James Henry Howe

James Henry Howe (December 5, 1827 – January 4, 1893) was an American lawyer and Republican politician. He served one year as United States district judge for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, appointed by President Ulysses S. Grant. Earlier in his career, he was the 7th Attorney General of Wisconsin and served as a Union Army colonel in the American Civil War. He was Solicitor and General Manager for the Chicago and Northwestern R.R. and later solicitor for the Chicago, St. Paul and Omaha R.R. He was a nephew of U.S. Senator Timothy O. Howe, and was said to be "like a son" to him.

Education and early career

Born on December 5, 1827, in Turner, Maine, Howe received a general education and proceeded to read law, first with Bradley & Eastman in Saco, Maine, then with his uncle, Timothy O. Howe, at Green Bay, Wisconsin Territory. He was admitted to the bar at Green Bay in 1848. He began practicing law in partnership with his uncle, but the partnership was terminated when the elder Howe was elevated to a Wisconsin circuit court judgeship in 1851.

Civil War service

Howe was commissioned as a colonel and placed in command of the 32nd Wisconsin Infantry Regiment, which was being organized at Camp Bragg in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The regiment departed Wisconsin on October 30 and marched to Chicago, they then traveled by river to Memphis, Tennessee, via Cairo, Illinois. They reached Memphis on November 3, 1862, and were attached to General William Tecumseh Sherman's XV Corps.

After another series of maneuvers attempting to trap Forrest, they again abandoned the chase and proceeded south into Alabama. They arrived at Decatur, Alabama, on April 10, where their brigade was renumbered to the 3rd Brigade, 4th Division, with Colonel Howe remaining in command. On May 27, the Brigade marched west and skirmished with elements of General Phillip Roddey's brigade. Roddey refused to give battle and retreated to the west. They remained on picket duty for the next month. and General Manager in 1872-73. By 1875-1878 he was a Director of that road, this after an appointment to the federal court by President Grant.

Federal judicial service

Howe was nominated by President Ulysses S. Grant on December 9, 1873, to a seat on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin vacated by Judge Andrew G. Miller. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on December 11, 1873, and received his commission the same day. He did not enjoy judicial duties and resigned after only a year of service, on January 1, 1875.

Judge Howe hosted his uncle's funeral in 1883. After his uncle's death, an effort was made by Wisconsin's senators, Angus Cameron and Philetus Sawyer, to have James Howe appointed as his replacement as United States Postmaster General, but the effort was unsuccessful.

He died on January 4, 1893, in Boston, Massachusetts, after a period of incapacitation.

Family Howe was the nephew of U.S. Senator and U.S. Postmaster General Timothy O. Howe, and was said to be "like a son" to him.