By David E. Schroeder
Special to NKyTribune
Unless you have been disconnected from the internet, television and all social media, you know it is the political season again.
Northern Kentucky has had its fair share of political leaders and characters. Many of them have been lost to history. One with an unusual name left his mark on our region – Ulie J. Howard.
Howard was a prominent local attorney, elected the Commonwealth Attorney in Kenton County, was involved in many fraternal and charitable groups and had a major battle with a group of highly influential Northern Kentucky ministers. The ministers and Howard held differing viewpoints on Northern Kentucky’s perennial and controversial issue of gambling. Harvey lost this battle, but also won.
Let me explain.
Ulie J. Howard was born on June 22, 1874 in Ghent, Carroll County, Kentucky. He attended the Carroll County Public Schools and later the now defunct Ghent College.
At this time in history, studying for the Bar usually meant an apprenticeship with a local attorney. Howard studied with Judge J.A. Donaldson in Carrollton and later attended Centre Law School in Danville. Once passing the bar in 1895 he moved to the thriving city of Covington to make his fortune.
Not only did Howard make his fortune in Covington he also met his wife. Howard teamed up with local attorney Harvey J. Myers Jr. in 1901 and formed the firm Myers and Howard, a partnership that lasted until Myers’ death in 1933.
As a young lawyer in a new city, Howard became very active in Covington circles. At one time or another he was a member of Kenton Home Society, Covington Park Board, the First Presbyterian Church, and the Covington Masons, Elks and Eagles. His law firm prospered and so did his family. He eventually married Carrie Brent Alexander in 1897 and the couple was blessed with one child, Charlton Alexander Howard. Mrs. Howard died in 1917 and a year later, Ulie married Aileen Brown Southgate. His wives were both from politically active families.
Howard’s practice flourished and he and his family eventually moved to the new suburbs near Ft. Mitchell. Here he was one of the founding members of the Ft. Mitchell Country Club. His residence was at 1860 Dixie Highway.
In 1933, Howard founded a new law firm with his son. The prominence of the firm was indicated by its address – the Coppin’s Building, 7th and Madison Streets, in Covington.
In 1927, Howard successfully ran for Kenton County Commonwealth Attorney. An ardent Democrat, Howard was quoted in the local press, “I always vote for the best man, and I always find him on the Democratic ticket.”
Obviously partisanship is not a new phenomenon in Northern Kentucky!
During his tenure as Commonwealth Attorney, gambling was a huge racket in Northern Kentucky. Like many local officials of his day from both parties, Howard was accused of looking the other way when concerning gambling.
In 1946, the Kenton County Protestant Association, a group of local ministers, filed suit against Howard for not doing enough to curb gambling in the county. The United States District ruled in the association’s favor and barred Howard from practice in the U.S. District Court.
However, the ruling did not apply in the local courts and Howard remained Kenton County Commonwealth Attorney. Many local residents didn’t seem to care about the court case. By this time Howard had ingratiated himself with the community and was well respected.
Ulie J. Howard died on October 17, 1947. He had held the position of Commonwealth Attorney for 20 years. Howard was laid to rest in Highland’s Cemetery, not far from his home.
David E. Schroeder is Director of the Kenton County Public Library, the author of Life Along the Ohio: A Sesquicentennial History of Ludlow, Kentucky (2014), and coeditor of Gateway City: Covington, Kentucky, 1815-2015.(2015)