Howard Daniel Killam, Sr. was born on November 1, 1918 near Springfield in Texas County, Missouri, to Daniel Drake Killam and Gertrude Belle Killam (nee Richards). He had two siblings, Ruth Knauss Bowler (April 6, 1906 – April 5, 1993) and Eva Killam (1910-1915), and the family resided in Mountain Grove, Texas County, Missouri throughout his childhood.

Howard married Eunice Ruby Clifton on September 19, 1940, and they moved to Topeka, Shawnee County, Kansas where Howard worked as a railroad carman for the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad. Howard and Eunice had 7 children together: Edith M. Houser (October 7, 1941 –), Howard Daniel “Dan” Killam, Jr. (January 13, 1943 – November 27, 2009), Raymond “Ray” H. Killam (May 29, 1944 –), Lois V. Sweatt (June 13, 1946 –), Ruth Esther Killam (1947 – 1948), Phillip “Phil” Richard Killam (May 17, 1950 – April 3, 2001), and Roy Eugene Killam (February 28, 1952 –). Howard and Eunice divorced sometime after 1963. On January 21, 1977, Howard married Lola Katherine Bush in Topeka. Lola and Howard remained in Topeka until his death on February 9, 1993 at the age of 74. He was buried in his hometown of Mountain Grove, Missouri.

Throughout his life Howard maintained an interest in photography as a pastime, particularly photographing train stations, trains, and railroads, aided by his profession. He mainly photographed MKT (Missouri-Kansas-Texas) railroads and depots. Howard’s photographs were donated by his sons to historical and archival collections across Kansas and Missouri after his death, including the Kenneth Spencer Research Library.

[Information retrieved from findagrave.com, federal and city census records, United States public records, WWII draft cards, and the "Killam, Howard D., Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad Depot and Locomotive/Rolling Stock, Photographic prints, 1949-1979” finding aid from Pittsburg State University Special Collections.]