triangular strip was left between Northeastern Maryland and Northern Delaware, which was of no consequence so long as Delaware remained as part of Pennsylvania. In 1776 the inhabitants proclaimed their independence and set themselves forth as a colony under a constitution of their adoption.

The triangle then became a source of contention, claimed by Delaware in spite of abundant evidence that it belonged to Pennsylvania. It was thus a sort of "No Man's Land," and for a century was a scene of duels and prize fights innumerable. Fifty years ago surveyors established the right of Pennsylvania and set stones upon the boundary, but this survey was not recognized by Delaware. At last, about three years ago, the dispute was referred to a commission headed by Hon. Thomas F. Bayard, of Delaware, and Hon. Wayne MacVeagh, of Pennsylvania.

In accordance with the decision of this commission, the Legislature of Pennsylvania ceded the triangle to Delaware, but made a new survey which placed part of the territory in Pennsylvania.

One good Quaker farmer whose property was thus transferred into Pennsylvania is making complaint over his expatriation, and declares that as he cannot vote in Delaware, the home of his ancestors, he will not vote in Pennsylvania. Born a Delawarean, he will never acknowledge himself a Pennsylvanian, but the collector of taxes will doubtless treat him as such. J. L. PICKARD.

SAMUEL STORRS HOWE.

REPRINTED FROM THE ANNALS OF IOWA FOR APRIL, 1896.

BY FREDERICK LLOYD.

[The writer wishes to here acknowledge his obligation and extend his thanks to Mrs. Laura S. Huff (Mr. Howe's niece), of Washington, Iowa, for kind assistance rendered him in the preparation of this sketch by supplying

the notes relating to Mr. Howe's career before his coming to Iowa, and to his genealogy, all of which, as here recorded, was compiled by her, and much of it is given in her own phraseology]

HE first family of the name of Howe came from England, as we are informed by old manuscripts still in the possession of the Iowa family of this name. John Howe settled in Sudbury, Massachusetts, in 1640, and was the first-made "freeman to vote. His father, another John Howe, was a direct descendant of the Howe family of Hadinghall, Warwickshire, England. This John Howe was connected with Lord Charles Howe, Earl of Lancaster, in the time of King Charles I.

About thirty years after the formation of the Massachusetts Colony the Howe descendants emigrated to Marlborough and became "selectmen " to keep order in the church. In May, 1656, of thirteen persons signing a petition to the General Court to incorporate the town the second name is that of John Howe. The town was incorporated in 1660 by the records, and the Indian deed to the Howe family for lands bears date June 12, 1684. John Howe died in 1668, leaving a large family in Marlborough, there being twenty-eight voters alone of that name. In 1711 four of the twenty-six garrisons were commanded by Howes. David Howe built in 1776 at Sudbury the Howe Inn," whose sign was the "Red Horse," immortalized by the poet Longfellow in the "Tales of a Wayside Inn." The coat-of-arms, a copy of which was presented to the Worcester Society, bore on its scroll the words,

66

‹ By ye name of Howe." We quote from the verse of Longfellow a description of the landlord and his coat-of-arms.

"But first the landlord will I trace;

Grave in his aspect and attire;

A man of ancient pedigree,

A Justice of the Peace was he,

Known in all Sudbury as 'The Squire.'

Proud was he of his name and race,

Of old Sir William and Sir Hugh,

And in the parlor, full in view,

His coat-of-arms, well framed and glazed

Upon the wall in colors blazed;
He beareth gules upon his shield,
A chevron argent in the field,

With three wolf's heads, and for the crest
A wyvern part-per pale addressed

Upon a helmet barred; below

The scroll reads, "By the name of Howe."
And over this, no longer bright,

Though glimmering with a latent light,
Was hung the sword his grandsire bore
In the rebellious days of yore,

Down there at Concord in the fight."

Of such ancestry sprang Samuel Storrs Howe, who was born in Shoreham, Vermont, June 20, 1808. His father was a son of Captain John Howe of the Revolutionary army. His uncle, Abner Howe, died in the same service, and the Worcester Society has erected a monument to his memory. The father of our subject was Job Lane Howe, born in the town of Brookfield, Massachusetts, who married Deborah Barrows, of Mansfield, Connecticut, and removed to Vermont in 1796, when it was quite a wilderness. He bought a farm at Shoreham, about three miles from Lake Champlain, and helped to build roads, leaving fine shade trees, some of which still remain on the "Cream Hill" road. He was an architect, a builder, a wheelright, a millright and a ship-builder, and had a contract to build the first "meeting house." Rev. Daniel O. Morton, whose son, Ex-Vice President Levi P. Morton, was born there, was one of the first pastors of this primitive Congregational Church. Under his preaching our Howe in 1821, when thirteen years old, was one of the many converts. The first American missionaries to foreign lands were sent out from this little inland town. Probably few of the newspaper critics who were wont to fling their poisoned political arrows at the former Vice-President of the United States for complicity in the Shoreham hotel management at Washington knew the derivation of the name.

Of this branch of the Howe family, which by the records was the sixth generation in America, there were four brothers.

your brother,
Sam Stores Howe

and one sister, of whom Samuel Storrs was the youngest. He and the oldest brother were thought too delicate for the farm or a trade and were sent to college. The eldest, after his graduation at Middlebury, Vermont, became Principal of Castleton Academy in Vermont, and in 1821-2 Samuel Storrs was fitted for college under this brother's instruction, and entered Middlebury College in 1825. His health was delicate, but he was graduated third in his class, August 19, 1829. In 1829-30 he pursued his studies at Andover Theological Seminary, Massachusetts, and taught for a few months in the

Castleton Academy. His father had extended his business into Crown Point, and built the Church and some stores there which are still in good condition. So thoroughly was the work done and so durable was the material that it was not necessary to renew the shingles for fifty years. His parents are buried near the church. His brother, Professor Henry Howe, having accepted the position of Principal of the Canandaigua Academy, New York, Samuel Storrs acted as his assistant during the year 1831. It was then and still is one of the leading institutions of the State of New York. The distinguished mathematician Robinson was graduated under their instruction, and the still more famous statesman Stephen A. Douglas was also their pupil. The unfortunate young Philip Spencer, who, as a midshipman of the U. S. sloopof-war "Somers," was sacrificed in the relentless cause of naval discipline and executed by Captain Alexander Slidell Mackenzie for mutiny, was also one of their students.* Indeed, students from all over the Union and even from Mexico, sought their tutorship.

*This event produced a great sensation, for Spencer's father, John C. Spencer, was Secretary of War at the time, and the vessel was only a few days' sail from a United States port. The commander's conduct was justified but not approved, and he was never given command of a ship again, Young Spencer was a mere lad, rash and adventurous but not malicious When told of his fate he said, "This will kill my mother." A village society organized by him now counts many thousand members. Mackenzie was a brother of that Slidell, who with Ex-U. S. Senator Mason, was overhauled at sea by Capt. Wilkes of the U. S. Steamer San Jacinto, and taken prisoner from a British vessel, the Trent, while on their way to Europe in 1861 as envoys from the Confederate States. Mackenzie had taken this name which, as a sine qua non, went with a rich Scotch estate. One of his sons, General Ranald Slidell Mackenzie, was a brilliant young Union officer during the war, and when subsequently as Colonel of the fourth U. S. Cavalry he was seemingly on the point of promotion, his mind became deranged and his death soon ensued. It is thus that genius and insanity are so closely allied. The Spencer family is one hardly less brilliant than the Slidells or Mackenzies. They are scattered from one side of the continent to the other and even across the Pacific, and many of them have been distinguished. The third President of our State University was