Howard was born in 1841 in Brockton, then known as North Bridgewater. His father, Linus, was a farmer. In 1881 Howard married Mary (Eaton) Nutter, of Amesbury. They had no children. He had opened his office by 1882. In 1889, he took Fred T. Austin as partner in the firm of Howard & Austin. Austin left in 1896 to work alone, before becoming the partner of Charles A. Brigham (Austin & Brigham) in Boston that same year. In later life, Howard was appointed City Architect of Brockton.
Howard was fairly prolific in Plymouth County, and was competent in the major late-nineteenth century styles. Howard worked in Brockton during the 1880s and 90s, with its population more than quadrupling during his career. He and fellow Brockton architect Wesley Lyng Minor designed most of the city's major structures during that period.
W. V. Howard, until 1889
1882 - Aaron M. Herrod House, 772 N. Main St, Brockton, Massachusetts
Demolished.
1882 - Robbins B. Grover House, 336 Main St, Brockton, Massachusetts
Demolished.
1883 - Joslyn Block, 23 Centre St, Brockton, Massachusetts
Demolished.
1884 - Central Fire Station, 40 Pleasant St, Brockton, Massachusetts
1889 - First Universalist Church, 34 Cottage St, Brockton, Massachusetts
Howard & Austin, 1889-1896
1889 - Kingman Block, 142 Main St, Brockton, Massachusetts
Replaced by Martin & Hall's Kennedy Building in 1916.
1890 - Gardner Block, 62 Centre St, Brockton, Massachusetts
Demolished in 2013.
1894 - Littleton Town Hall, 125 Main St, Littleton, New Hampshire
1896 - Hyannis Yacht Club, Pleasant St, Hyannis, Massachusetts
Demolished.
1896 - Moses A. Packard House, 647 Main St, Brockton, Massachusetts
W. V. Howard, after 1896
1896 - Washburn Library, 32 Union St, East Bridgewater, Massachusetts
1897 - William L. Wright House, 162 Highland St, Brockton, Massachusetts
1898 - Fire Station No. 3, 914 N Main St, Brockton, Massachusetts
1899 - Jenkins Block, 91 Washington St, Whitman, Massachusetts
