Anthony Howells

Anthony Howells (April 6, 1832 – November 17, 1915) was a businessman and Democratic politician from the U.S. state of Ohio who was Ohio State Treasurer 1878–1880 and a state senator.

Biography

Anthony Howells was born in 1832 at Dowlais, Glamorganshire, Wales. His father was superintendent of mines in that area. He attended the limited free schools of his town, and, at age 12, a private school in Llandybie, Carmarthenshire for one year. He then began working in the mines. At age 14 he was responsible for his own affairs, and decided the United States offered better prospects. He worked underground until age 18 in 1850, when he sailed to America, and moved immediately to Youngstown, Ohio.

In Youngstown, Howells resumed coal mining in the mines of David Tod, later Governor of Ohio. In the spring of 1853 he moved to California to mine, but returned to Youngstown the following spring, and worked in the mines until fall of 1855. Howells tired of mining, and opened a grocery and provision house, which continued until 1869, with the exception of the year 1865, when he engaged in coal mining in Du Quoin, Illinois. He lost his bid for re-election to his Republican opponent in 1891.