Charles Bowen Howry

Howry was born on May 14, 1844, in Oxford, Mississippi,^[1] the son of James M. Howry and Narcissa (Bowen) Howry.^[2] He received his early education in Oxford and began studies at the University of Mississippi, but left college to serve in the American Civil War.^[3] Howry joined the Confederate States Army's 29th Mississippi Infantry Regiment as a private.^[4] He later received a commission, and attained the rank of captain.^[4] Howry's combat experience included the Battles of Chickamauga, Lookout Mountain, Missionary Ridge, Resaca, New Hope Church, Peachtree Creek, Atlanta, Jonesborough, and Franklin.^[1] Howry was wounded at the Battle of Franklin, and remained in the military until the end of the war.^[2] After the war, Howry was a longtime member of the United Confederate Veterans.^[5] He served in several leadership roles, including commander of the Army of Northern Virginia department with the rank of lieutenant general.^[5]

After the war, Howry studied law with Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar II, and then returned to the University of Mississippi School of Law, from which he received a Bachelor of Laws degree in 1867.^[4] Howry was admitted to the bar later that year, and entered private practice in Oxford.^[4] He was a trustee of the university from 1882 to 1894,^[2][4] and in 1896 the university awarded him the honorary degree of LL.D.^[2] In addition to practicing in Oxford, Howry was active in politics as a Democrat, and was elected to a term as prosecuting attorney of Lafayette County, Mississippi in 1869.^[4] He was a member of the Mississippi House of Representatives from 1880 to 1884.^[4] From 1885 to 1889, Howry was the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi.^[2][4] Howry was a longtime member of the Mississippi Democratic Party's executive committee,^[4] and he was a member of the Democratic National Committee from 1891 to 1896.^[1] From 1891 to 1892, Howry was a vice president of the American Bar Association.^[4] He was a United States Assistant Attorney General for the United States Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., from 1893 to 1897.^[4]

Howry received a recess appointment from President Grover Cleveland on November 23, 1896, to a Judge seat on the Court of Claims (later the United States Court of Claims) vacated by Judge Charles C. Nott.^[6][7] He was nominated to the same position by President Cleveland on December 8, 1896.^[7] He was confirmed by the United States Senate on January 28, 1897, and received his commission the same day.^[7] His service terminated on March 6, 1915, due to his resignation.^[7] He was succeeded by Judge George Eddy Downey.^[8][7]

While on the court, Howry became known for his ability to apply the historical precedents of Anglo-American common law to his decisions and written opinions.^[6] His notable opinions included the decisions in the French Spoliation Claims, Ayres v. United States and Lincoln v. United States.^[9]

President Woodrow Wilson offered to appoint Howry as Chief Justice, which he declined because of Wilson's condition that if he accepted, Howry would retire on reaching age 70 in 1914.^[8]

Following his resignation from the federal bench, Howry resumed private practice in Washington, D.C. Additionally, he was Chairman of the federal railroad Board of Arbitration in 1916,^[10] and special counsel to the United States Department of Labor from 1918 to 1919.^[11]

Howry died in Washington, D.C. of heart failure on July 20, 1928.^[12][7] He was buried at Oxford Memorial Cemetery.^[12]

In 1869, Howry married Edmonia Beverley Carter of Virginia.^[8] She died in 1879, and they were the parents of two sons, Lucien Beverley Howry and Willard Carter Lowry, and a daughter, Maude.^[13] Howry remarried in 1880, becoming the husband of Harriet (Hallie) Holt of Columbus, Mississippi.^[8] They had four children—Charles Jr., Hallie, Elizabeth, and Mary.^[13] The second Mrs. Howry died in 1898.^[13] In 1900, Howry married Sallie Bird Smith (d. 1942), the widow of Buckingham Smith.^[8]

• Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity (October 1895). "Five Representative Sigs: Charles Bowen Howry". The Record of Sigma Alpha Epsilon. Vol. XV, no. 3. Lynn, MA: The Nichols Press.
• Small, Arthur Everett (December 30, 1916). "The Award of the Federal Board of Arbitration in the Wage Controversy Between Railroads and Switchmen". The Economic World. New York, NY: The Chronicle Company.
• Howry, Charles B. (March 1924). "Department of the Army of Northern Virginia, U.C.V." Confederate Veteran. Vol. XXXII, no. 3. Nashville, TN: Trustees of the Confederate Veteran.

• Distinguished Successful Americans of Our Day. Chicago, IL: Successful Americans. 1911.
• Bicentennial Committee of the Judicial Conference of the United States (1983). Judges of the United States (2 ed.). Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office.
• Capace, Nancy (2000). Encyclopedia of Mississippi. Santa Barbara, CA: Somerset Publishers, Inc. ISBN 978-0-403-09603-9.
• U.S. Congress Joint Committee on Printing (1914). Official Congressional Directory. Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office.
• White, James Terry (1932). The National Cyclopedia of American Biography. New York, NY: James T. White and Company.

• "Judge C. B. Howry Buried at Oxford". The Clarion-Ledger. Jackson, MS. July 24, 1928 – via Newspapers.com.

• Bennett, Marion T. (1976). The United States Court of Claims: A History; Part I: The Judges, 1855–1976. Washington, D.C.: Committee on the Bicentennial of Independence and the Constitution of the Judicial Conference of the United States.

• Charles Bowen Howry at the Federal Judicial Center