery. [Names of heirs shown on deed records are: Nancy J. Beat, Julia Ann Ellis, C.O. Edwards, Mary Harmon and husband Ira Harmon, J. N. Ellis, Manerva Booker and husband Henry Booker, A. Howard, James Howard Jr., Lizzie Durrett and L. A. Durrett.]

The 160 acre tract of James Howard Jr. and the 320 acre tract of James Howard Sr. as shown on the 1885 Land Map of Tarrant County. To locate this area on the full map, select the South-Central Section and look about half way between the top and bottom, against the left edge.

160 acre tract of James Howard Jr.

320 acre tract of James Howard Sr.

This page was last modified 3 May 2003.