OURNAL OF J The Lepidopterists' Society Volume 56 2002 Number 2 JournaloftheLepidopterists'Societtj 56(2),2002,49-52 WINSLOW HOWARD: PIONEER NEW MEXICO NATURALIST J. Steven Cary J. 202 SolanaDrive, SantaFe, New Mexico87501, USA ABSTRACT. Winslow Howardarrivedin SantaFe, NewMexicoin 1858. Hehelpedfoundtheoriginal NewMexicoHistorical Societyin J. 1859. Over the next 30 years Howard moved between mining towns, operatingjewelry, watch-making and assay businesses in several states throughouttheWest. His longeststayin anyoneplace mayhave been in SilverCity, New Mexico, from 1880to 1887. Howards natural history interestsincludedminerals, fossils,plantsandinsects. Hecollectedsomeoftheoldestdocumentedbutterflyspecimensfrom ColoradoandNew Mexico. Howardwasanimportantearlyamateurnaturalistinthewestern UnitedStatesandthefirstresidentbutterflycollectorin NewMexico. Additional keywords: assayer,jeweler, history, naturalist, genealogy, patronym, naturalhistory. W To modern New Mexico lepidopterists, ofwhich became types. New Mexico historians (e.g., J. Howard has been little more than a footnote associ- Bloom 1943, Torrez 1997) were curious because he ated with a few late 19th century butterfly records helped to found the original New Mexico Historical from southwestern New Mexico (e.g., Toliver et al. Society. Though neither group benefited from the ef- 1994:401). His rolewas preservedbyCockerell (1899), forts ofthe other, theirpublications represent acollec- who discussed several New Mexico butterflies includ- tion of secondary sources that, when taken together, W ing"14 species collected by Mr. Howard in Grant opened doors to valuable primary resources. J. County, N. M." Howard's modest lot consisted oiAdel- Old newspapers, originally noted by Brown as a key phabredowii Geyer, Eurema nicippe (Cramer), Colias resource about Howard's activities, also proved vital in eurytheme Boisduval, Zerene cesonia (Stoll), Chlosyne this present study. Microfiche copies of old newspa- lacinia (Geyer), Euptoieta claudia (Cramer), Vanessa pers were examined at the Museum ofNew Mexico's virginiensis (Drury), Vanessa cardui (Linnaeus), History Library (MNMHL) in Santa Fe, the New Nymphalis antiopa (Linnaeus), Thessalia theona Mexico Records and Archives Center (NMRAC) in (Menetries), Thessalia fulvia (W. H. Edwards), Santa Fe, and the Silver City Museum (SCM) in Silver Danaus plexippus (Linnaeus), and Cercyonis pegala City. Minutes of the New Mexico Historical Society (Fabricius). His specimen ofT. theona is in the collec- were an important primary resource cited in Bloom tion ofthe Biology Department at New Mexico State (1943) and Torrez (1997). A third major primary University. Most of these taxa are routine in south- source was the Special Territorial Census, conducted western New Mexico. Cockerell (1899) offered no by the U.S. government in 1885 in preparation for clues about Howards whereabouts, when Howard's eventual New Mexico statehood. This was reviewedon specimens were collected, or how they came into microficheatdie NMRAC. Informationabout Howards Cockerell's possession. This author remained curious early professional years in New York could not be lo- about Howard's identity and collecting activities in cated because Tiffany & Co. did not retain employee frontier New Mexico. records ofthatvintage (L. Bann pers. com. 1999). Information about Howard from the Special Census Materials and Methods provided an entry point to genealogical records. Ge- Howard provoked mild curiosity among historians nealogical inquiries first were made through various and scientists over the years. Rocky Mountain biolo- internet sites. These led the author to the Reference gists (i.e., Brown 1957, 1966) were curious about and Genealogy Section of the New Hampshire State Howard's role as an earlycollectorofspecimens, some Library, which led to that state's Bureau ofVital Statis- 50 Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society tics. Detailed research into New Hampshire files was residence in Brooklyn, NewYork. He returnedwest in not practical from the author's home in New Mexico, October 1866, traveling by stagecoach to Montanavia but that resource warrants future attention. Denver. After that, Brown found the trail of his "jeweler-naturalist" more difficult to trace. He re- Results ported evidence ofHoward in Prescott, Arizona, in the Winslow Howard first came to the West in 1858 1870's and in Leadville, Colorado, in 1879 (Brown J. (Table 1). His arrival in Santa Fe, New Mexico, is doc- 1966:127), but he never found Howard's trail again. umented by the following advertisement, which he Howard's life after 1866 remained a mystery until submitted on 18 December 1858, andwhich was pub- Torrez (1997) placed him in die mining town ofSilver lished in the Santa Fe Weekly Gazette of5 February City, New Mexico, in 1880. Further research by SCM W 1859. "Mr. Howard begs leave most respectfully staffshowed that Howard advertised frequently in lo- J. to inform the citizens of Santa Fe and the public in cal newspapers to promote his assay, jewelry and general that he has taken a room in the placita ofthe watch-making services (S. Berry, SCM, pers. com. Exchange Hotel for the purpose of repairing fine 1997). He was sufficiently newsworthy to be the sub- Watches of every description, also Clocks, Music ject ofat leasttwo feature stories. One appeared on 10 Boxes, Jewelry, and other mechanical contrivances. By June 1882, in The New Southwest, one of several the practical experience ofthirteen years in the busi- newspapers then operating in Silver City: "[A] collec- ness, andwith the recommendation ofthe largestJew- tion to which we would call special attention is that of — elry Establishment in this country the house of W. Howard, assayer and jeweler, who has spent — J. Tiffany & Co., New York city he hopes to merit a twenty-three years in the Rocky Mountains, and has share ofpublic patronage in his line." devoted his leisure time to the studyofmetallurgyand Howard's broad interests revealed themselves soon natural history and who is a member ofseveral scien- J thereafter. On 15 December 1859, he was one of 25 tific institutions." This article detailed his "rare and people who met in Santa Fe, the territorial capital, to choice selections ofcrystallizations ofmetals and min- found the New Mexico Historical Society. Comment- erals." His was "die largest and finest collection offos- ing on the minutes ofthat meeting, Bloom (1943:242) sil shells ever collected in New Mexico from various remarked that Howard "was one ofthe prime movers localities, cemented on cards with their generic in organizingthe Society ... he himselfwas made sec- species named, besides butterflies and other insects, — retary of the meeting and it was he who stated the pressed flowers, leaves, etc." object forwhich theyhad gathered He was the first The year 1883 witnessed the arrival in Silver Cityof . . . one namedin the charterofincorporation." On 26 De- telephones, electric streetlights and a branch railroad cember Howard was elected Curator and Librarian from the main line at Deming (Berry & Russell andwas asked to "take charge ofand classifyall Indian 1995:24-25). One newspaper article thatyearfeatured antiquities and curiosities; geological and mineralogi- Howard as aprominent collectorand dealerofancient cal specimens; geographical maps, and objects ofnat- coins, which he occasionally sold in New York. Other ural history" (Torrez 1997). Society records indicate details of Howard's life in Silver City were docu- that Howard resigned his office on 17 April 1860, and mented in the Special Territorial Census of 1885 left Santa Fe to pursue business interests elsewhere (NMARC archives). A Silver City census-taker (Torrez 1997). recorded "Howard, W.J.," as a married, literate, white His destination and activities for the next six years male whose profession was assayer. The Census found were illuminated by Brown (1957:45^47). While re- Howard livingin aboardinghousewith predominantly searching pioneer entomologists in Colorado, Brown younger, unmarried men includinga miner, atinsmith, found scattered references to specimens collected by a laborer, a merchant, abutcherand three saloonkeep- Howard. Piecing clues together, Brown deduced that ers. This arrangement was routine in frontier mining Howardwas associatedwith miningcamps. Byreading towns and was consistent with having a permanent old newspapers, Brown found an announcement in home and wife in the East. The Western Mountaineer of19 July 1860, promoting The Census listed Howard's birthplace as New Howard's new business in Denver. By 1862 Howard Hampshire and the birthplaces of his father and was in Central City, Colorado, where he and a partner mother as Massachusetts and New York, respectively. manufacturedjewelryunderthe name ofHoward and Howard's age was stated as 57years, indicating he was Colony, whose newspaper advertisements continued born ca. 1828. This information provided a starting until January 1865. Brown reported that Howard point for researching genealogical records. Searches moved back East in late 1865, married, and took up for a Winslow Howard born in New Hampshire ca. J. Volume 56, Number 2 51 1828were conducted on the internetin October 2001, Howardwere amongthe oldest documented Colorado but hours ofautomated searching through these con- specimens used by Tryon Reakirt to compile the first siderable genealogical resources and databases pro- list ofColorado butterflies in 1866 (Brown 1957). duced no match. The Reference and Genealogy Sec- During Howard's time in New Mexico, he was tion of New Hampshire State Library (NMSL) linkedto UniversityofKansas entomologist Francis H. searched some oftheir files atthe author's request. Li- Snow. In August 1884, Prof. Snow andhis students vis- brary stafffound no reference to Winslow Howard in ited Silver City to collect insects (S. Cary & R. Hol- J. the New Hampshire federal census for 1850, in land in prep.). Reporting on this expedition, Snow W Stearns' "Genealogy of New Hampshire," or in pub- (1885:65) acknowledged "Mr. Howard of Silver J. lished Howard genealogies in the Library's collection City for many favors." Snow reported 13 butterflies (Z. Moore pers. com. 23 October 2001). Similarly, the and long lists ofmoths and beetles, remarking that the New Hampshire Bureau ofVital Statistics (NHBVS) "electric lights at Silver Citywere very attractive to in- found no birth record for Winslow Howard sects" (Snow 1885:69). One particular moth was listed J. W (NHBVS pers. com. 8 November2001). as "Daritis sp. a superb species obtained from Mr. Failure to locateWinslow Howard in New Hamp- Howard, Silver City" (Snow 1885:66). For identi- J. J. shire genealogical records reflects two basic obstacles. fication of unfamiliar Lepidoptera collected on this First, genealogical records are incomplete. The Bexpedition, Snow (1885:65) relied on Henry Ed- NHBVS reported that many vital events of that era wards. In describing the new moth as "Daritis thetis, were never recorded (W R. Bolton pers. com. 8 No- Klug, var. Howardi" (Arctiidae: Pericopinae), Edwards vember2001). Second, "Howard" and "Winslow"were (1886[1887]:165) noted that "About 2 years ago, I re- popular family names in New England. Internet ceived from Mr. Wilson [sic] Howard, two specimens searches revealed one intermarriage between the two of this magnificent moth, which had been taken by families, and there likelywere others. The NHSL re- him in New Mexico." Linkage ofthe type specimens ported Howard surnames in 34 different New Hamp- from their collection by Howard, through Snow, to shire towns in the early 19th century (Z. Moore pers. Edwards' description ofD. howardi now warrants re- com. 23 October 2001). striction of its type locality to Silver City, Grant Howard's financial fortunes waxed and waned with County, New Mexico. No other patronyms were Silver City's mining-based economy. In 1886, he was traced to Winslow Howard. J. tax delinquent on propertyworth $400 (SCM archives It has been suggested that Howard may have col- 1998). Economic troubles worsened in 1887, causing lected other specimens that survive todayas anecdotal one ofSilverCity's three banks to fail (Berry & Russell frontier New Mexico butterfly reports, for example 1995:35). That year, Howard's regular newspaper no- from the Sacramento Mountains. While the timing of tices assumed a different tone, statingin July 1887 that Howard's presence in New Mexico makes this connec- he sold his Silver Citybusiness and, in August, that he tion theoretically possible, the author is unaware of began aprofessional association with George Williams any specific information to support it. Mining was not & Co. in Deming. There, Howard's newspaper trail a bigpart ofthe frontier economyin the Sacramentos, ended. The author tried to trace Howard through the making it is difficult to imagine what would have at- Deming Headlight, anewspaperthat beganpublishing tracted Howard to the area or how he could have sup- in 1882, but issues from 1883 to August 1888 couldnot ported himself as an assayer. Similarly, the author is be located in archives. Review ofissues from Septem- not aware of any insect specimens collected by (MNMHL ber 1888 to April 1889 archives) disclosed Howard during his 1859 sojourn in Santa Fe. Never- no ads by Howard or by George Williams & Co. theless, it is clear that more remains to be learned about Howard; additional research may disclose spec- Discussion imens and relationships that are not apparent today. Despite living on thewestern frontier, farfrom most Conclusions professional scientists, Howard did not conduct his natural historyworkin avacuum. Hewas amemberof In addition to being a professional jeweler and as- the Entomological Society of Philadelphia (Brown sayer, Howard was an active naturalist who collected 1957) which later became the American Entomologi- specimens thathelped scientists describe the floraand cal Society. He collected the Colorado specimen used fauna ofthe West. Howard appreciated the scientific to describe a new species ofbee (Cresson 1863) and value ofhis specimens, researched their identities and he supplied Montana plant specimens to Asa Gray at recorded generally where theywere collected. Speci- Harvard (Brown 1957). Butterflies collected by mens collected by Howard ca. 1884 are among the 52 Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society earliest reliable butterfly reports from southwestern inthe MuseumofNewMexico's HistoryLibrary.Jane Ruffinlooked New Mexico (Cockerell 1899). He helped University for evidence ofHoward at the Library ofthe Academy ofNatural ofKansas Prof. F. H. Snowcollect insects in SilverCity bSuctiteenrcfelsysinpePchiimleadnelipnhtihae.cGorlleegctFioonrsbeosfNfeouwndMeoxniecoexSttaantteHUoniwvaerrd- in 1884 (Snow 1885). Although genealogical inquiries sity. Richard Holland flagged Daritis howardi as a potential W. J. bore no fruit in this study and no evidence was found Howardpatronym and Ron Hodges helped track down its original that he fathered any children, Howard's name lives on description. Ray Stanford shared his library. Tim Cary and Susan in the beautiful arctiid moth, Daritis howardi (Ed- Berry critiqued early versions of the manuscript. The author is grateful to Richard Holland and an anonymous reviewer for con- wards 1886 [1887]). structivecomments. The activities, contributions andlives ofprofessional scientists of the historical period are documented in Literature Cited their publications and through records at their aca- Berry, S. &S. A. Russell. 1995. Builttolast; an architecturalhis- demic institutions. In comparison, the lives of most toryofSilverCity. Revised2nded. SilverCityMuseum Society. amateurnaturalists and collectors usuallywere not sys- 132pp. NM Bloom, L. B. 1943. Historical Society minutes, 1859-1863. tematically recorded, even though theysupplied much Hist. Rev. 18(2):247-311. ofthe raw material with which their professional con- Brown, F. M. 1957. Two early entomological collectors in Col- temporaries worked. It has been challengingto assem- orado. Entomological News68:41—47. 1966. David Bruce (1833-1903) and other entomological bflooettprhientsstoaryreofscWaitntesrleodwaJc.roHsoswsaervderablecsatuatsees,hissevfearianlt Cockceorlel.elclto,rsTinD.CoAl.ora1d8o9.9.J.NNoetwesYoornksEonmteomNoel.wSMoec.xi7c4o(3b)u:t1t2er6f-l1i3e3s.. decades and several scientific disciplines. Though his CresCsaonna,dEi.anTEn1t8o6m3o.l.Pr3o1c:.6E5-n6t6o.mol. Soc. Phila.Vol. 2. origins remain obscure, it is hoped that the above in- Edwards, H. 1886 [1887]. Apparentlynewforms ofN. American formation contributes to the record ofthis important Heterocera. EntomologicaAmericana2(9):165-166. naturalist in New Mexico and the West. Snow; F H. 1885. ListsofLepidopteraandColeopteracollectedin New Mexico bythe Kansas Universityscientific expeditions of Acknowledgements 1883and 1884'Trans. KansasAcad. Sri. LX:65-69. Toliver, M. E., R. Holland & S. Cary. 1994. Distribution of J. The author is grateful to former New Mexico State Historian butterflies in NewMexico (Lepidoptera: Hesperioideaand Pa- Robert Torrez,who catalyzedthis article byprovidingthe clue that pilionoidea). 2nded. Publ. by R. Holland. 399pp. parted the fog surrounding W. Howard in New Mexico. Susan Torrez, R. J. 1997. "Voices from the Past." Newspapercolumn in BerryandJim Carlsonofthe SilvJ.erCityMuseumwereveryhelpful Roundthe Roundhouse. Issue ofJune 19, 1997:6. in reviewofMuseum archives. Charles Martinez, ofthe New Mex- ico Archives and Records Center, helped identify, retrieve and in- Receivedforpublication 6January2001; revisedandaccepted17 terpret historical material. Tomas Jaehn assistedin research offiles November2001.