George W. Howe, of Milo, Judge of Probate for Piscataquis County, an ex-member of the legislature, and a veteran of the Civil War, was born in St. Albans, Maine, April 24, 1844, son of Jonathan and Jane (Hubbard) Howe. The father, who was a native of Greene, Maine, left that town when about eighteen years old, and resided for a time in Canaan. From Canaan he moved to St. Albans, where he lived until 1855. Then, removing to Penobscot County, he resided in Bradford, Hudson, Corinth, and Charleston; and his last days were spent upon a farm in Orneville. He died in 1878. In early life he was a Jacksonian Democrat. Later he joined the Republican party. His religious belief was that of the Free Will Baptists. His first wife, Jane Hubbard Howe, who was a native of Canaan, died about the year 1852. His second marriage was contracted with Mrs. Strout Dumphy. The children of his first union were: Mary, Eliza, Caroline, George W., and Roxana. Mary is now the wife of Daniel Keaton. Eliza married Henry Mason, who died in 1897. Caroline, residing in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, is the widow of Charles Kimball, who was drowned in Lake Superior. She was educated at the Hampden (Me.) Academy, and after the death of her husband taught school in Oshkosh. Roxana is no longer living. Jonathan Howe’s second wife had four children; namely, Samuel T., Charles A., Ella F., and Mahala. Mahala is now deceased.
George W. Howe was eight years old when his mother died. For the succeeding two years he lived with George Hubbard, a farmer in Canaan. Then he went to Penobscot County to reside with his father, and his education was completed at the East Corinth Academy. Subsequently entering the office of Jacob Lovejoy in East Corinth, he pursued his law studies in connection with teaching school until 1862. In that year he enlisted as a private in the Twenty-second Regiment, Maine Volunteer Infantry, with which he served for nearly a year in the Civil War. The regiment was attached to the Department of the Gulf, serving on the Lower Mississippi and in the Red River expedition under General Banks, and taking part in the battle of Irish Bend and several other engagements. For a time Mr. Howe did clerical work in the hospital department. After he was mustered out in Bangor in August, 1863, he tried to reenlist, but was not accepted on account of physical disability. Receiving an offer to enter mercantile business in Hudson some time after, he accepted, and for several years was associated with Henry Briggs, both as clerk and partner. While residing there he taught school, served as Trial Justice and Justice of the Peace, and resumed his law studies by the aid of books borrowed from Lawyer Wentworth, of Bradford. He completed his legal preparations in the office of Davis & Bailey, Bangor, and was duly admitted to the Piscataquis County bar at Dover. He continued school teaching for a short time after opening an office in Milo in 1883. Eventually he gave it up in order to devote his entire attention to his practice. Politically, Mr. Howe is a Republican. Although Hudson is strongly Democratic, he was elected a Selectman, and served as Supervisor, Moderator, and Town Clerk while residing there. In Milo he has filled the offices of Supervisor and First Selectman; and as a member of the legislature in 1895 he was assigned to the Committees on Legal Affairs and Education. He was appointed by Governor Cleaves to complete the unexpired term of the late Judge Hale as Judge of Probate, and has performed the duties of that office in a most capable manner. As a lawyer he is widely and favorably known throughout Piscataquis County, and has a large practice in the Supreme Judicial Courts of Dover and Bangor. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and of the Masonic fraternity; and he has been Commander of Post J. S. Sampson, G. A. R.
Mr. Howe married for his first wife Susan V. Tozier, a daughter of Joseph Tozier, of Hudson, and who died in 1887. His second wife was before marriage Mary E. Clement, daughter of George M. Clement, of Corinth, Maine. She was educated at the East Corinth Academy, and became a successful teacher. Born of this union was one son, George.
Mrs. Howe died September 17, 1896. Mr. Howe is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, as was his first wife.
Source: Biographical review: containing life sketches of leading citizens of Somerset, Piscataquis, Hancock, Washington, and Aroostook counties, Maine. Boston: Biographical Review Publishing Company, 1898.