Friends of the Somme - Mid Ulster Branch  
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13660   Private James Howe
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Dated added: 30/12/2015   Last updated: 21/05/2021
Personal Details
Regiment/Service: 9th Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (British Army)
Date Of Birth: 11/12/1879
Died: 07/09/1916 (Killed in Action)
Age: 36
Summary      
James Howe was the son of William and Frances Howe. He was born in Fivemiletown on 11th December 1879. He was one of at least eleven children. The family later moved to Lisburn. He married Jane Killinder in 1902. The family moved to the Fivemiletown area around 1906. James was a general labourer. He was one of the first from the Fivemiletown area to enlist. Private James Howe was serving with the 9th Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers when he was killed in action near Ypres on 7th September 1916.
Further Information
James Howe was the son of William and Frances Howe. William Howe and Francis Irvine were married on 5th April 1867 in Fermanagh. Variations of Irvine include Irwine, Irwin, Erwin.
James Howe was born in Fivemiletown on 11th December 1879. He was one of at least eleven children. All but the last, Irvine, was born in the Fivemiletown area. He was born in Caledon.
Known family: William Howe, Frances Howe, William Howe (born 17th January 1868), Mary Howe (born 27th April 1869), John Howe (born 14th October 1870, twin), Robert Howe (born 14th October 1870, twin), Sarah Howe (born 28th September 1872), Frances Howe (born 1st February 1874), John Howe (born 20th December 1875), Mary Howe (born 24th April 1878), James Howe (born 11th December 1879), Charles Howe (born 13th January 1882), Irvine Howe (born 22nd November 1884, Caledon).
The 1901 census lists James as age 20 living with the family at house 56 in Millbrook Road, Lisburn, County Antrim. James, Mary and Irvine were all mill workers. His father was a labourer.
James Howe and Jane Killinder were married on 30th August 1902 in Lisburn. Variations of Irvine include Killindes and Killinden. They went on to have at least four children.
The family moved to the Fivemiletown area around 1906.
Known family: James Howe, Jane Howe, Mary Jane Howe (born 13th June 1903, Lisburn), Margaret Howe (born 1st March 1905, Lisburn), William James Howe (born 31st October 1907, Clogher), Robert Howe (born 16th October 1910, Clogher).
The 1911 census lists James as age 31, living with his family at house 3 in Aghintain, near Fivemiletown. James was a general labourer.
James was living in Fivemiletown when he enlisted in Clogher. He was one of the first from the Fivemiletown area to enlist.
From the Impartial Reporter dated 2nd September 1914:
Fivemiletown men now in Finner Camp – Thomas Irwin, Hugh Hetherington, James Howe, Andrew Browne, James Moore, William Shields and Herbert Irwin.
Private Howe arrived in France with the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers on 5th October 1915.
Medal card
Private James Howe was serving with the 9th Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers when he was killed in action near Ypres on 7th September 1916.
Private James Howe is buried in Pond Farm Cemetery, south west of Ypres in Belgium.
Private James Howe is commemorated locally on Clogher War Memorial, Fivemiletown War Memorial and also on the WWI Roll of Honour in St John's Church, Fivemiletown.
The CWGC record Private Howe as the husband of Mrs J Howe of Killerman, Fivemiletown, Co. Tyrone. It is believed Killerman is Kiltermon.
Private James Howe is listed on page 43 of the Fivemiletown book. Many thanks to Mark Byers for the information
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Relevant Dungannon Area Locations
No Location Region Location Notes Longtitude Latitude
1 Killerman, possibly Kiltermon Fivemiletown CWGC list wife as living in Killerman 54.385056 -7.269716
2 Aghintain Fivemiletown Census listing in Aghintain 54.408399 -7.247312
GRONI References
TYPE - B:Birth M:Marriage D:Death | GRONI | SIBLING: brother or sister | NOTES: spelling inconsistencies, etc.
Date Type Surname First name Relationship GRONI Ref Notes
05/04/1867 M Irvine Fanny Parent M/1867/V1/1541/2/146b Irwine
05/04/1867 M Howe William Parent M/1867/V1/1541/2/146a
17/01/1868 B Howe William Sibling U/1868/111/1026/1/471
17/04/1869 B Howe Mary Sibling U/1869/111/1026/2/130
14/10/1870 B Howe John Sibling U/1870/111/1026/2/320 twin
14/10/1870 B Howe Robert Sibling U/1870/111/1026/2/319 twin
28/09/1872 B Howe Sarah Sibling U/1872/111/1026/3/71
01/02/1874 B Howe Frances Sibling U/1874/111/1026/3/232
20/12/1875 B Howe John Sibling U/1876/111/1026/3/461 How, Erwin
24/04/1878 B Howe Mary Sibling U/1878/111/1026/5/1 How
11/12/1879 B Howe James Casualty U/1879/111/1026/5/161 Irwin
13/11/1882 B Howe Charles Sibling U/1882/111/1026/6/114 Irwin
22/11/1884 B Howe Irvine Sibling U/1884/204/1012/2/385
10/08/1902 M Howe James Casualty M/1902/E1/1734/13/199
10/08/1902 M Killinder Jane Wife M/1902/E1/1734/13/199 Killindes
13/06/1903 B Howe Mary Children U/1903/142/1018/1/373
01/03/1905 B Howe Maggie Children U/1905/142/1018/2/22
31/10/1907 B Howe William Children U/1907/111/1026/10/30 Killinden
16/10/1910 B Howe Robert Children U/1910/111/1026/10/248
References and Links
No Link Reference Map Doc
1 1901 census lists Howe family Lists James as age 20 living with the family at house 56 in Millbrook Road, Lisburn, Antrim
2 1911 census lists Howe family Lists James as age 31 living with his family at house 3 in Aghintain, Aghintain, Tyrone
3 Ancestry (subscription) Pension record lists James' wife as Jane Howe
4 FindAGrave.com Photo of Private James Howe's grave (worn)
5 National Archives UK Medal Card can be purchased here
6 War Graves Photographic Project Photo of James Howe's headstone can be purchased here.
Dungannon District's War Dead Acknowledgements 2015-2023