Eli M. Oboler Library
Minnie F. Howard - Table of Contents
MC001
Dr. Minnie F. Howard (1872-1965) & Dr. William F. Howard (1868-1948)
Scope and Content
Minnie Howard saved numerous papers relating to family and community because of her great interest in local and family history. After "Dr. Minnie" died in 1965, her papers were deposited in the Idaho State University - Archives/Manuscripts Collection by her son, Dr. Richard Howard.
The collection includes personal correspondence (1890-1957) relating to social life, public schools, and medical practice in rural Kansas, history of Pocatello and southern Idaho, medical education, genealogy, and other personal matters. The early correspondence reflects the social life in rural Kansas, and relates to public schools and the practice of medicine, as well as to personal concerns. Included is the complete set of letters exchanged between the Howards from the time of their first meeting in 1890 until their marriage in 1894, during most of which time they were apart. There is also a complete series of letters, exchanged in 1898, when Minnie Howard took a semester off from medical school to teach in Nebraska and William Howard remained in medical school in Kansas City. There are letters written to William Howard by Minnie Howard after he had left Cuba, Kansas, to move to Pocatello, leaving her behind to wind up their medical practice and other affairs. There is also a fairly complete set of letters exchanged between the Howards during a period of separation after William Forrest joined the army in 1917, again leaving Minnie behind to wind up their affairs in Pocatello before she joined him in Washington State. Additional correspondence from the Howard sons and other relatives and friends is also included.
Minnie Howard's memoirs, which are part of the collection, consist of scattered recollections which she jotted down in her later years. They relate chiefly to her youth in Missouri and Kansas, but also include some of her experiences as a medical practitioner and as a mother.
The collection also includes: a few Civil War documents; manuscripts, notes and documents on Idaho's old Fort Hall, on Pocatello institutions, and on Idaho history. Records may, also, be found concerning the Oregon Trail Memorial Association (1926-58), the Women's Christian Temperance Union (ca.1919-58), and the Prohibition National Committee (1921-39).
Because of the many overlapping interests, Dr. W. F. Howard's papers were kept as a part of this collection. His papers contain information on his medical practice, army service, community activities, etc. Records of investments and farming have been kept with his papers since he handled most of the financial affairs of the family.
The arrangement is generally by activity and transaction, with sub-series by form. Series relating to the personal life of Minnie Howard come first; then papers relating to her activities; papers of other family members. The papers of W. F. Howard are arranged in similar fashion. News clippings (often not identified), scrapbooks, miscellaneous publications, etc. are found in both files. A few photograph albums are kept with the papers; however, individual photographs have been removed and placed in a separate photograph collection.
Dr. Minnie F. Howard (1872-1965)-Chronology
| 1872 | Minnie Frances Hayden was born August 23 in Memphis, Missouri. Daughter of Jacob J. & Carina Jane (Wood) Hayden. |
| 1886 | The family moved to near Larned, Kansas. |
| ca.1889 | Attended Central Normal College, Great Bend, Kansas. |
| 1889-1898 | Taught at rural schools in Kansas. |
| 1892 | Received her 2nd grade teaching certificate. |
| 1894 | Married William Forrest Howard, in Larned, Ks., Aug. 23. |
| 1897 | Received her 1st grade teaching certificate. |
| 1899 | Received her M.D. degree from the University of Kansas Medical School, in Kansas City. |
| 1899-1902 | She shared a medical practice with her husband in Cuba, Kansas. |
| 1902-1906 | The Howards moved to Pocatello, Idaho, in 1902, and sat up medical practice. After about 1906, Minnie Howard quit active practice to devote more time to her family and to civic affairs. |
| 1904 | She was selected first president of the Pocatello Women's Republican Club. |
| 1905 | Chairman of the committee that helped establish the Pocatello Public Library. |
| 1909-1910 | The family spent most of this time in Vienna, while both Dr. Howards undertook post-graduate study. |
| ca.1912-1914 | President of the Art Study Club. |
| 1916 | Helped locate and place first monument at the site of the Old Fort Hall. |
| 1926 | President of the Idaho Unit of the Oregon Trail Memorial Association. |
| 1927 | One of the founders of the Art & Travel Club. |
| 1931-1956 | Dr. Minnie Howard was appointed Bannock County Historian by the Idaho State Historical Society. |
| 1965 | Dr. Minnie Howard died September 2nd. |
Dr. William F. Howard (1868-1948)-Chronology
| 1868 | William Forrest Howard was born July 26 in Portsmouth, Ohio. Son of Nelson and Frances Ellin (Folin) Howard. |
| 1872 | The family moved to Clyde, Kansas. |
| 1885-1896 | Served as teacher, principal, and superintendent of rural schools in Kansas. |
| 1888-1893 | Attended Central Normal College, Great Bend, Kansas. |
| 1893 | Superintendent of the government Indian School in Santa Fe, New Mexico. |
| 1894 | Married Minnie Frances Howard in Larned, Ks., Aug. 23. |
| 1899 | Received his M.D. degree from the University of Kansas Medical School in Kansas City. |
| 1899-1902 | Shared a medical practice with his wife in Cuba, Ks. |
| 1902 | Moved to Pocatello, Idaho, and set up medical practice. |
| ca.1906-1910 | Served as Bannock County Coroner. |
| 1909 | Undertook post-graduate work in Vienna. |
| ca.1911-1912 | President of the Pocatello Medical Society, and the Idaho State Medical Society. |
| 1914-ca.1916 | Served as City Physician. |
| 1916 | One of the group to locate and place the first marker on the original site of old Fort Hall. |
| 1921-1926 | President of the Idaho Reclamation Association. |
| 1946 | Dr. Howard retired from active practice. |
| 1948 | Dr. William Forrest Howard died October 19, while recovering from a stroke. |
Processed by: H. Leigh Gittins (based on inventory prepared by Sylvia Cline, 1969)
Completed: December, 1985
Collection size: approx. 27 linear feet; item count = 18,121
Located: Eli Oboler Library - Archives; Idaho State University
This register is the final product of a grant funded by the Association for the Humanities in Idaho and sponsored by Idaho State University, Eli M. Oboler Library.