Private Thomas Proctor Howard

Quick Facts

Significance:

Private on the Lewis and Clark Expedition

Place of Birth:

Brimfield, Hampden County, Massachusetts

Date of Birth:

1779

Place of Death:

Unknown

Date of Death:

By March 23rd, 1814

Place of Burial:

Unknown

Cemetery Name:

Unknown

"This morning, dispatched Howard... to the camp of the Salt-makers." Lewis, January 23rd, 1806

Not much was written about Thomas, but that which was shows he was tasked with many of the same duties as other men on the expedition. While he may not have stood out among his peers the menial tasks he was assigned were important to allow the Captains to continue their journal work.

Service on the Expedition

Howard's name was often alongside others sent out to perform routine tasks such as hunting, scouting, and even making trips to the Salt Works in small groups. He was trusted enough that on April 2nd, 1806, Clark picks him as part of a six man journey to "...return to this river and examine its Size and Collect as much information..."

As the Expedition wintered over at Fort Mandan however he would have the "honor" of being the final court-martial, where Lewis describes the situation on February 9th, 1805, as follows:

"this evening a man by the name of Howard whom I had given permission to go the Mandane vilage returned after the gate was shut and rether than call to the guard to have it opened scaled the works an indian who was looking on shortly after followed his example. I 〈told〉 convinced the Indian of the impropryety of his conduct, and explained to him the riske he had run of being severely treated, the fellow appeared much allarmed, I gave him a small piece of tobacco and sent him away    Howard I had comitted to the care of the guard with a determineation to have him tryed by a Courtmartial for this offence. this man is an old soldier which still hightens this offince" 

After the Expedition

For his services Tomhas was paid $166.66. He was still serving in the military as of 1808. Records show he married a Genevieve Roy and had two sons, however like many others of the expedition their life story would not be documented any further.
 

Resources:

Morris, Larry E. The Fate of the Corps. Yale University Press, 2004. Print.

Moulton, Gary. The Journals of the Lewis & Clark Expedition: August 30, 1803 - August 2, 1804 . University of Nebraska Press, 1986. Print.

Moulton, Gary. Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. University of Nebraska Press. Web.

Further Reading:

Learn more about Thomas Howard at Lewis-Clark.org.