Howley Family Papers

The Howley family papers document more than 200 years in the history of a family which has lived in Newfoundland since 1810s, when brothers Richard, John and Michael Howley immigrated to St. John's. These papers mainly relate to Richard Howley's family, his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The largest single group of papers document the life and activities of Richard's son, James Patrick Howley, who spent most of his adult life working for the Newfoundland Geological Survey, and include diaries, field notebooks, correspondence, property and legal papers, maps and drawings, and his writings: essays, reports and articles on a wide array of subjects. Also included are his reminiscences, a first-hand account of his life as a geologist. Also in this collection are textual documents (1818-1829) attributed to William Epps Cormack. James Patrick Howley sourced for his book The Beothuk or the Red Indians There are papers relating to the life and work of several of J. P. Howley's brothers: John Joseph, a farmer; Richard Vincent, a priest and writer; Michael Francis, Archbishop of St. John's; Thomas, a medical doctor; and his sister Catherine and her husband, Edward Morris. There are also documents relevant to the activities of and relationships between J. P. Howley's children and his grandchildren. The papers provide an interesting overview of one of the most prominent Irish Roman Catholic families in Newfoundland, a family whose members made lasting contributions in the fields of science, religion, politics, and literature