Edward Howland was born in Charleston, South Carolina and was educated at Harvard. He is remembered as an "elegant scholar" who sold "his choice library he had spent many years and a fortune to collect" to help Henry Clapp launch the Saturday Press (Rawson 106). Howland was in charge of the business side of the publication (Miller 26) and is also listed among the “friendly contributors” who “were glad to furnish articles for nothing, being friendly toward the establishment of an absolutely independent critical paper” (Winter 294). While William Winter cites Howland as a fellow Bohemian at Pfaff’s, Thomas Butler Gunn characterizes him as a cash cow who was used for his money. Gunn writes of the Saturday Press, “The paper will last just as long as the milch-cow Howland sinks money in it” (10.18).
Howland co-authored two books on maritime history and adventures with fellow Pfaffian Frank Goodrich, before he, like Pfaff’s regular John Swinton, developed an interest in labor issues. In the 1870s, his work focused on the railroad industry and was published in the periodical Harper’s. He also published The Palace of Industry: An Account of the Experiment at Guise, France (1872).
Howland married Marie Case (nee Stevens) a “strong-minded New England school-teacher, who imbued him with schemes for the amelioration of the human race” (“General Gossip” 479). Her husband at the time, Lyman W. Case, rescinded the marriage on account of how happy his wife and Howland seemed together, and the three remained lifelong friends (Lause 68). Later, Howland and his wife journeyed to Mexico to become part of an "American socialistic colony at Topolobampo" (“General Gossip” 479). After his death, Howland’s widow continued their work in Mexico.
References & Biographical Resources G. J. M. "Bohemianism: The American Authors Who Met in a Cellar." Brooklyn Eagle. 25 May 1884: 9. In the biography of Henry Clapp, Jr., included within this article, Clapp is quoted as saying that he founded the Saturday Press with Howland. "General gossip of authors and writers." Current Literature. 01 Jan. 1888: 476-480. Mentioned as one of the Bohemians at Pfaff's "gossiped" about by Rufus B. Wilson in a "reminiscent letter to the Galveston News."The blurb gives "updates" on the whereabouts of many of the former Bohemians. "Edward Howland, who succeeded Clapp as editor of the Saturday Press, married a strong-minded New England school-teacher, who imbued him with schemes for the amelioration of the human race, and the pair are now members of the American socialistic colony at Topolobampo, in Mexico.Queer ending, isn't it, to the life of a man who began his career as editor of a wild, devil-may-care Bohemian organ?" [pages:479] Gunn, Thomas Butler. Diaries, Vol. 8. Missouri History Museum, 1856. Gunn documents Howland being in town: "Called on Arnold at night, and with him to Taylor's hotel, intending to find Howland, who, with Yewel is in town." [pages:27] Gunn, Thomas Butler. Diaries, Vol. 10. Missouri History Museum, 1858. Gunn believes the Saturday Presswon't last without Howland's money: "The paper will last just as long as the milch-cow Howland sinks money in it. And – God save the mark! – before the ineffable trash appeared, if they didn't talk of it's going to be equal in merit to the Atlantic Mag, in point of literary production! B–––ah!! [pages:18] Gunn, Thomas Butler. Diaries, Vol. 11. Missouri History Museum, 1859. Gunn talks with Nichols, who knows Howland: "The Hillards up to see me, this evening, bringing an acquaintance, one Nichols who had known both Yewel and Howland in Paris, from which he has comparatively recently returned. The two Artists work hard, have been hard-up and Howland is 'accommodated' in Bardolphia phrase with a grisette. Of Yewell's little domestic arrangement, Nichols knew nothing. I had some claret and whisky, so we drank, smoked and talked." [pages:99] Gunn, Thomas Butler. Diaries, Vol. 16. Missouri History Museum, 1861. Gunn includes a newspaper clipping about Howland's picture "The Prisoners." [pages:22] Lause, Mark A. The Antebellum Crisis and America's First Bohemians. Kent, OH: Kent State University Press, 2009. Edward Howland was part of the Unitary Household experiment. It was here that he met Marie Stevens, the love of his life. Upon their introduction, Stevens's then husband, Lyman W. Case, bowed out of their marriage noting how happy they seemed together. The three remained lifelong friends (66,68). Howland was a Charleston-born Harvard graduate. An author in his own right, he loved travel, fine books, and literature (68). Howland sold his massive personal book collection so that Henry Clapp could have funds to start the Saturday Press (77). [pages:66, 68,77, 86, 107, 114] Miller, Tice L. Bohemians and Critics: American Theatre Criticism in the Nineteenth Century. Metuchen, NJ: The Scarecrow Press, 1981. Met Henry Clapp in the summer of 1858 and soon joined him in setting up the New York Saturday Press. [pages:26] Mott, Frank Luther. A History of American Magazines, Volume II: 1850-1865. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1938. Identified as the co-founder of The Saturday Press with Henry Clapp. [pages:38] Rawson, A. L. "A Bygone Bohemia." Frank Leslie's Popular Monthly. 01 Jan. 1896: 96-107. [pages:107] Winter, William. Old Friends; Being Literary Recollections of Other Days. New York: Moffat, Yard and Company, 1909. He is listed by Winter as one of the Bohemians who frequented Pfaff's Cave (88). "The Saturday Press" was started by Clapp and Howland in 1858 (137). Howland ("by whom the paper had been projected") is listed as one of the "friendly contributors" to the "Saturday Press," who "were glad to furnish articles for nothing, being friendly toward the establishment of an absolutely independent critical paper, a thing practically unknown in those days" (294-295). [pages:88,137,294-295]