John Eager Howard

Maryland Historical Society

John Eager Howard, planter and politician, was a Revolutionary War hero, three-term governor of Maryland, and United States Senator for seven years. Howard was born on June 4, 1752, in Baltimore County, the third son of planter Cornelius Howard (c.1706-1777) and Ruth Eager (c.1721-1796). He had five brothers and five sisters.

Howard came of political age just as Maryland was moving toward revolution, holding his first public office in 1774 as a member of the Baltimore County Committee of Observation. Beginning in July 1776 he served with distinction in Maryland regiments, rising to the rank of colonel in 1781 and receiving a congressional medal for heroism during the Battle of Cowpens in January of that year. Howard was a founding member of the Society of Cincinnati in 1783, whose members had served as officers during the Revolutionary War.

On May 18, 1787, Howard married Margaret Oswald Chew, daughter of Benjamin Chew (1722-1810), chief judge of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court from 1774 to1776, a Loyalist during the Revolution, and president of the state's High Court of Errors and Appeals from 1791 to 1808. The couple had six sons and two daughters.

Howard held a number of political offices after the Revolution, the most important being the governorship from 1788 to 1791, a seat in the Maryland state senate from 1791 to 1796, and one of Maryland's seats in the United States Senate from 1796 to 1803. He was also the Federalist Party's unsuccessful candidate for vice-president in 1816. Howard's eldest son George, who was born in the governor's residence during his father's term, would also serve as governor, from 1831 to 1833.

In addition to his military and political careers, Howard was a major developer of the city of Baltimore. He subdivided several hundred lots in and near the city, most of which he leased to tenants. In addition, he donated land for construction of the city's Washington Monument, various churches, a cemetery for non-residents, and a market house. Howard also offered land to the State of Maryland for construction of a new state house if the capital were moved from Annapolis to Baltimore. Howard's own home, Belvedere, was located near the intersection of Calvert and Chase Streets.

At the time of his death, Howard owned 289 lots in Baltimore as well as two thousand acres in Baltimore, Anne Arundel, and Allegany Counties, an estate valued at just over one million dollars. Howard died at Belvedere on October 12, 1827 and was buried in old St. Paul's Cemetery in Baltimore.

Howard, Cary. “John Eager Howard.” Maryland Historical Magazine. T62 (1967): 300–317.

Papenfuse, Edward C. et al., eds. A Biographical Dictionary of the Maryland Legislature, 1635-1789. Vol. 1. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1979.

White, Frank F., Jr. The Governors of Maryland, 1777–1970. Publication No. 15. Annapolis: The Hall of Records Commission, 1970.