Howard Dwight Pinkham. Following is the record of a very successful Kansas business man and farmer. A citizen of New England antecedents and training, he was for many years a resident of Kansas, and toward the close of his life a farmer in Walnut Township of Saline County near Mentor.
Born January 4, 1847, at North Chelsea, Massachusetts, Howard Dwight Pinkham was a son of Vincent and Lois (Low) Pinkham, both of whom were New Englanders. He was one of twelve children, the only survivor of whom is Herbert L., who lives at Salina. The other children were named James, Charlotte, Henry, Edward, William, Theodore, Adelia, Howard Dwight, Emma and Augusta.
Howard Dwight Pinkham grew up in Massachusetts, gained sufficient education for his business needs, and his early experiences were as a salesman and bookkeeper in Massachusetts. He left that state in 1878, and in that year came to Marysville, Kansas, where he spent two years as a salesman. Returning to Massachusetts, he remained there seven years, and was then again in Marysville for two years. After another period of residence in Massachusetts for three years he came to make Kansas his permanent home. He bought a farm in Marshall County, and was actively engaged in operating it for fourteen years. Selling out his interests in Marshall County, he removed to Saline County and bought the 320 acre farm in Walnut Township where his busy and useful life came to a close on May 27, 1913. He was distinguished as a hard worker, lived in peace and good will with his neighbors, was upright, commanded trust and confidence, and his judgment and ability were such as to gain respectful admiration. He was long a devoted member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and served as superintendent of its Sunday-school.
On February 19, 1880, at Marshall, Kansas, he married Miss Joan Elizabeth Carden. Mrs. Pinkham was born December 4, 1862, on the farm near Marshfield, Missouri, a daughter of Richard W. and Susan A. (Dameron) Carden, her father a native of Tennessee and her mother of North Carolina. To the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Pinkham were born eleven children, eight sons and three daughters, namely: Florence L., born December 4, 1880, and died October 20, 1881; Thirza Low, born June 20, 1882, and died October 30, 1882; Lois, born March 20, 1884; Theodore, born June 3, 1886; Howard Dwight born June 21, 1888; Samuel Nelson, born May 29, 1890; William R., born July 1, 1892; Edwin H., born August 3, 1894; Henry V., born July 4, 1897; Lawrence A., born December 2, 1900; and Carden, the youngest of this large family, who was born May 16, 1905.