John Howard, 15th Earl of Suffolk

General John Howard, 15th Earl of Suffolk, 8th Earl of Berkshire, (7 March 1739 – 23 January 1820) was a British Army officer and peer from the Howard family. In 1783, he succeeded a distant cousin as Earl of Suffolk and Earl of Berkshire.

Early life Howard was the third (but second surviving) son of Capt. Philip Howard of the Royal Marines and Margaret, daughter of Francis Screen of Edinburgh. grandson of Philip Howard (seventh son of 1st Earl of Berkshire).

Military career

In 1756, Howard was commissioned an ensign in the 1st Regiment of Foot Guards. He was promoted Lieutenant and Captain in 1760; his eldest brother, Thomas, held the same rank in the same regiment at the time.

He was promoted Captain-Lieutenant in March 1773, and Captain and Lieutenant-Colonel in May 1773.

John, however, was deployed to America in April 1779,

Marriage and issue

He married Julia, daughter of Rev. John Gaskarth, of Hutton Hall, Penrith, Cumberland on 2 July 1774. They had five children:

He died in 1820. He was succeeded in the earldom by his second son, Thomas.