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William "Big Bill" Howard

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Birth	:	13 Feb 1860
Death	:	23 Dec 1890 Glassy, Greenville County, South Carolina, USA
Burial	:	Odd Fellows Memorial Park and Mausoleum, Tumwater, Thurston County, USA
Coordinate	:	47.0138397, -122.8980865
Description	:	Son of WADE HOWARD and NARCISSUS CENTER. Husband of Martha Ann "Dine" MOON. Martha Ann is buried in Ingleside Cemetery, Landrum, Spartanburg Co, SC. Source: Enterprise & Mountaineer Date: 24 December 1890 BIG BILL HOWARD KILLED The Step Son of Ben Ross Meets Big Bill Howard in the Road and Kills Him - No Eye Witnesses On Monday evening last Sheriff Gilreath was notified that Mr. W. M. Howard was dead and that Mr. George R. Center, the person by whose hands he came to his death was then at the residence of Mr. J.H. Center ready to surrender. We procured a horse and buggy and... Read More	Son of WADE HOWARD and NARCISSUS CENTER. Husband of Martha Ann "Dine" MOON. Martha Ann is buried in Ingleside Cemetery, Landrum, Spartanburg Co, SC. Source: Enterprise & Mountaineer Date: 24 December 1890 BIG BILL HOWARD KILLED The Step Son of Ben Ross Meets Big Bill Howard in the Road and Kills Him - No Eye Witnesses On Monday evening last Sheriff Gilreath was notified that Mr. W. M. Howard was dead and that Mr. George R. Center, the person by whose hands he came to his death was then at the residence of Mr. J.H. Center ready to surrender. We procured a horse and buggy and at once set out for Glassy Mountain, the home of this well-known man. We arrived there early Tuesday morning and found Trial Justice Mitchell and a large concourse of citizens preparing to hold an inquest. William Howard and George Center the slayer, are first cousins. George Center is a step-son Ben Ross, who was so mysteriously murdered four years ago. William Howard's mother and Ben Ross's wife are sisters, and are both living. William Howard married a Moon, and his wife survives him, and five children are left orphans by the hands of a member of their own family. George Center is also a married man and has two children - he married a daughter of Mrs. Schapleigh Barton, and lives in the house in which Ben Ross, his step-father was killed. Howard lives about three hundred yards from Center's , and they appeared to be on friendly terms. Howard was about thirty one years of age and Center was about twenty-eight. They were both boys together and lived with their grandfather Mr. Stephen Center. Big Bill Howard and William H. Moon are brothern-in-law. Little Bill Howard and Big Bill Howard are first cousins. We are now in the midst of the homes of the moonshiners and have the names and family connection before us of some of the most noted moonshiners of these parts. A cleverer or more obliging people it has never been our lot to meet. Many of the members of the above named families have nothing to do with running the blockade distilleries and discountenance them on every hand. But some of them run a little occasionally to have something for Christmas, and do not feel called on to pay Uncle Sam for the privelege. Every now and then the Revenue officers run in, cut up a still or two and pull one of the boys, but this is not done without some dangers. Farrow, Green, Loftis, McClure, Ledford and Springs and Ross were killed within eight miles of Glassy Mountain and Elkin, Hightower, Odam and Howard and several others have been wounded. But we have not space to deal with past occurrences. What is the cause of this one? Big Bill Howard gives his version of it in his dying declarations noted by Dr. Moony. George Center, we learn, says that he met Big Bill in the road and told him he heard that Big Bill endeavoring to hire Little Bill to kill him. Big Bill said it was a d-----d lie and he was a good mind to do it any how, and put his hands in his pocket as if to draw something and jumped down from his mule. As he was getting down Center shot him, thinking that if Big Bill got to him he would kill him. Little Bill Howard , it will be remembered, plead guilty to killing Ben Ross, and stated that Big Bill Howard and William Moon hired him to do it. They were tried and Big Bill and Moon found not guilty and Little Bill was found guilty and sentenced to be hanged. He escaped from jail and is now hiding in the mountains. He was seen a few hours before Big Bill was killed, within one quarter of a mile of where the shooting occurred. He visits around in the community and feels perfectly secure in his mountain fastness. Just before he made his confession, he had a falling out with Big Bill and William Moon about the cutting up of a still. Within the past few weeks several stills have been cut up. The deceased W. M. Howard and Wm. H. Moon, own and operated a government distillery. _____________________________ Father of Tandy , Addie (married Massey Tucker), Della Lou, Green Reynolds, Narcissus, Minnie, Effie & Elsie Mae Howard

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is William "Big Bill" Howard's memorial?
William "Big Bill" Howard's memorial is located at: Odd Fellows Memorial Park and Mausoleum, Tumwater, Thurston County, USA.
When did William "Big Bill" Howard death?
William "Big Bill" Howard death on 23 Dec 1890 in Glassy, Greenville County, South Carolina, USA
Where are the coordinates of the William "Big Bill" Howard's memorial?
Latitude: 47.0138397
Longitude: -122.8980865

Family Members:

Parent

Wade David Howard

(1839 - 1905)

Narcissus Center Howard

(1842 - 1905)

Spouse

Martha Ann Moon Howard

(1860 - 1935)

Siblings

Wade Jackson Howard

(1865 - 1947)

Harriett “Hattie” Howard Edwards

(1865 - 1935)

Julia Ann Howard Durham

(1865 - 1928)

Malinda Howard Moon

(1868 - 1922)

Stephen Enoch Howard

(1870 - 1926)

Children

Tandy Howard

(1880 - 1898)

Green Reynolds Howard

(1887 - 1946)

Effie Howard Lister

(1887 - 1979)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. Odd Fellows Memorial Park and Mausoleum
Tumwater, Thurston County, USA
Coordinate: 47.0138397, -122.8980865

2. Temple Beth Hatfiloh Cemetery
Tumwater, Thurston County, USA
Coordinate: 47.0143738, -122.8958206

3. Masonic Memorial Park
Tumwater, Thurston County, USA
Coordinate: 47.0160141, -122.8963242

4. Calvary Catholic Cemetery
Tumwater, Thurston County, USA
Coordinate: 47.0126250, -122.8925620

5. Schmidt Family Cemetery
Tumwater, Thurston County, USA
Coordinate: 47.0183601, -122.9023209

6. Saint Johns Episcopal Church Columbarium
Olympia, Thurston County, USA
Coordinate: 47.0310060, -122.9002580

7. Mills and Mills Memorial Park
Tumwater, Thurston County, USA
Coordinate: 46.9956800, -122.9214230

8. Union Cemetery
Tumwater, Thurston County, USA
Coordinate: 46.9954410, -122.9215700

9. Pioneer Calvary Catholic Cemetery
Tumwater, Thurston County, USA
Coordinate: 46.9951280, -122.9233700

10. Westminster Presbyterian Church Columbarium
Olympia, Thurston County, USA
Coordinate: 47.0313410, -122.8660120

11. First Christian Church Columbarium
Olympia, Thurston County, USA
Coordinate: 47.0421790, -122.8992510

12. Forest Memorial Gardens
Olympia, Thurston County, USA
Coordinate: 47.0448170, -122.8665070

13. Ruddell Pioneer Cemetery
Lacey, Thurston County, USA
Coordinate: 47.0093613, -122.8083572

14. McLane Cemetery
Olympia, Thurston County, USA
Coordinate: 47.0417100, -122.9788560

15. Woodlawn Cemetery
Lacey, Thurston County, USA
Coordinate: 47.0088692, -122.8046875

16. Saint Martins Abbey Cemetery
Lacey, Thurston County, USA
Coordinate: 47.0437393, -122.8143921

17. Saint Placid Priory Cemetery
Lacey, Thurston County, USA
Coordinate: 47.0535190, -122.8215000

18. Saint Benedicts Episcopal Church Columbarium
Lacey, Thurston County, USA
Coordinate: 47.0389940, -122.8084740

19. Delphi Pioneer Cemetery
Olympia, Thurston County, USA
Coordinate: 46.9675827, -123.0344009

20. Tobin Family Cemetery
Thurston County, USA
Coordinate: 47.1064680, -122.9860800

21. Johns Family Cemetery
Thurston County, USA
Coordinate: 47.1232820, -123.0078170

22. Saint Christophers Community Church Columbarium
Olympia, Thurston County, USA
Coordinate: 47.1456140, -122.9535590

23. Chief Leschi Cemetery
Nisqually, Thurston County, USA
Coordinate: 47.0314941, -122.6917038

24. Thurston County Poor Farm Cemetery
Littlerock, Thurston County, USA
Coordinate: 46.8861790, -123.0225100