Henry Howard studied law under future Rhode Island Governor William W. Hoppin and was admitted to the Rhode Island Bar in 1851. He married Catherine Greene Harris that same year and later opened a New York City office for his father-in-law's business. Howard returned to Rhode Island to manage the company after Elisha Harris's death and was named president of the Harris Manufacturing Company in 1865. He founded the Providence Telephone Company and co-founded the Armington and Sims Engine Company, which contributed to the energy infrastructure. Howard served as an elector in the presidential election and held two terms as Governor of Rhode Island.

Henry Howard's political identity is characterized by an intricate blend of industrial advocacy and infrastructural innovation. His career reveals a consistent dedication to fostering manufacturing and energy sectors, as seen in his support for the Armington and Sims Engine Company. Howard's establishment of the Providence Telephone Company underscores a forward-thinking approach to infrastructure. Despite lacking explicit environmental policies, his industrial initiatives suggest a calculated stance on regional economic development. This juxtaposition of industrial growth with infrastructural advancement hints at a nuanced, perhaps even contrarian, strategic philosophy.