Morton Boyte Howell (October 2, 1834 - January 23, 1909) was an American Masonic leader, lawyer and politician. He served as the mayor of

Nashville, Tennessee Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the List of muni ...

, in 1875–1876.

Early life

Morton Boyte Howell was born on October 2, 1834, in

Norfolk, Virginia Norfolk ( ) is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Incorporated in 1705, it had a population of 238,005 at the 2020 census, making it the third-most populous city in Virginia after neighboring Virginia Be ...

, to Mary A. Morton (née Toy) and Robert Boyte Crawford Howell. His father was a Baptist minister. He grew up in

. Howell attended Union University in

Murfreesboro Murfreesboro is a city in and county seat of Rutherford County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 152,769 according to the 2020 census, up from 108,755 residents certified in 2010. Murfreesboro is located in the Nashville metropol ...

, and he graduated from the Richmond College in

Richmond, Virginia (Thus do we reach the stars) , image_map = , mapsize = 250 px , map_caption = Location within Virginia , pushpin_map = Virginia#USA , pushpin_label = Richmond , pushpin_m ...

, in 1851. He graduated from the

University of Virginia School of Law The University of Virginia School of Law (Virginia Law or UVA Law) is the law school of the University of Virginia, a public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. It was founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson as part of his "academical v ...

in 1856 with a

Bachelor of Laws Bachelor of Laws ( la, Legum Baccalaureus; LL.B.) is an undergraduate law degree in the United Kingdom and most common law jurisdictions. Bachelor of Laws is also the name of the law degree awarded by universities in the People's Republic of Chi ...

. He was then admitted to the bar in Nashville.

Career

Howell served as clerk and master of Davidson County from 1865 to 1870. He subsequently practised the law privately. One of his clients was the Phillips & Buttorff Manufacturing Company. Howell became a

Mason Mason may refer to: Occupations * Mason, brick mason, or bricklayer, a craftsman who lays bricks to construct brickwork, or who lays any combination of stones, bricks, cinder blocks, or similar pieces * Stone mason, a craftsman in the stone-cut ...

in 1857. He was the Grand Commander of the Knights Templar of Tennessee in 1874. Howell served as the mayor of Nashville in 1875-1876. He served as the president of the Nashville Board of Education for 15 years. He was a trustee of the

University of Nashville University of Nashville was a private university in Nashville, Tennessee. It was established in 1806 as Cumberland College. It existed as a distinct entity until 1909; operating at various times a medical school, a four-year military college, a ...

Personal life and death

Howell married Isabella Elliott of

Hampton, Virginia Hampton () is an independent city (United States), independent city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 137,148. It is the List ...

. She died in 1868. Howell married Elizabeth "Bette" Curd in 1870. He had 10 children. He resided at 1230 2nd Avenue in Nashville. Howell died on January 23, 1909, in Nashville. His funeral was conducted by

Collins Denny Collins Denny (May 28, 1854 – May 12, 1943) was an American clergyman and educator. He was Professor of Mental and Moral Philosophy at Vanderbilt University from 1891 to 1910. He served as bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South from 19 ...

, and he was buried in Mount Olivet Cemetery.

References

1834 births 1909 deaths Politicians from Norfolk, Virginia University of Richmond alumni University of Virginia School of Law alumni American lawyers Mayors of Nashville, Tennessee Burials at Mount Olivet Cemetery (Nashville) {{Tennessee-mayor-stub