Erwin Julius Howard was born in Aurora, Ohio, the oldest son of a farmer. In 1872, at the age of 26, he moved to Erie, Pennsylvania where he engaged in the brewery business. There he met and began courting a young woman named Celestine Downer. Celestine's father, a 72-year-old veteran brewer named Truman Downer, took an interest in him as well. He took young Howard under his wing, literally bought him a brewery, then set about teaching him the beer brewing business.

The old man's intuition proved keen, the marriage was strong and the brewery prospered. And upon Truman Downer's death in 1886 his protégé took over full-time management the company.  Over the next twenty years grew it to be one of the largest in that area of the country.

Howard became much loved and respected in Erie County. In addition to the brewery business he was the president of the People's Bank, he was a high degree Mason, he was fire commissioner, and was a prominent member of the Elk's Lodge.

Celestine died in 1906 and her absence in his life was especially profound as their marriage had produced no children. When Erwin was diagnosed with cancer some months later it prompted the extended family to visit. Erwin Julius Howard died at age 62 on June 14th, 1908 he was survived by three brothers, a sister and their aged parents, who had all traveled by train from Chillicothe, Missouri to be at his side. His father, at age 85, signed as witness on his son's death certificate.

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Associated Breweries