Jacob Merritt Howard (July 10, 1805 – April 2, 1871) was an American attorney and politician. He was most notable for his service as a U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator from the state of Michigan, and his political career spanned the American Civil War. Howard was a native of Shaftsbury, Vermont, and attended schools in southern Vermont before attending Williams College, from which he graduated in 1830. He studied law, moved to Detroit in 1832, and attained admission to the bar in 1833. Howard practiced in Detroit and became active in politics, first as a Whig, and later as a Republican. Among the offices he held were city attorney (1834) and member of the Michigan House of Representatives (1838). In 1840 he was elected to the U.S. House, and he served one term, 1841 to 1843. In 1854 he was one of the founders of the Republican Party, and he served as Michigan Attorney General from 1855 to 1861. After Senator Kinsley S. Bingham died in 1861, Howard was elected to fill the vacancy, taking office in January 1862. He was elected to a full term in 1865, and served until March 1871. From 1863 to 1871, Howard was chairman of the Senate's Committee on Pacific Railroads. Howard died April 2, 1871, a month after the expiration of his final Senate term. He was buried at Elmwood Cemetery in Detroit. Early life Howard was born in Shaftsbury, Vermont, on July 10, 1805, the son of farmer Otis Howard and Mary "Polly" Millington. He attended the district schools and the academies of Bennington and Brattleboro. Howard graduated from Williams College in 1830 and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. He then studied law with attorney Homer Bartlett of Ware, Massachusetts. He moved to Detroit, Michigan, in 1832, completed his legal studies with Charles Larned, was admitted to the bar in 1833 and commenced practice in Detroit. Start of career He was city attorney of Detroit in 1834 and joined the unofficial militia Governor Stevens T. Mason formed for the Toledo War in 1835–1836. Howard was a member of the Michigan House of Representatives in 1838. Howard was elected as a Whig to the US House of Representatives for the 27th Congress, serving from March 4, 1841, to March 3, 1843. He was not a candidate for renomination in 1842, and resumed practicing law in Detroit. Howard became identified with the