Our Heritage
A father-to-son family tradition in building materials — from London in 1620 to Live Oak, Florida.
The Howland Story
The story of Howland building materials supply of North America began a very, very long time ago. For time’s sake we will start in 1620 with three Howland brothers — John, Henry, and Arthur — who were in the materials supply and hardware business in London, England. John Howland boarded the Mayflower in 1620 headed for the new land. The plan was for John to trade with the Indians while his two brothers sent hardware and supplies as trading currency.
During the voyage a massive storm arose that broke the main sail mast, and all appeared lost. Everyone was below deck, but John insisted he was not dying without trying to solve the problem above deck. When the storm subsided John was nowhere to be found and was presumed lost at sea. Little did they know, John was actually dragging behind the Mayflower, holding onto a rope. In the first winter almost half of the pilgrims died, leaving no way to repay the financiers of the voyage. John Howland and seven others agreed to assume and repay the voyage debt in exchange for trading rights on the Kennebec River — a huge risk, because if the debt could not be repaid, it meant debtors’ prison.
John and Elizabeth Tilley had ten children who all lived to reproduce, and the business has passed from father to son up to the present day.
From Madison to Live Oak
Skip a couple hundred years and several generations: in 1843, Edward Church Howland started his supply store in Madison County, FL, where he also made bricks for construction. In 1890, his son John Phillip Howland started his store in Suwannee County, FL, where he ran a sawmill, hardware, grits mill, brick-making, and the Post Office. In 1926, two of his sons — John Phillip and William Beverly (“W.B.”) — started our current location in Live Oak, FL.
Howland’s Store — 610 11th Street, Live Oak
The 610 11th Street location, today’s W.B. Howland Company (also called “Howland’s Store”), was founded in 1926 by brothers John Phillip Howland and William Beverly “W.B.” Howland at the intersection of State Road 51 and 11th Street in Live Oak, Florida. In 1938 John sold his interest to W.B., and John started the very successful Howland’s Feedmill across the intersection at the corner of 11th Street and SR 51, eventually relocating to 9293 US 90, Live Oak, FL.
W.B. and his wife, Ruth — also known as “Big Ma” — could be seen in the store for almost five decades. W.B. was fondly known by family and customers as “Pa,” and the original store holds strong memories for generations of Live Oak residents.
In 1955 Hal Fletcher joined his father-in-law in the business. Two years later, W.B.’s son, Billy C. Howland, joined. Since the late 1950s, Bill Howland Jr. and Lyn Fletcher have literally grown up in the business, as their homes were next door to the 11th Street location. In 1976 and 1979 respectively, Bill Howland Jr. and Lyn Fletcher joined full time and shepherded the company to significant growth in the building supply sector. In 2022, Lyn and his wife, Dee Dee Dees Fletcher, purchased Bill Jr.’s 50 percent interest in the company; however, Bill Jr. continues to work in leadership within W.B. Howland. Lyn Fletcher is a third-generation owner, having followed in the footsteps of his father, Hal Fletcher, and grandfather, W.B. Howland.
The 610 11th Street location began by providing groceries and dry goods to farmers and Live Oak citizens. Over the years, fence wire, fence posts, fence boards and poles, hardware, and paints were added. Pa always said, “Boys, if we don’t have it, we can’t sell it.” The stock of the store was always dictated by the requests of customers, and credit was available to anyone with a good attitude.
In the early years, customers would select chickens from a pen out back, and meat would be processed on the spot. Howland’s store was always known for its famous tender meats and world-renowned hand-dipped ice cream. The buggy and cane shown in the replica were used for support by Pa Howland while crossing the street from his residence. The old Howland’s Store is a remembrance of how two people’s lives can positively affect a community for decades to come.
Howland’s has long been a Suwannee County landmark, remembered for its crushed ice, soda pop, and peanuts. Today, Lyn Fletcher oversees a complex business encompassing a full-line hardware store, convenience store, and lumber yard.
A century of building — and still going
Put a family operation that has been in building materials since 1926 to work on your next project.