By Local History Librarian David Votta Michigan Attorney General Jacob Merritt Howard, who served our state from 1855-1861, is arguably one of the most influential people in the history of our nation’s constitution, apart from the Founding Fathers.
Born in Vermont, Howard moved to Michigan in 1832 and settled in Detroit. There he was admitted to the bar, becoming City Attorney in 1834. It is said that he “took up arms” in defense of his adopted home state during the nearly bloodless Toledo War with Ohio. After that, Howard became a member of the Michigan legislature, then was elected to the U.S. Congress in 1840. By known accounts, it is there that he honed his thoughts on slavery, eventually deciding on what he believed to be the only answer to ending the practice altogether: war between the states.
According to many accounts, including Clarence M. Burton’s City of Detroit, Howard can be credited with adopting the name “Republican Party” while helping draft the new party’s platform. This occurred at the famous “Under the Oakes” convention in Jackson, Michigan, on July 6, 1854.
During his tenure as Michigan’s Attorney General, Howard’s official residence remained Detroit. However, his work at the Capitol meant frequent stays in Lansing. Back in those days, it would have been a jarring 12-hour coach ride from Detroit to Lansing-and that’s in good weather! It’s likely that Howard would have stayed in a local hotel or boarding house, as did many legislators and state workers who worked in Lansing for extended periods of time.
In 1861, just as the Civil War was breaking out, Howard was elected to the U.S. Senate. During his first term, he is said to have worked closely with Abraham Lincoln. He was a contributor in drafting and helping pass the 13th Amendment, abolishing slavery. Later he was instrumental in drafting and passing the 14th amendment (granting citizenship to freed slaves), and the 15th (granting African American men the right to vote).
Jacob Merritt Howard remained in the Senate until 1871. He died less than a month after leaving office and is buried at Elmwood Cemetery in Detroit.
Anyone interested in Lansing history should check out the Forest Parke Library & Archives, housed in the Downtown Lansing Library. This dedicated area serves a repository for historical books, manuscripts, photographs, maps, ephemera, film and 3D objects. The FPL&A is open to the public on Tuesdays from 5-7 pm. For more information, contact David Votta at (517) 334-1521 or vottad@cadl.org.
The Capital Area District Library Reference Department is located at 401 S. Capitol Avenue in Lansing, MI. Contact them at 517-367-6346 or by e-mail at reference@cadl.org.
This was printed in the January 29, 2012 – February 11, 2012 Edition
