My Genealogy Hound

HOWARD M. ROYAL, Principal of the Rome Normal School, is a native of Cannelton, Perry Co., Ind., born December 2, 1856. His father, Richard Royal, who is a native of Kentucky, followed farming until he was upward of thirty years of age, when he abandoned it and entered the ministry of the United Brethren Church. He soon after, however, embraced the Missionary Baptist doctrine, which he has preached for about forty years. He married Elizabeth Miller, a native of Indiana, by whom he is the father of four sons and two daughters. Howard M. was reared at home, and having completed the common school branches, at the age of eighteen he entered the teacher’s profession. After teaching for five terms, he was not satisfied with his educational acquirements, and accordingly he entered the Indiana State Normal at Terre Haute in 1879. He remained one term, and then taught the following winter. August 15, 1880, his marriage with Mary H. Batson was celebrated, and his wife being a teacher, the following month both went to Terre Haute, where they remained a year. In the winter of 1882 both taught in Anderson Township, this county, since which they have been engaged in teaching at Rome. Each spring and summer they conduct a normal term, which has become very popular with the teachers of the county, as is evidenced by the annually increased attendance. Mr. and Mrs. Royal are wide-awake, thorough and conscientious teachers, and are held in high esteem by their pupils and the community. They have two children, Mary J. and Earl H.