Howell, Louis - Biography

LIFE OF LOUIS HOWELL

[by his son, William Louis Howell]

Louis Howell was born in Kanesville (now Council Bluffs), Pottawattamie County, Iowa, on 20 June 1851.  He was a son of William Howell and Martha Williams Howell.  The Howell family was converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter‑day Saints in Aberdare, Wales.  The Howells had a family of five children:  Ann born July 27, 1840; William born April 19, 1843; Martha Alice born June 19, 1845 and died March 9, 1846, being about 9 months old; and Reese born September 5, 1848.  All of these were born in Aberdare Glamorganshire, Wales.  And Louis was born in Council Bluffs, Iowa.  (The life of William Howell is written in another place.)

The Howell family left Aberdare, Wales, in February and went to Liverpool, England, and sailed in the good ship Olympus for New Orleans on March 4, 1851, and arrived in New Orleans about 50 days later, about April 24.  They had a good voyage.  There were 245 Saints on board, and William Howell was president of the company.  There were about 50 added to the Church by baptism on the way.  The ship was 744 tons.

From New Orleans, the Howell family and other Saints went up the river to St. Louis and on to Kanesville Landing, Iowa.  The "Statesman" (the boat they were on) landed, and after she arrived there, her cooks and deck hands left her, joined the Church, and came to Utah.

After arriving in Kanesville, William Howell started a store with the things he had brought with him from Wales for that purpose.  On June 20, 1851, a son was born to them.  They named him Louis, a French name after the French Emperor, as Brother Howell was the first Mormon missionary to France.

After the Howell family had joined the Church in Wales, they were very busy spreading the Gospel to others, and it was the greatest desire to bring others to the knowledge of the truth.  No sacrifice was too great for the Gospel’s sake.  They had unusual success.  Brother Howell was a very pleasant man and was a very good speaker.  He was full of enthusiasm and love of the work of the Lord, and carried such a love and good spirit with him.  Sister Howell loved and admired him in his energetic enthusiasm and ability in speaking and the power to show to others the things that were true.  As she was expecting a baby, she prayed that the coming child would have the ability of her husband to speak and have the desire to preach the gospel to others.  The answer of this prayer was fulfilled in the birth of her son, Louis, in Kanesville, Iowa.

It was getting late in the year now and they decided to stay in Kanesville for the winter and leave for Utah the next spring.  Brother Howell didn't enjoy his stay in Kanesville long.  He took sick and died on November 21, 1851.  His youngest child, Louis, was only 5 months old when he died.  This was a great sorrow to Sister Howell, being left with four small children.  She was very brave and with great faith in the Gospel she started to prepare for the trip across the plains.  Brother Howell had brought with him a great collection of books, which he had intended to add to a proposed public library in Salt Lake City, but to obtain means, Sister Howell was obliged to sell them at a great sacrifice so the journey west could be made.  She bought an ox team and wagon to make the journey to Zion, and in 1852, with her little family of children, set out on the long journey by ox team across the plains, in spite of the hazards of the trip, over what were then mere trails, with danger from Indians, buffalo, forest fires, and all the other dangers incident to such a trip.

So the journey began by ox team.  The children had fun walking along as the wagons went quite slow as they were heavy loaded.  One day when the wagons had stopped and the children were playing by the wagons, William, being tired, laid down in the grass in the shade under the wagon and went to sleep.  No one thought about him until the company was about to start again.  Sister Howell thought he was as usual among the other children of the company.  The oxen were started up and the heavy wagon passed over the body of poor little William, killing him instantly.  The stricken mother was beside herself with grief, but she bent her head and bowed to the will of the Father.  Her child was buried on the plains, where the bodies of so many other pioneers had to be laid to rest.  This accident saddened the whole company, of course, and Ann and her brothers were heavy at heart, particularly Ann who was her mother's comfort and mainstay.

Sister Howell continued on the journey with her little family which consisted of Ann, age 12, Reese age about 4, and Louis, 1 year old.  William was 9 years old when he was killed, and the Howells had lost one daughter, Martha Alice, born June 19, 1845, and died March 9, 1846, when about 9 months old.  She died while they were in Aberdare, Wales.

While Sister Howell was crossing the plains, a widower in the company was kind to her and helped her on the trip.  He was William W. Morgan who had lost his wife Mary Treharne Morgan before he left Wales.  He had a boy, Edward Morgan, born January 1, 1842, in Merthyr Tydfil, Glamorganshire, Wales.  Sister Howell and William W. Morgan were married a while later and were sealed in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City, the record shows.  William Morgan, born July 21, 1803, in South Wales.  Martha Morgan, born June 8, 1813, by Brigham Young on November 13, 1855.  Film 25165 part 14, page 28.  (I think they were married before they were sealed, but I don't know just how long.)

After a year and a half of struggling, Sister Howell and family moved to Brigham City to what they called the North String, thinking they could do better there than in Salt Lake City.  But to start on a new place was a big job.  The land had to be cleared and a place to live in had to be built.  Material was not plentiful and was hard to get. Like the other pioneers, they had a hard time making a living.  About two years later, Ann was married to Ricy Jones, about the year 1856.

The following is from Ann Howell Burt’s history:  "Ofttimes we would have trouble with the Indians.  Then we would live in the Old Fort.  The Fort was surrounded with rock walls so that no one could get in except through the south gate.  The women had for their defense pitchforks, hoes, and shovels, the men having all the guns.  But like all other miracles, the Lord protected us and we came out victorious without any fighting.  Many a time I have heard the wolves howl all night long right up against the door which made us feel rather chilly.  Often the Indians came in droves, several hundred together at times during the day.  We obeyed President Young's counsel and tried not to quarrel with them and gave them flour and whatever else we could spare in exchange for robes.  Then they would leave peaceably.

"Shortly after this I was married to my husband, Ricy Jones, and we moved down to Salt Lake City where we lived very comfortably and happily for about a year and a half, but times were very hard.  We suffered considerably for something to eat.  Finally my husband became dissatisfied and wanted to go to California to make a raise, but I had heard President Young preach to the Saints telling them that if any of them left without counsel they were liable to apostatize and as we had come here for the Gospel's sake, I refused to go with my husband.  So he sold the house, and I was left penniless.  It was a very severe trial on me because I was expecting to become a mother and was of course left destitute.  I went to Brigham, which had been built up into a little town since we lived at the Old Fort, and lived with my mother.

“About this time I received a letter from my Uncle Lewis who was still living in Wales.  He had heard of my circumstances through some apostate who had gone back there and told him about me.  So he wrote telling me that if I would come back and live with him, having no children of his own, he would make me heir to all his property.  But of course I would have had to forsake my religion to do so and while this was a great temptation to me as I knew that all my poverty would be at an end, I was firm in staying with my religion and so did not go.  When my husband heard that I had become a mother and had a son, he came back.  Shortly after this we decided to move to Wellsville, Cache Valley, and take up a large farm.  We built a cozy little house on Main Street, and I started a millinery shop and small store, the first that was ever started in that town.  I made a perfect success of it for several years.  About that time we organized the Relief Society, and they called on me to act as secretary.  Sister Maughn was president.

“Shortly after Ann's marriage, her husband found it necessary to go from Utah to find work.  But Ann would not go with him.  She said they had come to Utah for the Gospel's sake and here she would stay.  Some months later, she became a mother of a fine boy, Ricy Howell Jones, born May 10, 1857, Brigham City, Utah.  She was living with her mother at that time.”

More from Ann Howell Burt's history:  "While Ann was rejoicing in the possession of this wonderful treasure her poor mother passed through another great sorrow.  The youngest child while playing around the fireplace outdoors where the family cooking was done, fell into the fire and was so badly burned that he died a few days later.”

The family lived in a log house with the ground for a floor and had but few and crude conveniences to help make cooking and housework easy.  Many a night did Ann weep herself to sleep worrying over the future, wondering where she was to get the necessaries for herself and child.  They had sold the small place her husband had, that he might get means for his journey to California., and she had gone back to live with her mother.

Back in Wales, Sister Howell's brother had heard of the hardships of his sister and her family by some apostates, who had returned to their native city.  He wrote to them and generously offered to assist and support them, would give them a place of their own, and would see that they would not want for the comforts of life if they would but come back.  It came as a great temptation in their poverty; but as Sister Howell argued, what would it benefit them?  She knew that they never would be satisfied there.  They had tasted the sweets of the Gospel and that with poverty and deprivations would be better off than this world's goods and the longing that they knew could never be appeased.  So they wrote to the brother and told him that they were satisfied to live as they were and would trust in the Lord and abide his time.  He would help them out of their poverty.

Shortly after this, Ann's husband returned, but without the golden fleece he had expected to obtain.  They took up the battle of life in a dugout some few miles from where her mother lived and life went on with many trials and tribulations, interspersed with glimpses of sunshine, but always with the feeling of security and trust in the Heavenly Father.

April 18, 1858, an Army is coming to destroy us, so they say.  Johnson's Army, they call it.  They have winter quartered out at Ham's Fork.  It may be their intention to destroy us; but Providence is over all.  I have no fear, yet I know that many are trembling.  It looks dark.  President Young has counseled the people to move south and we are all going.  We have been packing up our few belongings.  We haven't much, which is consolation at this time.  If the soldiers prove as hostile as feared, our men are going to set fire to our houses and cabins so that nothing but desolation will greet Johnson and his men.  July – We are at Provo Bottoms and just having a fine time.  Mother and the children and everybody here.  And we are just enjoying ourselves, having happy sociable times in spite of the camp–like life and the primitive conditions with which we are surrounded.

We have obeyed the counsel of our leaders and all will work out for our good.  I never thought we could have such a fine time in exile.  We go visiting each other and we women go in clusters down to the lake and bathe with the children.  Johnston and his men seem very nice and are scattering their abundance among the people.  "All things worketh together for good to them that love and serve the Lord."

Louis was now 7 years old.  He left with the rest of the people to Provo to wait and see what the Army would do.  On June 26, 1858, the Army, under command of General Johnston, entered the Salt Lake Valley through Emigration Canyon.  They passed through the city, now almost without inhabitants, and camped on the opposite side of the Jordan River.  Three days after their arrival the troops passed on to the southwest and camped in Cedar Valley where they founded Camp Floyd.  The Army hired a lot of the Saints to build their camp, which was a great help for those that were hired.

Now we must go back to our homes.  It is almost with a feeling of regret that we leave, for we have found so many nice, congenial people, and we have certainly enjoyed this bit of hardship.

August – At home in Brigham once more.  Oh, but it seems desolate!  The Indians have burned up what little furniture we had left and taken out of our houses what they could use.  There is no grain for none has been stored, and there is nothing to harvest, for nothing was planted especially for us.  What will we do for food for the little ones?  But we must trust in Him who never forsook us.

September – We have found a large patch of segos below the town which seem to have been planted for us.  They are fine, large and good tasting, not like the small variety we children used to find above town.  Mother and I take our sacks and go down to the patch and dig quantities, along with our neighbors.  The first day mother heaved a deep sigh as she shouldered her sack and as I came up behind her, tears came to my eyes at the sight.  It doesn't matter about me, but my poor hard tired mother, who might now have been a lady at her ease back in dear old Aberdare!  But what benefitteth a man if he gains the whole world and lose his own soul.  Now we do not sigh any more, nor do I shed tears – only gratitude for the food we have found.  There are about 20 or 30 acres of the segos.  I hope they will not give out soon.

November 1868 – I had occasion to go and see Sister B. this morning and such a treat as I had; warm biscuits and honey.  I never tasted anything so delicious.  When Sister B returned from her exile she and the children found a patch of milk weed flowers all covered with honey.  They picked the flowers, rinsed them in a tub of water and afterwards boiled the fluid down.  They obtained about a gallon of honey.  My, but it is good!

Many of our men have to work at Camp Floyd, where the soldiers are stationed, and oh, what a Godsend that army has been to the people of Utah!  Their coming was like an ominous cloud over our heads and our hearts almost failed us with fear; but the cloud was big with mercy and broke with blessings over our heads.  How much good cheer they have brought to our homes; for they furnished our men with work and paid well for it.  And we have been able to sell our products, such as we can raise at a good price, and they have scattered wagons, oxen, wagon‑covers, clothes and many needed things among us.  Who but an all wise Father could have sent the enemy with the things we needed so badly.

At the time the Howells left their home in Aberdare, Wales, Sister Howell's relatives had her father's property that was left to her put in chancery.  There the property remained for about 10 years and meanwhile the Howells often suffered for the necessities of life.  When they had lived in Utah for about 10 years, Sister Howell received a letter from Wales informing her that she had been made beneficiary of the deeding of interest in the coal mines and also that the estate in chancery had been disposed of and that her presence in Wales was necessary.  So Sister Howell went to Salt Lake City to consult with President Young who advised her to go back and get what was hers by right and who also kindly loaned her the money to go.

Ann was married.   Her mother had three children at home; Reese now 12, Louis 9, and Joseph age 4 years.  Martha arranged to have her daughter Ann look after the children while she was gone. 

Ann moved to her mother’s home with her own children and took care of her mothers home and children while her mother went back to Wales.

Martha Howell Morgan was now ready for the long trip back to her old home in Wales.  When she arrived back to her old home her family was very kind to her and was glad to see her and they wanted for her to send for her children and come back and with them in their lovely home in Cefn Pennar, Aberdare, Glamorganshire, Wales.  Her sister who was married to an American Consul, insisted that Martha come back to Wales.  But Martha had a great love for the Gospel in her heart and it came first in her life so she would rather live with the saints in Utah.  She spent what time she could in spreading the Gospel while she was there looking after her own affairs.  She spent about a year in Wales in settlement of her father’s estate.  In the case under such circumstances she did not receive an equal share in her father’s estate, because the actual title to the property went to the oldest son.  But she and her heirs did receive an interest in the royalties from the coal mine for a period of 99 years (which interest has now ceased).

After about a year's stay in Wales, she had everything settled and she received quite a lot of interest, or it seemed so much because she passed through so much poverty the last 10 years.  She was anxious to help the Church and did all she could.  She paid the way from Wales to Utah for 13 people who had joined the Church who were not able to come by themselves.  It gave her so much joy to help others to come to Utah an enjoy the gospel.

Now she was ready to come back to dear Utah.  The emigration record states on Film No. 6184 part two.  Ship Underwriter left Liverpool April 23, 1861 for New York.  William W. Morgan, engineer, age 58, from Wales. Martha Morgan, wife, age 47, from Wales.

Also on emigration record Film No. 38335 part six.  William W. Morgan and wife Martha left Liverpool, England, for New York, April 23, 1861, on the ship Underwriter.

After about a year's stay in Wales, they were ready once more to make the trip across the ocean in the ship Underwriter, and then across the plains to Utah.  The trip was better this time as they were equipped better.  Oh, the joy to be home again with her dear children, Reese now 13, Louis 10, and Joseph 5.  Ann, now married and had a family of her own, took care of the children while their mother went back to Wales to take care of her interests there.  Now Martha was home again in dear Utah, and the poverty she and her family had gone through was over.  She moved with her family to Wellsville and Ann started a millinery shop and store, with the help of her mother.  This was the first store ever started in Wellsville.

The following appeared in the J.H. 13^th, 1861, page 5:  William Morgan and wife from Wales, Member of Captain Homer Duncane Ox Train Co. arrived in Salt Lake City September 13, 1861.  They had left Wales nearly five months before they arrived in Salt Lake City as the record shows, on Film No. 6184 part 2.  William W. Morgan, engineer age 58, Martha Morgan, age 47.  Left Liverpool for New York April 23, 1861, on the Underwriter ship of 1750 tons.

Martha Williams Howell met William W. Morgan while crossing the plains in the summer of 1852.  He was very kind to her when she lost her son, William, who was killed when a wagon had gone over him while he was asleep under the wagon.  He also helped her a great deal on the trip to Salt Lake City.  They were married a while after and on November 13, 1855,  they were sealed in the Endowment House.  The record is on Film No. 25165, Part 14.  William W. Morgan born July 21, 1803.  Martha Morgan, born June 8, 1813.  Sealed by Brigham Young.  On page 28.

William W. Morgan had a son Edward Morgan, born January 1, 1842, at Merthyn Tydfil, Wales.  They came to Utah and arrived in October 1852.  Edward's mother was Mary Treharne.  There was no record of her coming to Utah.  She must have died before Edward and his father came to Utah.  Edward married Rachel Cole January 27, 1865, in Salt Lake City.  They lived in Willard, Utah.

William W. Morgan lost interest in the church and became inactive, and Martha loved the church with all her heart and soul and this hurt her very much.  This, together with other things, resulted in a separation.  In a letter to his son, Joseph Howell, he said, "Father's first wife died, and mother and father were not [well] mated.  Besides, mother's grown children, especially Mrs. Ann Howell Burt, did much to assist in the disagreement and final separation."

After the separation, William W. Morgan went to Willard and lived with his son Edward and lived there until he died in 1889.  He was buried in the Willard Cemetery.  Martha lived now in Wellsville, and had a store there which she ran with the help of her children.  They were successful in their enterprise.

After Martha went to Wellsville, she didn't go by the name of Morgan but went back to her first husband's name, Howell.  She was sealed to him on April 27, 1870, in the Endowment House.  The record is as follows:  Film No. 25165 Part 16, Book F 1869 to 1870. L 46304, No. 15661 page 160.  William Howell dead; born about 1815, Wales, Martha Williams.  Heir and proxy about 1814 "Rees Howell Heir Born 9 Sep 1848, Sealed by Joseph F. Smith.

Joseph (son of William W. Morgan and Martha Williams) was known through his life by the name of Howell, and also his descendants.  The above wife Martha Williams was sealed in life to William W. Morgan and was subsequently sealed in life to William Howell.  Even though no official record of sealing cancellation has been found, it is assumed that such a cancellation must have transpired in order to permit a second sealing.  The second sealing is considered valid. (The Genealogical Society.)

Martha Williams Howell moved from Brigham City to Wellsville, Cache County, Utah in 1863 with her family of three boys and started a store there.  The children besides working in their mother's store went to school as far as they could go in Cache Valley.  Then they went to the University of Deseret in Salt Lake City (now the University of Utah).

On November 15, 1869, Reese married Jennie Chaplon, whose family had settled in Providence, Cache County, Utah.  They lived for a short time in Wellsville where their oldest son, William G. Howell was born, and then moved to Kelton, Box Elder County, Utah, a station on the old Southern Pacific Railroad, and also a freighting point to the north and northwest prior to the building of the Oregon Shortline Railroad.  There Reese Howell engaged in freighting for a time and then went into the mercantile business.  In 1882 he moved with his family to Ogden, Utah.  Prior to moving there, however, he purchased 33 feet on Washington Avenue next north of the Broom Hotel for $3,000.00 (now it is probably worth that much per foot) and on coming there erected a building upon it which was called the Broom Annex, and the upper stories of which were originally used as part of the hotel.  The building has not been taken down and the new Commercial Security Bank is there.

Louis Howell, after he finished school in Cache Valley, went to Salt Lake City to go to the University of Deseret.  After he finished school there he taught school and then went on a mission to Wales.  He was a very good speaker and worked very hard as a missionary and was successful in his work.  He made many friends and converts.  While there he met many of his mother's relatives and friends.  For two years he was very zealous and valiant in teaching the Gospel.  He loved the Gospel very much and after his mission he continued to preach the Gospel to everyone he could and continued to make converts.  He was called to different places to speak, and people that heard him said he was very good.

On December 23, 1873, Louis Howell married Sarah Elizabeth Gunnell, of Wellsville.  They had a large family of children.  Here are their names:

Polly Ann Howell                                                                                              15 June 1875               April 1879

Louis Gunnell Howell                                                                                        10 June 1879               19 Nov. 1939

Martha Gunnell Howell                                                                         26 Nov. 1880              19 June 1952

Ida Gunnell Howell                                                                                           23 Nov. 1882              16 June 1883

Annie Gunnell Howell                                                                           2 July 1884                  17 July 1884

Sarah Gunnell Howell                                                                           13 Sept. 1885              22 Apr. 1958

Elizabeth Gunnell Howell                                                                       4 Sept. 1887                11 Aug. 1962

Joseph Gunnell Howell                                                                          7 Feb. 1890                 11 Nov. 1890

Parley Gunnell Howell                                                                           17 Nov. 1891                    infant

Bertha Gunnell Howell                                                                          ___ Oct. 1892             ___ Oct. 1892

Eva Gunnell Howell                                                                                          8 Oct. 1893                 ___ Nov. 1894

Ester Gunnell Howell                                                                                        2 Sept. 1895                14 Feb. 1929

Jane Gunnell Howell                                                                                         17 July 1896                25 Nov. 1905

Reese Gunnell Howell                                                                           23 Jan. 1898                3 Feb. 1969

Half of the children died while very young.  Jane died at about 9 years old, and the other six were married and had families.  They lived in Wellsville until 1892 when they went to a ranch six miles west of Yost, Box Elder County, Utah, and lived there nine years.  They then moved to Rexburg, Idaho, and lived in Idaho the rest of Sarah Elizabeth Howell's life.  She died on April 27, 1944, in Blackfoot, Idaho, and was buried in Rexburg, Idaho.  She had lived a good life, and was a wonderful wife and mother.  She was faithful to the LDS gospel all her life.  She was born on October 16, 1855, in Tooele, Tooele County, Utah, the daughter of Francis and Polly Ann Edwards Gunnell, LDS converts from England.  She was reported to be the first child born in Tooele, Utah.  Her family moved to Wellsville, Utah, when she was a small girl where she met her husband, Louis Howell.  She was 89 when she died in the Blackfoot Hospital, Friday, April 27, 1944, at 1:45 p.m.  She had been visiting at the home of her son, Reese G. Howell, of Blackfoot, when her failing health made it necessary to go to the hospital.  She had 30 grandchildren.  Her son Reese is still living at the time of this writing.

While Louis Howell was going to school at the University of Deseret (now University of Utah), he met Mary Williams and they went together for a while.  Then later in 1876 he went on a mission to Wales for two years.  While he was on his mission, William N. Williams (brother of Mary Williams) went on a mission to Wales and for a while he was companion of Louis Howell.  They enjoyed their companionship very much and were very good friends.  After Louis Howell came home from his mission to Wales, he continued to go with Mary Williams.  They were married on June 27, 1878, in the Endowment House, Salt Lake City, Utah.  After they were married, they moved to Wellsville, Cache County, Utah.  Both Louis and Mary were school teachers, and they taught in Salt Lake City, Bountiful, and Wellsville, Utah.

While in Wellsville, the Louis Howells lived in a home at the south end of a street on the east side, No. 280 South 1^st East.  It was in this home that all of Mary Williams Howell's children were born.  They had six children.  Their names are:

Mary (Mamie) Howell                                                                          27 Apr. 1879               9 Jan. 1952

Sarah^[1] Hettie Howell                                                                                        13 Feb. 1881               3 July 1918

Gwennie Howell                                                                                               12 Jan. 1883                20 Jan. 1883

Alice Howell                                                                                                                 4 Mar 1884                  26 Feb. 1889

Evan W. Howell                                                                                               31 Aug 1887                1 July 1964

William Louis Howell                                                                            10 Dec 1890                [_________]

On September 27, 1879, Martha Williams Howell (mother of Louis Howell) died and was buried in Wellsville Cemetery on the hill overlooking the town.  A marble stone marks her grave.  She was a wonderful woman and did so much for the LDS Church and her friends.  She paid the way for 13 people, converts to the LDS Church, from Wales to Utah.  She raised a fine family and was a very devoted mother.  Her faith in the Gospel was very strong and no sacrifice was too great for the sake of the Church she knew to be true.

After the death of Martha Howell, Louis and Joseph Howell continued to live in Wellsville.  Louis taught school there for a few years.  Joseph made a trip back to Wales to see about the interest in the coal mine which Martha had a small interest in.  He left on May 8, 1882, and was gone about three months.  He visited the family of his mother there.  They told him what a zealous and valiant missionary Louis was when he was on a mission there a few years before.

In May 1884 the Logan Temple was dedicated and Louis and Mary Howell made many trips over to the Logan Temple to do temple work which they enjoyed very much.

In the first part of 1887, Louis Howell went to the Hawaiian Islands on a mission.  While there he learned the language and taught school.  After his return he went to work for his brother, Joseph, who had a herd of sheep.  Louis took the sheep out to a valley called Junction at the upper end of Raft River about 15 miles west of Yost, Utah.  Later he took up a homestead of 160 aces on Raft River about five miles west of Yost, Utah.  In 1894 Mary and her family moved out on a homestead that Mary had taken up just south of the other homestead.  Louis gave up the sheep herd and went to farming and stock raising on the homesteads.  There was plenty of water to water the crops and they had a good crop every year.

Every Sunday they would go to church at Yost, Utah.  They would drive there in a wagon or buggy.  It was about five miles to church.  Louis taught in Sunday School and was often the speaker at meetings.  They were all very religious and lived the gospel to the best of their ability.  Mary worked in the Relief Society and other organizations and was good at giving lessons.  Often Louis would be asked to speak at Almo, Idaho, and other towns.

Louis left a large family.  He had a sister, Ann Howell Burt of Brigham City; a brother, Reese Howell of Ogden; and a half-brother, Joseph Howell of Logan.  Joseph served 1896 to 1900 in the State Senate and later as Representative in the U.S. Congress for Utah for six terms.

[Some corrections to spelling and grammar have been made.]

Gravestone photo with Linda and Bruce in Yost

Daughter’s gravestone in Yost