Capt Pardon HOWLAND

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Captain Pardon Howland was the first of the sons to pass away, and outlived but two of his sisters. Following the example of his elder brothers he went to sea, and became a captain in the merchant service. he was a member of the free Masons. Captain Howland was recalled by his eldest daughter, Mrs. Shearman, who was not quite fifteen years of age at the time of his death, as possessing a most lovable, gentle, and kindly disposition. Of rather a delicate physique he met death by his unselfish devotion to duty in the interests of others.

An account of Captain Howland's closing days has been furnished by his granddaughter, Mrs. Mary S. Kimber. "There occurred in 1820 and 1821," she writes, "a very cold winter of such unusual severity that the harbor of New Bedford was frozen over. Up to this period no land route was available, and the people of that vicinity depended entirely upon having their main food supplies brought to them by water. This being shut off, a famine impended, if it did not actually exist. In this emergency the appearance of a schooner in the mouth of the bay was welcomed as a God-send. This schooner had succeeded in ploughing her way through the great ice blocks to the entrance of the harbor, where she stuck fast.

"One of the first to reach the welcome vessel's side was Captain Pardon Howland, then a man in the prime of life. He was not a large or very strong man, but impelled by the prospect of securing food not only for his own wife and little ones, but for his fellow-townsmen he put forth all his strength. In helping to host a barrel of flour and get over the side of the schooner he strained his side. The much needed relief was secured - the wives and babies were fed, but in the end it proved to have been at the cost of one gallant rescuer's life, for from the result of that over-exertion Captain Pardon Howland never recovered. He died in a few days thereafter, leaving a widow with a house full of little ones to mourn his loss."

The intensity of the cold of that disastrous winter is chronicled by the New Bedford Weekly Mercury of Jan. 26, 1821, in these words: "Our bay (excepting a small rip south of Naushon Island), is entirely frozen over as far as Woods Hold, a distance of sixteen miles."

Pardon married Hepsa HATHAWAY on 1 Sep 1802. Hepsa was born on 13 Apr 1777; died on 31 Aug 1856. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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He went whaling and also sailed as captain in the merchant service, running to the Orient and to South and Central America. His two sons accompanied him on a number of his voyages. Captain Howland's death was due to smallpox, several members of the crew also being stricken with the disease, and were cured all but himself.

Pardon married Lydia Church PARKER on 15 Jun 1827. Lydia was born on 15 Aug 1802; died on 30 Oct 1874 in Syracuse, Onondaga Co., New York; was buried in Congregational Church Cemetery, New Bedford, Bristol Co., Massachustts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Hepsa married Capt David Sands SHEARMAN on 23 Jun 1826. David (son of Capt David SHEARMAN and Anna TUCKER) was born on 26 Jul 1802 in Dartmouth, Bristol County, Massachusetts; died on 9 Feb 1852 in Washington, New York. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Eliza married Frederic HOWLAND on 7 Jul 1831. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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As a youth he went to sea in the merchant service and in a short time became an officer. Later he engaged in whaling and made several successful voyages as master of vessels. After his retirement from the sea he fitted out whaling vessels until the depredations of the Alabama in the Civil War. Subsequently he received a considerable sum from the Alabama awards. Captain Howland served in the New Bedford common council in 1871 and 1872.

Benjamin married Mary Ann RUSSELL on 1 Sep 1831. Mary (daughter of Reuben RUSSELL and Anna TUCKER) was born on 10 May 1812; died on 20 Dec 1863. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Benjamin married Mary Allen MARBLE on 24 Nov 1864. Mary was born on 22 Mar 1836. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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He was a master of whaling vessels and subsequently settled on a plantation in Hawaii. For a number of years he was purveyor to the hospital in Honolulu.

Henry married Mary S. HOWLAND on 2 May 1836. Mary was born on 7 Jul 1809; died on 24 Jun 1845. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Deborah MELVILLE. Deborah was born in 1837; died on 29 Oct 1853 in Honolulu. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Rebecca WRIGHT. Rebecca died on 13 Apr 1896. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Mary married Capt John A. DELANO on 12 Jul 1836. John was born in 1809 in New Bedford, Bristol Co., Massachusetts; died on 20 Dec 1893 in New Bedford, Bristol Co., Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Henry W. MCCOUGHTRY. Henry was born in 1807; died on 12 Dec 1861 in On voyage from Honolulu to San Francisco. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]