A Guide to the William E. Howard Papers, 1826-1853, 1908, 1930-1954

Biographical Note

Physician and Texana collector William Eager Howard (1877-1948) was one of seven children born to Henry Peyton Howard and Lee Weir. A native of San Antonio, Texas, Howard graduated from the University of Texas Department of Medicine in Galveston in 1897. Howard began his medical practice in San Antonio, eventually moving to Dallas where he established himself as an eye, ear, nose, and throat specialist. He also fought in the Spanish-American War and was appointed surgeon general of the Spanish-American Veterans of the United States. As an avid collector of Texana, Howard acquired many important items, such as papers of Stephen F. Austin, Antonio López de Santa Anna, and Sam Houston. Howard donated much of his collection to repositories throughout Texas, including the Texas Memorial Museum and the Daughters of the Republic of Texas Library. In addition to serving as president of the Sons of the Republic of Texas and other historical organizations, Howard was a member of the Sons of the American Revolution; the Texas State Historical Commission; the Dallas Historical Society; the Commission for the San Jacinto Battleground; and the Knights of San Jacinto.

Source:

Utterback, Martha D. "Howard, William Eager."Handbook of Texas Online. Accessed January 21, 2011. http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fho94.

Scope and Contents

Consisting of correspondence, manuscripts, notebooks, newspaper clippings, biographical sketches, genealogical items, photographs, research notes, and business and financial documents, the William E. Howard Papers, 1826-1853, 1908, 1930-1954, chronicle Howard’s familial affairs and interest in Texas history. Correspondence, notebooks, photographs, and genealogical papers concern Howard’s childhood, education, early medical practice, research, and family history. Other documents pertain to Howard’s membership in the Texas Historical Commission and the Dallas Historical Society as well as his presidency of the Sons of the Republic of Texas. The collection also includes an edited manuscript copy of Tall Men with Long Rifles: The Glamorous Story of the Texas Revolution (1935), written by James T. DeShields, as well as several issues of Dallas magazine. Additional items relating to Howard’s research on Texas history include manuscripts, research notes, and newspaper clippings on Edward Burleson as lieutenant colonel in the Tennessee militia and a sketch of the battle of Buena Vista during the Mexican War. Financial and business records consist of receipts, account statements, a surety bond, and a tax assessment, among other items.

Restrictions

Access Restrictions

This collection is open for research use.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

William E. Howard Papers, 1826-1853, 1908, 1930-1954, Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin.

Processing Information

Basic processing and cataloging of this collection was supported with funds from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) for the Briscoe Center’s "History Revealed: Bringing Collections to Light" project, 2009-2011.

Detailed Description of the Papers