The Life of HON. THOMAS MARSHALL HOWE

Thomas Marshall Howe was a Whig member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.

Among the visionary entrepreneurs of the mid-nineteenth century who built Pittsburgh into "The workshop of the world" was the highly successful and respected Thomas M. Howe. (1801-1877). Like several of his contemporaries, Mr. Howe was a "strong man" in iron and steel manufacturing, finance, politics and public service. So great was his reputation for integrity, dignity and wisdom that in later years he was referred to as "The Honorable" or "General" Thomas M. Howe.

General Howe was born in Williamstown, Vermont, of English ancestry that settled in Massachusetts before 1638. In Pittsburgh, Howe's first job was in the hardware business in which he rose rapidly. Early on he showed financial and leadership skills which helped him prosper from interests in many businesses and become active in politics as a enthusiastic Whig. In 1850, he was elected, and in 1852 reelected, to the Congress of the United States, where his major legislative interests were in interstate commerce and protective tariffs. In 1851, he was elected president of the Exchange Bank and president of the newly formed Chamber of Commerce of Pittsburgh, a position he held until his death. He helped organize the Pittsburgh and Boston Mining Company to mine copper ore in Michigan--- and the C.G. Hussey and Company, copper manufacturers and Hussey, Howe and Company, steel manufacturers. He had the reputation of being optimistic and ready to invest his capital and time in businesses that would advance Pittsburgh. His dealings were always honorable and honest, and his manner positive, polite and unostentatious.

During the Civil war he served effectively as Assistant Adjutant General on the staff of Governor of Pennsylvania Andrew Curtin, who had defeated him narrowly in the previous gubernatorial election.

General Howe invested his resources and knowledge in too many ventures to list here. One was the profitable Cleveland and Pittsburgh Railroad. He amassed a large fortune which, at his death in 1877, amounted to $10 million, the largest estate probated in this area at that time. 4734 Butler Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15201-2999

For thirty years, General Howe was a Vestryman of Trinity Church. In 1855 he took an active part in the establishment of Calvary Episcopal Church where he was a Warden and Vestryman. He lived in a large stone gothic mansion, "Greystone". Michael Benedum gave the same name to his handsome home on the same site, built in 1912 (still there as an apartment building.) Both mansions were located high above Fifth Avenue at its junction with Highland Avenue where the Howe Spring once provided wholesome drinking water to passing cyclists and pedestrians. The spring is dry now, but the springhouse still stands.

General Thomas Marshall Howe was the progenitor of many Pittsburgh families still active in its business, financial and civic affairs. Among those are Austin, Bissell, Blair, Brown, Childs, Ebbert, Fagan, Frew, Guthrie, McClintic, Nimick, Oliver, Orr, Rea and Reed.

Howe Street is a prestigious old residential address in Shadyside. It stretches from it's junction with Aiken Avenue to Festival Street near Mellon Park.