Howard Vincent Pickering was born in Arkona, Ont. on Sept. 8th, 1884.

His father, Joseph Pickering died in 1885, and his mother Emily Jane (nee Johnson), returned to teaching. Howard attended Hamilton Collegiate, Hamilton Model School (Teachers' College) and the University of Toronto where he earned his Master's Degree. In 1912-14 he took a post-graduate course at Columbia University, New York City where he was working on his PhD. In January 1915 Howard accepted a call from Stratford Normal School (Teachers' College) to his appointment as English Master. In December of that year he took a leave of absence to enlist as a Lieutenant in the 110th Perth Battalion and proceeded to England in October 1916 with the 4th Canadian Mounted Rifles.

Emily Jane Pickering married William Wallace Freel in 1893 and their home was at "Elmhurst Farm", RR2 North Grimsby Township, which Howard called his home.

Howard Vincent Pickering was killed in action at Passchendaele Ridge on October 26th, 1917 aged 33 years. His gravesite is unknown, but his name is inscribed on the Menin Gate, South Face, Panel 30, Ypres Belgium.

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