John Eager Howard | |
|---|---|
 Portrait of Howard byRembrandt Peale,c. 1825 | |
| President pro tempore of the United States Senate | |
| In office November 21, 1800 – November 27, 1800 | |
| Preceded by | Uriah Tracy |
| Succeeded by | James Hillhouse |
| United States Senator fromMaryland | |
| In office November 21, 1796 – March 3, 1803 | |
| Preceded by | Richard Potts |
| Succeeded by | Samuel Smith |
| 5thGovernor of Maryland | |
| In office November 24, 1788 – November 14, 1791 | |
| Preceded by | William Smallwood |
| Succeeded by | George Plater |
| Member of theMaryland Senate | |
| In office 1791–1795 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | John Eager Howard (1752-06-04)June 4, 1752 Baltimore County, Maryland, British America |
| Died | October 12, 1827(1827-10-12) (aged 75) |
| Resting place | Old Saint Paul's Cemetery |
| Political party | Federalist |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 9, includingGeorge,Benjamin, andWilliam |
| Signature |  |
John Eager Howard (June 4, 1752 – October 12, 1827) was an American soldier and politician fromMaryland. He was elected as governor of the state in 1788, and served three one-year terms. He also was elected to theContinental Congress, theCongress of the Confederation, theUnited States Senate, and theMaryland Senate.[1] In the1816 presidential election, Howard received 22 electoral votes for vice president on theFederalist Party ticket withRufus King; the ticket lost toDemocratic-RepublicansJames Monroe andDaniel D. Tompkins in a landslide.
Howard County, Maryland, is named for him, as are three streets inBaltimore.[2] For seven days in November 1800, Howard waspresident pro tempore of the Senate.
John Eager Howard was the son of Cornelius Howard and Ruth (Eager) Howard, of the Marylandplanter elite and was born at their plantation "The Forest" inBaltimore County, Maryland.[3] Howard grew up in anAnglican slaveholding family.
Howard joined aBaltimore lodge ofFreemasons.[2]
Commissioned a captain at the beginning of theAmerican Revolutionary War (1775–1783), Howard rose in 1777 to the rank of colonel in theMaryland Line of theContinental Army,[1] fighting in theBattle of White Plains in 1776 and in theBattle of Monmouth in 1778. He was awarded a silver medal by theConfederation Congress for his leadership at theBattle of Cowpens in 1781,[1] during which he commanded the2nd Maryland Regiment.[4] In September 1781, he was wounded in a bayonet charge at theBattle of Eutaw Springs.[5] Major GeneralNathanael Greene wrote that Howard was "as good an officer as the world affords. He has great ability and the best disposition to promote the service....He deserves a statue of gold."[6]
At the conclusion of the war, Colonel Howard was admitted as an original member of theSociety of the Cincinnati of Maryland.[7] He went on to serve as the vice president (1795–1804) and president (1804–1827) of the Society in Maryland.[8]
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Following his army service, Howard held several electoral political positions: elected to the Confederation Congress in 1788; fifthGovernor of Maryland for three one-year terms from 1788 through 1791; later asState Senator from 1791 through 1795; andelector in thepresidential election of 1792. He declined an offer fromGeorge Washington in 1795 to serve asSecretary of War. He subsequently joined the newly organizedFederalist Party and was elected to theSenate of theFourth Congress by theGeneral Assembly of Maryland to serve the remainder of the term ofRichard Potts, who had resigned. He was elected to a Senate term of his own in 1797, serving until March 3, 1803, and briefly served aspresident pro tempore of the Senate in November 1800.[1] While in Congress, he was the sole Federalist to vote against theSedition Act.[citation needed]
In 1798, amidstrising tensions with France, Howard declined a commission asbrigadier general in theUnited States Army.[1]
At the end of his Senate term in 1803, Howard returned to Baltimore, where he avoided elected office but continued in public service and philanthropy.[9] He was elected a member of theAmerican Antiquarian Society in 1815.[10] In the1816 presidential election, he received 22 electoral votes forVice President[2] as the running mate of FederalistRufus King, losing toDemocratic-Republican candidatesJames Monroe andDaniel D. Tompkins in a landslide. No formal Federalist nomination had been made, and it is not clear whether Howard himself, who was one of several Federalists who received electoral votes for vice president, actually wanted to run.[citation needed]
Howard developed property in the city of Baltimore and was active in city planning. His house was constructed north of the city, in what later became theMount Vernon neighborhood, where he owned slaves.[11]
_and_Her_Son%2c_John_Eager_Howard_II.jpg)
Howard marriedMargaret ("Peggy") Chew, daughter ofPennsylvania Supreme Court justiceBenjamin Chew, in 1787.[2] They had nine children:
Howard died in 1827. He is buried atOld Saint Paul's Cemetery in Baltimore.[1]
According to the 1820 census there were ... five slaves and seven free blacks.
Media related toJohn Eager Howard at Wikimedia Commons| Political offices | ||
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| Preceded by | Governor of Maryland 1788–1791 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | President pro tempore of the United States Senate 1800 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. Senate | ||
| Preceded by | U.S. Senator (Class 1) from Maryland 1796–1803 Served alongside:John Henry,James Lloyd,William Hindman,Robert Wright | Succeeded by |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Federalist nominee forVice President of the United States 1816 | Succeeded by |
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| Class 3 | ||
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