Antecedents of Richard Howell (1), Southold, L.I., N.Y.

This Howell genealogy begins with Richard Howell (1), Southold, L.I., N.Y. because his antecedents, except for his mother, who is known only as the "Widow Howell", are as yet unknown.

The only references to his father were found in the manuscript of James Barnaby Howell, revised and extended by his cousin, Mrs. Mary E. Wheelock, and deposited in the Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wis., as follows:

"In 1640 a John Howell came to America, probably from Wales, as his descendants in the earlier days of the colonial settlements claimed that their `ancestors came from Wales'. John Howell brought with him his wife and `three sons'. One of these sons `went to New Jersey.' Another `went to Rhode Island and was never heard from again.' Mr. James Barnaby Howell, in a letter to his brother, J. Warren Howell, related that he examined a copy of Moore's Index to the early settlers of Southold, Long Island, and gives in his own words the essence of what he found concerning John Howell and Peter Hallock. `It is supposed that Peter Hallock came to America with one John Howell (who died soon after) and his `three sons' one named Richard. That his widow went back (presumably to Wales) with Richard, and afterward Peter Hallock went back and married the widow there. Then all returned to America, Richard then a lad, and settled in Southold, Long Island."

"Another account of Peter Hallock is given in The Life of Fitz Greene Hallock. This record says: `Peter Hallock sailed from England for Long Island, and settled on the east end of Southold. He was bold stalwart and strong. He spang into the water and adventured up among the Indians on the Island. The spot has ever since been known as Hallock's Neck, and the beach as Hallock Beach. Peter purchased Oyster Pond. Soon afterword he returned to England for his wife who was a comely widow with one son by her former husband. His wife was unwilling, but her husband promised her if she would return with him to America, her son Richard should share with his son in his property. On their return to Long Island Peter found that the Indians had resold his land and he made a second purchase 10 miles west of Southold in Peconset Bay. The original house still stands and also that of his wife's son, Richard Howell, and these houses are owned and occupied by their descendants, Benjamin Lawrence Hallock and Sylvester Howell."

John Howell, who supposedly came to America with Peter Hallock in 1640, settled in Connecticut, and died about 1646. His son Richard settled in Southold, Long Island, in 1649 with his mother and step-father, Peter Hallock. Descendants also base their tradition on the records in a Welch Bible (which will be mentioned again later on) that John Howell was in the line of descent from the ancient princes or chiefs of Wales, and was the last living (not reigning) prince of wales. He was the connecting link in the line of princes whose ruling was terminated at the conquest of Wales in the time of Edward I 1282 A.D. The Howell tradition is that John Howell's ancestral estate had been confiscated by the British Government some time in the past, and was returned to him by act of Parliment in 1640. John Howell then sold the claim to Charles I., king of England, receiving from the king a certain contract binding the government to pay to John's heirs of the second generation one million pounds with interest. The contract, a certain will, a pedigree of the family from which John descended, and a description of the family coat of arms has been kept through the centuries and is as follows:

In the records of Colonial Families of the United States of America, a picture is given of this coat-of-arms, and it is accredited to Edward Howell of Southampton. This same "arms" appears in the appendix of Matthew's American Armoury and Blue Book, and is traced to Edward Howell of Marsh Gibbon, Buckinghamshire, England. It is not known whether or not the two men, John and Edward Howell, were related. But the fact John Howell is supposed to have brought the coat-of-arms from Wales and the fact that Edward Howell owned the same bearings, certainly must indicate a relationship between the two men, for only closely related families inherited the same armorial bearings.

On October 27th 1844 Mr. James Peter Howell wrote a letter to Mr. James Barnaby Howell in which he related the history of the Welch Bible, brought to this country in 1640 by John Howell. The Book had descended to the fifth generation - Phinaes Howell, James Peter Howell's great-grandfather. Phineas Howell had married Brown. Evidently her husband had preceded her in death, for at the time of her death, she confided the Bible to her only daughter, Mary Howell. Mary Howell married, and before her death gave the book to her second daughter. This daughter married and ere she died she requested her husband give it to her younger sister, but he refused to do so - twice and the Bible was "spirited away and secreted".

      [Phineas Howell comes from Richard Howell's son David's lineage.]

Mr. Howell further relates that his great-great grandfather's name was recorded and his great grandfather's also, which takes the record back many generations. He had been told by people who had read the Book, and by others who had heard it read, that his father's name - James Howell, Senior - was the last name inscribed in its records in 1790. The Bible was lost to all who had any right to it about 1803.

Note: Until now facts concerning the Widow Howell, whose son, Richard is generally acknowledged the founder of this Southold branch of Howells and discovered the European antecedents of of this family can not be traced. Should it be later proved that Richard Howell is descended from Edward Howell, Founder of the Southampton Colony, as is stated by some historians and in certain books, but without adequate proof, the family could be easily traced back a number of generations. Given the first hypothesis which is fairly well documented, it is sufficient at this point to limit generalities about the Howell family in Europe. - W.F.H.