Cyrus Lewis HOWARD
Biography
Carpenter, contractor and Builder. Spent most of his life living in Maine, but lived for a while in Lowell, Mass., at 92 years old, was the last living member, out of 69, of the Joseph E. Colby Post, No. 41, Grand Army of the Republic, of Rumford, Maine. He was a member of the Swift River Grange, No. 107 at Mexico, Maine for 35 years. When Cyrus was 82, the G. A. R. hall at Rumford Center, Maine, was destroyed by fire. He took the $800.00 insurance received from the hall, and solicited subscription which raised the amount to $3000.00, with which he had a fine memorial monument erected in memory of the heroes of the Civil War. He cast his first vote for Abraham Lincoln in 1860 and told with pride of voting a Republican ticket for every president since. He recalled working his first job at the age of 10, gathering potatoes at 10 cents a day. An account of his 92nd birthday was broadcast that morning from Station WCSH in Portland, Maine. Newspaper clipping relating his 92nd birthday, from a clipping in Sagamore, Mass., April 7-1931, where he was staying at the home of his daughter, Catherine Goggin. Newspaper clipping from Rumford, Maine on the day of his death. Died at the home of his son, L. D. Howard, Harlow Hill, Mexico, at 1:50 A.M., Wednesday morning.
OUR GREAT GRANDFATHER
Cyrus Lewis Howard b.7 April 1839, d.August 31,1932.
Cyrus was born in Winthrop Me. Son of Phoebe Maxim of the Wayne Maxim's, and Daniel Howard (Ziphion 5)(Daniel 4)Robert3)(John 2)(John l)Being the John Howard (Haward)that came to Mass. In 1635 and worked as a carpenter and surveyor for miles Standish. In 1643 he was one of the 54 founders of the town of West Bridgwater.( Note that most of the Howard's have been carpenters even today!)
It is interesting to note that Cyrus's birth date is confirmed by a family Bible owned by a Grandson Donald Howard.
Cyrus was a Joiner and Carpenter of high quality all his life,he kept a large vegetable garden up till his last years and enjoyed giving much of this to his friend's and neighbor's.
Cyrus had 3 wives' -- Sarah Richardson Fox of Roxbury, Me. .b. 1840 m oct.25 1860 d oct23
1867 at age. 27 yr's 8mo..
Hanna B. Johnson of West Sumner, b.4- 7-39 m. nov.25, 1868 d. Oct 14.1911 age 72.
Catharine Colby (Farquhar)of Portland Me.b.1839 in Nova Scotia, m. Nov.- 3- 1908, d?-He enlisted in the Infantry march 28, 1865 as a Private Co. C. 1st Battalion, Me. Volunteer's, at Augusta, Me. And was sent to Stevenson Station, Virginia. While there, He contracted Malarial poisoning 20th April and was taken by ambulance to Paterson Park Hospital. Then the next day to General Hickey Hospital in Harpers Ferry.
He was given an honorable Discharge at Augusta, Me. after serving about 5 months, most of that time in hospital's, he returned to Winthrop for about 3 years. Then to Milton, Me. Lowell, Mass. Sumner, Me. And then to Rumford where he evidently spent the rest of his life. Cyrus was Married to Sarah R. Fox, in 1860 and they had 4 children, Frederick Scott b.6-18-61 Olive L,b.2-8-63 Charles D b. 3-22-64. and Sarah R 10-4-67.
He then Married Hannah B. Johnson in 1868 and they also had 4 children Daniel G. b 11-29-69 Lewis Dell. b. 6-15-71 (our grandfather) Katherin,b. 7-15-76 and Ida M. 5-15-81.
Cyrus applied for and after many tries and physicals, received a disability pension of $4.00 per month about 1888.
But he was not satisfied with this and re-applied again and again according to his records on file at the Washington D. C. Archives, A big obstacle being confirmation of his service and where about doing that time so he had to enlist Doctors, lawyers and a justice of the Peace to find the necessary information. at the slow speed of mail and Government red tape it took years before he was allotted the maximum pension at that time of $21.00 in Feb. 2, 1916.by this time he had been suffering with bouts of malaria for many years and had sweating spells, dizziness and inability to walk without assistance of a cane. Per haps it was ironic then that he was later awarded the "Boston Post Cane" , being the oldest citizen in Mexico, where he spent his last years living at the home of his son Lewis Dell and his wife Mary in the home that they built on Harlow Hill when they were married in 1 895.This is the same house I and 7 brothers and 5 sisters were born.
One last note, in talking to my older brothers, Daniel Jr. and Arthur, Cyrus was a little eccentric in his last years and he would parade around town with his Civil War jacket and his "post" cane. But considering he lived to the age of 92 we can understand.
Charles F. Howard
This information was compiled by Charles Howard from 33 documents brother Bob received from The National Archives in Washington, D.C. For anyone researching their History, there is a wealth of information in the Archives of family members in wars dating back to the American Revolution.
Regimental History
MAINE
1ST INFANTRY
First Infantry Battalion.-This organization was composed
of the 21st, 24th, 25th and 26th companies of unassigned
infantry and was mustered into the U. S. service at Augusta,
in Feb. and March, 1865, to serve for one year. It was
designed for the 15th Me. infantry, but was organized as the
1st battalion on May 25, 1865, as there was no vacancy in the
15th. The companies were lettered A, B, C and D, and were
assigned to the 2nd brigade, Dwight's division, then in the
Shenandoah valley, and subsequently moved to Washington, where
it remained until June 1. From there it moved to Savannah,
Ga., and on July 6 was ordered to South Carolina, where it did
duty at various places until April 5, 1866, when it was
mustered out at Charleston, S. C.
Source: The Union Army, vol. 1
Cyrus L. Howard (First_Last)
Regiment Name 1 Batt'n. Maine Infantry
Side -Union
Company C
Soldier's Rank_In Pvt.
Soldier's Rank_Out Pvt.
Alternate Name
Notes
Film Number M543 roll 10
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