Parley Howlett Jr (1784 - 1861)

Born 1 Jun 1784 in Shaftsbury, Bennington, Vermont, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Laura (Phillips) Howlett — married 18 Dec 1858 in Town of Salina, Onondaga, New York, United States

Descendants

Died 18 May 1861 at age 76 in Onandaga County, New York, United States

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Biography

Born: 1 Jun 1784
Died: 18 May 1861
Married: Phebe^[1]

"Parley Howlett was born in the town of Shaftsbury, Vermont, June 1, 1784. He was the second son, in a family of five sons and daughters, of Parley Howlett and Barsheba Parker, the former a native of Vermont, and the latter a native of Connecticut. The family of Howlett is descended from Parley Howlett, one of three brothers (the other two named William and John) who emigrated from England in the ship "Mayflower," and landing at Plymouth Rock, 1620. His father came to Onondaga County with his family, and settled in the town of Onondaga, in the year 1797, on one of the hills of that town now bearing his name, purchased land, and was one of the pioneers of this county, and died in 1803.

Parley spent his minority clearing; land and farming, receiving; a very limited education from books ; but in early life he became so inured to self-reliance and habits of industry as to make his subsequent years a worthy record in the history of Onondaga County. At the age of twenty-three years he purchased one hundred acres of land, and began clearing; the same. To this purchase, in 1814, he added some two hundred acres more, very nearly the whole of which he caused to be cleared, and after the salt interest began, he caused the timber to be cut into wood, hauled the wood to Geddes, and used it in the manufacture of salt.

He early engaged in the salt business: first using eight kettleblocks, afterwards using sixteen, and subsequently thirty-two kettleblocks. He was the first man who shipped salt west, boating it down the Oswego river, thence by the lake, drawing it with teams around the falls; found a market first at Silver Creek, afterwards Erie, Pa., and Ashtabulu, Ohio, and subsequently at Cleveland; exchanging his salt for horses and cattle, he drove them back to this county. After two years he killed his cattle and packed the meat for the eastern market. After the canal was finished he packed his meat in Syracuse, his packing-house being located opposite the present way-locks in the city. He shipped the first beef and pork in barrels, by the Erie canal, that was sent cast from Oneida County.

The history of Mr. Howlett's operations first goes back so far in the early settlement of the country lie passed through with his stock in returning; home, that he related passing thru twenty-five miles of woodland, by marked trees, from one clearing; to another. His whole life was spent in active business until within a few years of his death. He lived and died on the farm he had purchased in 1817.

He was liberal in his views of educational interests, and gave largely for the support of the same. In politics he was identified with the Anti-Masonic party, with the Whig party, and upon the formation of the Republican party became a warm supporter of its principles; and so opposed was he to the principles of slavery that, upon the breaking out of the Rebellion in 1860, that question seemed to occupy his whole attention, and he desired that the war should never be ended until that institution was abolished, but he only lived until May 18, 1861, just at the beginning of the war.

In the year 1815, July 21, he married Miss Phebe Robbins, a native of Connecticut, but of this county at the time of the marriage. To them were born eleven children: Solomon K., Horatio G, Myron P., Latitia E., Jane M.. Parley L., Alfred A., Celestia S., Daniel. Francis C , and Jerome Howlett, six of whom are now living; and Alfred A. desires by this sketch and portrait above to place upon the pages of history a few facts relating to one of Onondaga's pioneer active business men."^[1]

Excerpt taken from
History of Onondaga County, New York (1878)
Author: W. Woodford Clayton
Publisher: D. Mason & Co., Syracuse, New York, USA

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Parley Howlett. Find a Grave Record #25267616 https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=25267616&ref=acom