Morton Boyte Howell was born in 1834, son of Robert Crawford and Mary Ann Morton (Toy) Howell. He was married in Virginia to Isabelle Elliott. They were parents of four children, Sue, Alfred, Morton and a boy who died young. He married second on June 10, 1869, Pattie A. Curd who died soon after. He married third, on November 3, 1870 to Betty C. Curd, sister to Pattie. He had ten children from his third marriage, eight of whom lived to adulthood: Pattie Curd, Mary Toy, Elizabeth, Robert Boyte, Annie Haiden, Margaret, Joseph Toy and Rachel Howell. He served as Mayor, 1874-1875.