Date Original
1835
Description
This collection contains a letter written by Absalom Fowler ordering the arrest of Laban Howell, the recently elected colonel of the Arkansas Volunteer Regiment.
Biographical/Historical Note
Absalom Fowler was born in 1806 in Madison County, Kentucky. In 1829, he moved to Little Rock. He soon became the Prosecuting Attorney for Arkansas Territory, serving 1829-1830. In 1833, he joined the law partnership of Robert Crittenden, who died in 1834 leaving the law practice to Fowler. He was president of the Arkansas Bar Association in 1830s. He was a representative for Pulaski County in 1835 and a delegate to the Constitutional Convention in 1836. In 1836, he ran as the Whig Party candidate for governor of the newly-formed state of Arkansas but lost to James Conway by 2000 votes. Arkansas volunteers were called for in 1836 due to a fear of an Indian war in Texas. Fowler was elected lieutenant colonel of the Arkansas Volunteer Regiment. Fowler was not elected colonel during the next officer election, and he sought to discredit the man who received the colonel's commission, Laban Howell, by claiming the election was not valid and placing Howell under arrest. Howell was eventually released and reinstated. Fowler was later appointed the United States District Attorney for Arkansas in 1841 and 1849 and served as a state representative in 1844-1846. He married Frances Lewis on May 25, 1843. He died June 4, 1859.
Physical Description
Document, 8.5" x 11"
Geographical Area
Arkansas
Language
English
Identifier
SMC.033.007
Resource Type
Text
Collection
Absalom Fowler letter, SMC.033.007
Publisher
Arkansas State Archives
Contributing Entity
Arkansas State Archives
Recommended Citation
Absalom Fowler letter, Arkansas State Archives, Little Rock, Arkansas.
Rights
Use and reproduction of images held by the Arkansas State Archives without prior written permission is prohibited. For information on reproducing images held by the Arkansas State Archives, please call 501-682-6900 or email at state.archives@arkansas.gov.
Disciplines
United States History
