HOWE FAMILY Among the early settlers at Marietta, the name of Perly Howe appears. He was born at Killingly, Connecticut, May 14, 1768. He came to Ohio at the early period of settlement and was one of the first male teachers at the stockade. While there he formed the acquaintance of Persis Putnam, daughter of General Rufus Putnam, whom he married May 2, 1798. He soon after came to Belpre and settled on a farm given him by General Putnam, on which his grandson, George A. Howe now lives. Mr. Howe was familiarly known among the old settlers, as "Master Howe." He, for a long time taught school in Upper Belpre, and the few old men yet living, remember him as their first teacher. He was one of the best teachers of the community, a good writer, and"good in figures." He lived to see the farm on which he settled, well improved, and the border country to which he came, developed into a well organized community. He died May 17, 1855. His first wife, Persis Putnam, died September 16, 1822. He married for his second wife, Sarah Emerson, September 2, 1827; she died February 19, 1863. By his first wife he had five children, viz: Joseph, born July 4, 1800; Perley, born May 28, 1802; Abigail Putnam, wife of William R. Walker of Athens county, born December 31, 1804; Rufus William, born June 17, 1807, only two of whom married---William and Abigail. Mr. Howe was commissioned Captain of the first brigade, third division of the Washington county militia, in 1804, by Governor Tiffin. At the time of Aaron Burr's conspiracy, this company stood guard, and Captain Howe was a witness at the trial. Mr. Howe was one of the organizers of the Presbyterian church in Belpre, and was a deacon until his death, in his eighty-eight year. Rufus William Howe was a farmer all his life. In his youth, after passing through the country schools, he attended the academy at Marietta, and boarded with General Rufus Putnam, his grandfather. He married for his first wife, Lucy Eastman, May 23, 1833, of the Lower Belpre settlement. She died September 22, 1834, leaving no children. He married for his second wife, Polly Proctor, of Watertown township, June 24, 1835; the family consisted of four children, viz: Joseph Perly, born April 6, 1836; George Augustus and Persis Putnam. George, the second son, is the only member of the family who married. He married Charlotte Ann Wyatt, of Amestown, Athens county, October 26, 1865. they had five children, viz: Charlotte Wyatt, Mary Emily, Persis Putnam, Blanche and Jessie, the three oldest of whom are living. He married for his second wife, Mary S. Chapman, of College Hill, Ohio February 12, 1880. William Howe lived in a house facing Blennerhasset Island first, afterwards removed to the plain. A pictorial sketch of the residence of George A., which stands on the plain overlooking the valley and river, will be found on an adjoining page. History of Washington County, Ohio 1788-1881 By H. Z. Williams Chapter XXXIIX (Belpre Township) Pages 529 & 530 Extracted by Debbie (Noland) Nitsche April 2004 Debbie (Noland) Nitsche Diamonddeb@comcast.net WASHINGTON COUNTY, OHIO HISTORICAL & GENEALOGY "LINKS" http://hometown.aol.com/washcohistory/Intropage1.html