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- A painter and book illustrator, Howard Smith was born September 23,1877, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the son of Isaac Hampton Smithand Mary Drollinar. He and twin-sister Kate (Kathrine O. Smith) hadone older brother, Jacob Grayson Smith. Isaac Smith was a policeofficer and Mary Smith was the daughter of a local stone worker.According to a passport, Howard was 5´7" with brown hair and browneyes.
Little is known of Howard Smith's early years, but by age 22 heindicated his occupation as "New York City artist." In 1902, at theage of 23, he illustrated Ruth Kimball Gardiner's In Happy Far-AwayLand, a children's book. Somewhat later he visited the British Isles.
In 1915 Howard Smith was living on E. 17th St., northeast of GreenwichVillage. His name appeared in the city directory under the artistlisting for many years. In 1918 he registered for the draft with a NYCboard and cited a lithography firm as his employer. He indicated hisfather as his nearest relative, who, together with Howard's mother,had moved to Haddon Heights, New Jersey.
By the early 1920s, Howard Smith had formed a partnership with Annie"Lou" Rogers, a cartoonist and children's writer from Maine. Theycollaborated on a series of illustrated poems and cutouts for childrencalled "Gimmicks." Lou wrote the stories and the initial drawings; abyline revealed "color by Howard Smith." Seventeen episodes werepublished in the Ladies' Home Journal. At about the same time, theyannounced their marriage.
Howard and Lou continued with commercial art for the next two decades.In 1927 they jointly illustrated a health text for school children,Grace Hallock's After the Rain. By 1933, they had acquired an oldfarmhouse in Brookfield, Connecticut, which became their seasonalgetaway and passion. Howard presented his wife with an oil painting ofthe property, labeled "For the new home from Howard." On the front ofthe painting at the lower left was inscribed "HS--- Brookfield." Otherpaintings depicted spring and autumn featuring the old barn, landscapetrees, and background of rolling hills.
By the 1940s Howard Smith had discovered his niche in seascapes of theNew England coast. He especially appreciated the scenery on MonheganIsland, an established art community off the coast of Maine. Heproduced several large oils (3´ x 2´) from this locale, signed "H.Smith." At Monhegan, he and Lou undoubtedly renewed their acquaintancewith painter and former woman suffrage co-worker, Ida S. Proper, thena year-round resident of the island. His draft registration from 1942stated that he was self-employed and listed the artist Adolph Dietscheas a contact.
In the early 1950s Lou Rogers was suddenly faced with declining healthdue to multiple sclerosis. Howard Smith was devastated and could nolonger provide adequate care for his wife. Lou Rogers was taken in byher sister in Canton, New York, where she died in 1952. Howardretreated to his own world and passed away within a few years. Theexact date and the place of his burial are not known at this time.
Thanks to Alice Sheppard for the research and biography of Howard!
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1877 - 1954 (76 years)
