Col. John Eager Howard and sons during the War of 1812

The namesake for Howard County and owner of land there ("Waverly") was too old to fight, but his sons helped protect Fort McHenry and Baltimore. Howard's "Lodge Farm" [H on map, width of the penisula, to top of map] on Patapsco Neck was next to Gov. Charles Carnan Ridgely (of Hampton Mansion) [R] and in the way of the British who landed at North Point [X] on Sept. 12, 1814.

Although the British had beaten the Americans in a battle north of Washington DC, then burned the Capitol and White House, they would be delayed by fierce fighting going to Baltimore, their General Ross was killed and Fort McHenry survived a bombardment from the ships (there's a song about it).


Sixteen months earlier, on April 10, 1813 (Thurs night), Benjamin Chew Howard wrote to his brother John Howard Jr. at the Chew home in Philadelphia to tell him that the British ships were off Baltimore and that he was heading out to “The Neck” - Patapsco Neck or North Point. John, the eldest, had been given "Lodge Farm" the Howard estate the width of the peninsula near Ridgely’s place (image below, no pictures of the Howard home) both very close to where the British would land (X) the following year. Click the map or pictures to enlarge.

Ben cleverly wrote: “The oxen at the neck are too stiff-necked even to be broke, so we better kill them and give them to the Hussars [Md Militia light cavalry]. This plan is such a reasonable one, that I hope you will not object to it; for if they stay there, something worse may befall them. Perhaps you may think that we can live upon air, (And to-be-sure there is a great deal of oxygen in it) or fish, but I do not like to be kept alive by a creek in the neck.”

"Lodge Farm" was ransacked in Sept. 1814 by the invading British troops (probably as they returned to North Point to board their ships). They took kitchen, dining, and bedding items, tools, an ox (a lone survivor of the previous year), three cows, 18 hogs, 200 chickens, 100 ducks 72 geese, 40 bushels of oats, and “wheat in the straw.” A two story home with two kitchens, large brick barn, ice house, dairy, granary, cow house, piggery, sheep house and meat house were on the 462 acres.

"At Lodge Farm a soldier scratched a British flag on the plaster above the mantelpiece with the end of his bayonet. It could still be seen at the time the house was burned six years ago." [c1911] p223 There were many trees on the land and "at a later period, 152 men from Maine came to "Lodge Farm", the property owned by John Eager Howard, and one of the farms adjoining "Todd's Inheritance". They entered the great white oak forest bordering the creeks, and there in one winter secured frames for sixty-two vessels, which they took back to Maine, where the vessels were built. Twenty to thirty pairs of oxen were used in hauling this lumber to the water front." p 199 Real Stories from Baltimore County History. Revised by Isobel Davidson. Baltimore: 1917

The Colonel was a member of the Committee of Vigilance and Safety which was instrumental in preparing the earthen works to defend the city. He was enraged by those who wanted to avoid a battle and surrender the city and proclaimed that “he had four sons in the field… but would rather see his sons slain and his property reduced to ashes than so far disgrace his country.”

John Eager Howard Jr. a lieutenant, and two of his brothers George and William, privates, were in the elite First Baltimore Horse Artillery under Captain Henry Thompson of “Clifton” (later Johns Hopkins’ home). They served as reconnaissance scouts during troop movements and as messengers between officers during the battles. John and thirteen men earlier had been ordered to accompany Commodores John Rodgers, Oliver Hazard Perry and David Porter to Washington to harass the British ships on the Potomac. During the 24 hour bombardment of Ft. McHenry they galloped through the rockets and pouring rain over a makeshift bridge between the fort and headquarters at what is now Paterson Park.

Ben, a Captain, and his First Mechanical Volunteers were among the first to fight a skirmish before the Battle of North Point on September 12, 1814. Gen Ross was killed during the skirmish, with three young Americans thought to be the shooter. One was in Capt. Howard's group, and the unit later erected the Aquila Randall monument to honor their fallen comrade. The Howards and brother-in-law John McHenry of the United Volunteers were in the Maryland 5th Regiment, one of the few to hold their ground at the Battle of Bladensburg on Aug 24, 1814. The British marched into Washington DC to burn the Capitol and White House (after eating the meal prepared for President Madison and staff) more HERE)

"Belvidere" was the home of John Eager Howard (1752-1827) and Peggy Chew Howard (1760-1824) the daughter of Pa. Chief Justice Benjamin Chew of Philadelphia. Their children were John Jr. (1788-1822) son-in-law of Sen. Read of SC; George (1789-1846) son-in-law of Gov. Charles Carnan Ridgely, and future Governor; Benjamin Chew (1791-1872) his wife Jane would write a fundraising cookbook in 1873; Dr. Wiliam Howard (1793-1834) married a cousin of Francis Scott Key; Juliana (1792-1821) married the son of Dr. James McHenry, Sec. of War and namesake of Fort McHenry; James (1797-1870) married another daughter of Gov. Ridgely; Sophia (1800-1880) married William Read,the younger brother of John Jr.'s wife; Charles (1802-1869) married the daughter of Francis Scott Key.

George Howard was given "Waverly" on Howard family lands in Howard County. He later became Governor when the preceeding governor died.

John McHenry (1791-1822) was in the 5th Regiment at Bladensburg, then at North Point. He died of fever in Pa., as did his brother-in-law and friend John Eager Howard Jr. who went to help him.

Other posts on:
Jane and Benjamin Chew Howard HERE
Jane Howard & food (Researching Food History blog) HERE
Waverly and Gov. George Howard HERE
Col/Gov John Eager Howard HERE


©2025 Patricia Bixler Reber
Forgotten history of Ellicott City & Howard County MD