In 1780 he took the surname of Forward after succeeding to the estates of his mother's family.
[1] Between 1783 and 1800 he served in the Irish House of Commons as the Member of Parliament for St Johnstown.
From 1800 to 1808 he was Treasurer of the Irish Post Office and from 1814 Governor of Wicklow.
On 31 March 1787, he married Eleanor Caulfeild, the only daughter of Hon.
He was succeeded by his eldest son, William Howard.