Howard Soule Jr. (1829-1924) was born in Sennett, Cayuga County, New York. The Soule Family had a long established homestead in Sennett going back to the early settlers of Cayuga County and Auburn, New York. Howard Jr. acquired his academic education in Auburn, New York. In his early career, he made surveys for railways from Auburn to Ithaca and Lake Ontario. During 1856-58, he was in charge of construction of the railroad from Auburn to Lake Ontario which eventually became a part of the Lehigh Valley Railroad system. Between 1847 and 1874 he was engaged on State canal projects beginning with the enlargement of the Erie Canal, subsequently being resident engineer on the Cayuga and Seneca Canal, Chenango Canal, Chemung Canal - all part of the Middle District of the State Canal System. He also made the surveys for the draining of Montezuma Marshes at Cayuga Lake. He served New York State as an Assistant Engineer, Resident Engineer and Division Engineer for the Middle District of the State Canal system ending service in 1874. From 1874 to 1876 he served as City Engineer of Syracuse. Afterwards for 12 years he was engaged in the contracting business designing and constructing iron bridges of the Whipple, cast-iron, bow and string types primarily for spanning canals. During this time frame he constructed the 70 miles of the “West Shore” Railroad and raised the banks and locks of the Welland Canal in Canada as well as lengthening the locks of the Erie Canal. In 1879, as a Republican he was defeated in the election to be State Engineer and Surveyor. Beginning in 1890 he acted as consulting engineer and directed the design for the installation of a water supply to Syracuse from Skaneateles Lake continuing in that capacity until water flowed in the first conduit in 1904. Although retired and of advanced age he returned to service for the installation of the second conduit from Skaneateles Lake. He was a prominent, skillful civil engineer based in Syracuse, New York elected a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers on March 17, 1869.