Rear Admiral John Cumming Howell
Grandson of propositus Richard Howell. Born in Philadelphia , PA on 24 Nov 1819 and died in Folkestone, England on 12 Sep 1892. Mid-shipman in the US Navy 9 Jun 1836. Served in the Mediterranean and East India on the sloop of war ‘Levant’ 1836-1840. In the Home Squadron before the Civil War. Past Midshipman 1 Jul 1842 on board the frigate ‘Congress’ in the Mediterranean for two years. Then to the East Indies in the brig ‘Perry’ 1844-1845. Naval Storekeeper at Macao 1845-1848. Lieutenant 2 Aug 1849 with cruises in the frigate ‘Raritan’ of the Home Squadron and the ‘Saratoga’ of the East India Squadron, returning home in 1854. Two years service at the Philadelphia Station. 1856 on cruise in the Mediterranean in the steamer ‘Susquehanna’. Again served in Philadelphia. During the Civil War served as Executive Officer on the USS Minnesota at the Battle of Hatteras Inlet. Commander 16 Jul 1862. Commanded the steamer ‘Tahoma’. Employed in the East Gulf and North Atlantic Blockading Squadrons 1862-1863. Commanded the ‘Nereus’ while engaged in both actions at Fort Fisher in Dec 1864 and Jan 1865. Captain 25 Jul 1866. From 1869 to 1871 was Fleet Captain and Chief of Staff of the European Squadron. 1871-1872 was Commandant at League Island of the Philadelphia Navy Yard. Commodore 29 Jan 1872. 1872-1874 had Command of the Navy Yard in Portsmouth, NH. Acting Secretary of the Navy at various times from 1874 to 1878,including on 1 Aug 1875. Chief to the Bureau of Yards and Docks 1875-1878. Rear Admiral on 25 Apr 1877. Retired on 24 Nov 1881. In Command of the North Atlantic and Mediterranean Squadrons Sep 1877-1881. Retired 24 Nov 1881. Washington College, Pennsylvania graduate. Member of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States. Married Mary Stockton. [Sources:; (98); (C); “National Cyclopaedia of American Biography”,Volume 4; “Drake’s Dictionary of American Biography”, 1872;www.history.navy.mil/library/manuscript/howell_john. Pic at the Naval Historical Museum, Wash., DC. #NH79218]
Mr. Howell was the grandson of Richard Howell.