Howell was the son of John Howell, farmer and Calvinistic Methodist deacon, of Treos, in the parish of Llangan, Glamorganshire. His mother being of weak health, he was brought up for the most part by his grandmother, Mary Griffiths of Tynycaeau, a church-woman.
At the age of fifteen, he returned to his father"s home, which was now at Bryn Cwtyn, near Pencoed. He studied at the Eagle School, Cowbridge, the Preparatory School, Merthyr, and the Llandaff Diocesan Institute at Abergavenny. He was ordained in 1856 and began his career as Curate of Neath.
After that he was Vicar of Street John, Cardiff and later Archdeacon of Wrexham before his elevation to the Deanery.
