John Houston

As printed in 1914

JOHN HOUSTON, Jr.

John Houston, Jr., like so many of the pioneers of Lee county, has passed to his reward and is beyond the reach of human praise or blame. Nevertheless, it is but just that his name be preserved in the records of this county as one who aided in its development in the early days of its history. He was born in Lyndeboro, New Hampshire, December 15, 1823, a son of John and Zervia (Fields) Houston, the former born June 5, 1787, and the latter November 1, 1784. Their marriage occurred March 21, 1811, and to their union were born the following children: Albert F., whose birth occurred January 15, 1812; Laura, who was born August 13, 1813, and married William Davis; Abigail, who was born April 2, 1815, and became the wife of Dr. George Shedd, a pioneer physician of Denmark, Iowa; Sarah, who was born October 7, 1816, and married Warren Henderson; Zervia, whose birth occurred on the 13th of July, 1821, and who married a Mr. Bell; John, the subject of this review; Joseph, born September 13, 1826; and Mary Jane, who was born May 28, 1829, and married Joseph Ingalls.

John Houston, Jr., was a lad of ten years when he removed with his parents to Lowell, Massachusetts, where his father was a mechanic in the woolen mills. The subject of this review was a pupil in the city schools of Lowell and there acquired a serviceable education. Subsequently the family came west, traveling by rail to Albany, New York, from that point on the Erie canal to Bufifalo, thence by the Great Lakes to Chicago and then across the prairies by wagon, finally arriving in Lee county, Iowa, where they settled. The journey was a long and tedious one, but most of the early settlers of this county came in some such way. The family made their home with Ira Houston, a relative, until a building could be erected on the eighty acres which they had purchased at a dollar and a quarter per acre. John Houston, Sr., and his wife passed the remainder of their lives upon their farm in this county and here departed this life, mourned by their many friends. They were loyal and consistent members of the Congregational church.

John Houston, Jr., taught school for a number of years after coming to Iowa, but soon after his marriage took up his residence on the old homestead, which he farmer. He subsequently purchased an additional eighty acres and was known as one of the progressive and successful farmers of the county. He was always ready to utilize a new method or a new type of farm implement if it seemed reasonable that it would be advantageous to do so. He carried on general farming and stock-raising, and his farm was one of the well improved places of his locality.

Mr. Houston was married in 1849 to Miss Maria Sturges, a daughter of Isaac and Sarah Sturges, both natives of Connecticut. They joined a colony from that state at Granville, Ohio, and there their daughter, Maria, was born, the date of her birth being April 20, 1827. She came to Lee county with her brother, Albert A., who was the first teacher in Denmark Academy and one of three missionaries who established the foreign mission work in Micronesia. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Houston were as follows: Albert

S., born July 6, 1851, was graduated from Denmark Academy, Grinnell College and a theological school in Chicago, and served for a number of years as missionary at Micronesia, but has passed away. Zervia J. was born September 8, 1853, and is the wife of Charles Swift, a resident of Oregon. Warren H., born November 23, 1854, was educated in Oberlin College and afterward became a Congregational home missionary but is now deceased. Laura M., born November 27, 1856, was for a number of years a successful teacher and married Fred Bement, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Mary E., born January 25, 1859, is a teacher by profession. Hattie A. was" TfnV ek.l* years. Asa T., a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work, complete the family.

Mr. Houston was prominent in the ranks of the republican party of Lee county and held a number of minor offices, including that of assessor. He was a deacon in the Congregational church and was most active in furthering all branches of the work of that organization. His death occurred December 23; 1898, but his widow survives and now makes her home with her son, Asa T. Although Mr. Houston has been dead for over fifteen years, the influence of his upright life is still potent and his friends still recall his many qualities of noble manhood.

As printed in Story of Lee County, Iowa; (1914). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.