From Proud Heritage, Vol. 1 by DCPA, not currently in print.
As a young boy around 12, John Mashman Howell rode alone on a crippled mule across Newfound Gap in Tennessee through Union and Confederate lines to live with relatives in North Carolina. His father, Patton Howell, had borrowed money from the Union to build a dam on Mossy Creek, East Tennessee, where he made tools, wagons and caissons for the Confederacy. Union bushwackers burned it down and killed everyone they found. Patton escaped into Alabama with a price on his head, married again after the death of his first wife, and died there.
John Mashman Howell’s family consisted of: his father, Patton Howell, born 1805 in Knox County, Tennessee, died 1869 and his mother , Nancy Routh, born 1809 in Dandridge, Tennessee, died 1858, whose parents were John Routh (born 1782, died 1841) and Elizabeth Mashman (born 1788, died 1852). Among their ten children were: 1) Bethiah Ann born 1826, died 1894; married Wm. J. Blackburn. 2) Sylvanus born 1829, died 1888; married Frances Crooks. 3) Martha Elizabeth born 1831, died 1905; married Reverend W. E. Caldwell. 4) Adeline born 1834, married William Alexander Smith. 5) Lockie Eleanor born 1836, married W. M. Massengill. 6) Mary born 1839, died 1883; married M. M. Morgan. 7) Sarah P. born 1846, died 1873; married Samuel T. Evans. 8) Margaret born 1848, died 1927; married Daniel Bradshaw. and 9) John Mashman Howell born August 2, 1849 in New Market, Tennessee, died 1925; married Julia Routh born 1857 in Plano, Texas, died 1948.
John M. Howell was reared in Tennessee and North Carolina and received most of his education in Alabama. He learned the carpenter’s trade and worked at it for some years. He moved to Missouri to work for a nursery.
In 1870 Mr. Howell brought a wagon load of trees and other nursery stock to Dallas and sold them on land owned by his uncle, James Thomas, on the corner of McKinney and Pearl. He spent about a year in Collin County, and in 1872, under the firm name of Howell & Thomas, started the first nursery in this county and probably the first in Northern Texas. They continued on McKinney Avenue until the Fall of 1877, when they were eaten out by grasshoppers.
In 1882 he established Howell Nursery, beginning with fruits of all kinds, eventually having 243 acres. Mr. Howell originated and/or introduced Routh Cling, Abilene, El Paso, Midland, Weatherford and Oyama peaches, the Sam Dixon plum, and the Trinity Early and Dallas blackberries. He is credited with introducing the Magnolia trees in Dallas and planted most of those on Ross Avenue.
On March 15, 1877, John Howell married Julia Routh, whose family consisted of her father, Reverend Jacob Routh, born December 22, 1818, died April 30, 1879, and her mother Lodemia Ann Campbell born November 16, 1833, died November 8, 1916. Their seven daughters were: 1) Virginia born 1855, died 1939; married James M. Barron. They had a large family, most of whom settled in Plano and Dallas. 2) Julia born 1857, died 1948; married John Mashman Howell. 3) Emma born 1859, died 1949; married Clarence Malone. They had two children, Margaret, who raised a large family in Sudan, Texas, and Sam. 4) Effie born 1863, died 1936; married Dr. James Nettles Mendenhall. They had five children, all of whom settled in the Dallas area. 5) Florence Graham born 1869, died 1921; married Henry William Coit, born 1862, died 1930, settling in Renner, Texas, and raised a family of eight children, most of whom settled in the Dallas area. 6) Rose born September 16, 1871, died September 24, 1954; never married. 7) Clara Elizabeth born June 7, 1874, died June 1, 1962; never married.
At one time, Mr. Howell was Horticulture Editor of the Texas Farm and Ranch Magazine, suggested the organization and served as President of the Texas State Horticulture Society, and was Treasurer of the Central Texas Horticulture Association. He was in charge of the horticulture exhibit from Texas at the 1893 world’s fair in Chicago. Mr. Howell was affiliated with the Democratic Party and in 1874 was Alderman from the Second Ward of Dallas and represented the Eighth Ward from 1889 to 1891. He served on the second School Board from 1888 to 1898 and was President in 1893, 1894 and 1897.
Mr. and Mrs. Howell had the following children: 1) Nannie Pauline born 1880, died 1974, had no children; 2) Roy Patton born 1881, died 1977; married Fay Gorman and had one son who lives in Dallas; 3) Lee Morgan born 1885, died 1953; married Mary Ellen McEachin and had no children; 4) Earl Reagan born 1885, died 1953; married Grace Riddle and had one son who lives in Lubbock, Texas; and 5) John Mashman II born 1891; married Ruth Killough born 1894, and had four children who live in the Dallas area.
John Howell named the streets of Routh (after his wife’s family), Howell (after his own family), Fairmount and Maple. Other streets named for his family are Coit Road, Campbell Road and Thomas Street. The family home, long since gone, was built on the northwest corner of Howell and Fairmount Streets, but there still remains a rent house built by him and his sons on Fairmount Street tucked between two buildings.
The last child of Mr. and Mrs. Howell, John Mashman Howell, II died in Dallas in May, 1986 at the age of 95.
By Nancy Lennon, Dallas
