Reminiscenses Of A Former Michigan Man

"I have known Mark Howard from eai-ly boybood," s;iiil J. M. Welch at the Miciiigiiu JExckange last evenlng, referto the ilcutli or die President o( ilie National Fire Insurance Gompany, whlcti occui-red at Hartford, Coun., a few dajs ajo. "Mark wm bom n MaldatoM, Eng land, seventy veáis ajo, mul Oftme to Ann Arbor vvitli bis falher wben a mere stripl inr. J I tï bacante un appreatioe boy in tlie Journal printing office aboat tbeyear 1838, :tnd I stood by his side on" tbe Fourth of July when bli litlle toad eannou bnrst and deftroyed tbe sight of one eye. I never knew liim to do a luilliant tliing or a stupid one - lie ral a plaln, steady-goinjr, liard workinr boy and won iiis way to the proprtotorahlp orthe printna oiHce by sheer indnstry and eoonomy. Wliile still a young uian be was elected Clerk oftlie House of Kepresentatives at Lanaiog and was poMmitúer of Aun Arí'or tour years. While in Ann Arbor he became connecled with one of the Hartford tiie laauranoe eorapaniea, and soon after went there to reside. He held tbe Si.iic agency lor several yean and then became general managr of tbecompany. ín May, 1840, the irreal Breoocurud inSt. Lotus, Mo., and thoujcli the cholera was raging tnere at tbe time, llow;ird went to the city and staycd anti] every loss was ailjustcd. This ction inspired peopleeverywhere with rreat contidenoe i ti Hartford Ure Intontnce and etpeolally in the Protection and Etna, whicli companies lie represented. From 1807 until the Chicago lire dCCOaacd w;is President of thc .M.'Kliants' Company, and from tlmt time until his death he was President of the National. '"Mark Howard was an intense purtUaO [)Olilically. He was one of the oianizt'rs of tbe reptiblioan party in Connecticut and was the lirst Internul lJevenue Uollecter appointed in Hartford. He had MM in fcelde liealtb lor tbe past ten years. I i is wife, a siter of V. II. Lee, of New York, three daugbters and e. sou, Williani Lee Howard, urvive hini. 1 1 is trotber, John Howard, is a leading lawyer ot Montan. One of his datljrbtert is ibe wlU of Morgan vv. üeach, tiie otlier ;wo are unin irrled. Tliouh not a inilJoDalrt tbedeoeased was wealtby, hls fortune liavin been acouinulated I irjely lluough early luvestiuebta In western iands. Mr. l'loward's fulber Ia burled in Ann Arbor wbere several )l idiitives