Richard C. Howard, editor and owner of the "Arkansas City Traveler" at Arkansas City, Kan., has been identified with that paper continuously since 1886, in which year he established it as the first daily paper published in the city. It is one of the oldest daily papers in Cowley county, and is considered one of the most carefully edited and best daily papers of its size in the state. Mr. Howard was born at Greencastle, Ind., Feb. 23, 1863, and is a son of Richard T. Howard and his wife, whose maiden name was Miss Julia A. Duty. Both parents were natives of Kentucky, and removed to Greencastle, Ind., in a very early day. The father had been a slaveholder in his native State of Kentucky, and his sympathies were with the Southland during the great internecine struggle of 1861-65. In Indiana he gave his attention to farming and stock raising and died in that state in 1866. Richard T. Howard was the son of Joseph Howard, also a native of Kentucky. In early colonial days two brothers by the name of Howard came to America from England. One of them settled in Maine and the other in the South, and it is from the latter that Richard C. Howard, of this review, traces his descent.

Mr. Howard received his common school education at Greencastle, Ind., and at the early age of fourteen began to learn the printer's trade, in the office of the "Greencastle Star." Later he became half owner of the "Morning Sun Herald," at Morning Sun, Iowa, and was engaged in publishing that paper a year and a half before he came to Kansas, where he first went to work on the "Arkansas City Weekly Democrat." He subsequently became a half owner of the "Arkansas City Weekly Republican." In 1886 he established the "Daily Republican." Later it and the "Arkansas City Traveler" were consolidated and the name of the Daily changed to the Traveler. Mr. Howard is a Republican and has always been an active worker in behalf of his party. He served as postmaster of Arkansas City from 1898 to 1902, and during that time he sold his paper, but soon bought it back and still retains it.

In 1884 Mr. Howard married Miss Fannie DeFever, a daughter of J. W. DeFever, of Fredonia, Kan., but a native of Kentucky. To Mr. and Mrs. Howard were born two sons: Richard F. and Harry D., both of whom are now associated with their father in the newspaper and printing business. The wife and mother died in 1889, and in 1895 Mr. Howard married Mrs. Rhoda Coulter. Mrs. Howard is a member of the Church of Christ, Scientist, and Mr. Howard is a member of the fraternal order of the Knights and Ladies of Security.