Tilghman Howard

Tilghman Ashurst Howard (November 14, 1797 – August 16, 1844) was an American lawyer, politician, and diplomat from Indiana. He was born near Easley, South Carolina. He moved to Knoxville, Tennessee, in 1816 and was admitted to the bar there in 1818. In 1830, he moved to Bloomington, Indiana, and in 1833 to Rockville, Indiana. President Andrew Jackson appointed him US Attorney for Indiana, and he served as such from 1833 to 1839. In 1838, he sought, unsuccessfully, to be elected to the U.S. Senate. He was elected to the United States House of Representatives on August 5, 1839, and served until he resigned on July 1, 1840.

Tilghman Howard
5th Chargé d'Affaires of the United States to Texas
In office August 2, 1844 – August 16, 1844
President	John Tyler
Preceded by	William Sumter Murphy
Succeeded by	Andrew Jackson Donelson
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Indiana's 7th district
In office August 5, 1839 – July 1, 1840
Preceded by	Albert Smith White
Succeeded by	Henry Smith Lane
5th United States Attorney for the District of Indiana
In office 1833–1839
President	Andrew Jackson Martin Van Buren
Preceded by	Samuel Judah
Succeeded by	John Pettit
Personal details
Born	Tilghman Ashurst Howard November 14, 1797 (1797-11-14) Easley, South Carolina, United States
Died	August 16, 1844(1844-08-16) (aged 46) Washington-on-the-Brazos, Republic of Texas
Cause of death	Yellow fever
Resting place	Rockville Cemetery, Rockville, Indiana
Citizenship	United States
Political party	Democratic
Occupation	Lawyer

In 1841, Tilghman unsuccessfully defended the blacksmith Noah Beauchamp against a murder charge. Beauchamp was convicted and executed in Parke County, Indiana.^[1]

He sought election as Governor of Indiana in 1840 and as United States Senator in 1843 but was unsuccessful. He was appointed chargé d'affaires to the Republic of Texas on June 11, 1844,^[2] and presented his credentials on August 2, 1844; he served all of two weeks before his untimely death in Washington-on-the-Brazos, Texas, at the age of 46. Tilghman Howard is buried in Rockville, Indiana.^[3][4]

Howard County, Indiana,^[5] and Howard County, Iowa, are named in his honor.

References

1. Indiana Magazine of History, Vol. 12, Murphy: Parke County, Indiana University, page 151.
2. "Chiefs of Mission for Texas". U.S. Department of State. Retrieved 2011-05-20.
3. The Pioneer History of Illinois
4. Handbook of Texas Online
5. "Howard County's Townships and Their Early Settlements and Towns". Kokomo-Howard County Public Library. Archived from the original on 22 December 2013. Retrieved 2 June 2014.

External links

• Biography, U.S. Congress
• Tilghman Howard at Find a Grave (current burial site)
• Tilghman Howard at Find a Grave (cenotaph - original interment site)

Party political offices
Preceded by John Dunmount	Democratic nominee for Governor of Indiana 1840	Succeeded by James Whitcomb
Legal offices
Preceded by Samuel Judah	United States Attorney for the District of Indiana 1833-1839	Succeeded by John Pettit
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Albert S. White	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Indiana's 7th congressional district August 5, 1839 – July 1, 1840	Succeeded by Henry S. Lane
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by William Sumter Murphy	Chargé d'Affaires of U.S. Mission to Texas August 1844	Succeeded by Andrew Jackson Donelson