Emma, age 17 1

Emma Lovell Shafter-Howard (August 26, 1842 – July 1916) was the daughter of Judge Oscar Lovell Shafter, and was "prominent in social life" in Oakland for many years. She was described as "a woman of unusual ability and strong character, [she] took the greatest interest in everything connected with the advancement of women." 2,3 She was also a charter member of the Sierra Club.

Emma Lovell Shafter was born in Wilmington, Vermont, to Oscar Lovell Shafter and Sarah Riddell (Shafter).

She married Charles Webb Howard (January 23, 1831 – July 17, 1908) on December 21, 1861. They had 6 children: (Oscar) Shafter Howard, Theron Howard, Maud Shafter Howard, Karl Shafter Howard, Frederick Paxson Howard, and Harold Shafter Howard. Theron died aged 13 months. 4

In 1864, her father gave her a lot on Alice Street (where the corner of 14th Street is now; 1206 Alice before renumbering), where they had large home. The family still lived there as of the 1905 directory.

In early 1906, Emma moved to San Francisco. A brief article on April 16, 1906, says Emma was having a new house built, and was going to leave for Hawai'i in a few days. The 1906 earthquake struck 2 days later.

Around 1890, Charles had abandoned Emma, but she refused to file for a divorce. Following the death of Charles in 1908, there was a lawsuit over his estate. An article mentions that Emma and Charles had been separated for 18 years before his death.

1889 Sanborn excerptViews of Oakland undated photo of home 1

Shafter-Howard wrote a biography of her father, the Life, Diary and Letters of Oscar Lovell Shafter, which was edited by Flora Haines Loughead and published in 1915. 1

Her family and Charles owned large amounts of land in Point Reyes; in 1865, they owned a 71,000 acre dairy ranch there.

Death and Burial

Charles died in 1908 in San Rafael. Emma died in 1916 in San Francisco. They are buried in the family lot in plot 2 of Mountain View Cemetery. Shafter, Maud, Karl, and Howard are also buried there.

CC SA-BY Our Oakland

Links and References

  1. Life, Diary and Letters of Oscar Lovell Shafter by Emma Shafter-Howard Blair-Murdock Company 1915
  2. Mrs. Emma Shafter Howard Dies San Francisco Chronicle July 28, 1916
  3. Personals Woman's National Farm and Garden Association Quarterly 1917
  4. Emma Lovell Shafter Howard Under the Gables Winter 2018-2019
Edit tags