I was born in Coitsville, Ohio, on the 13th day of June, 1827. My great-grand-father, John Houston, came to America from Scotland about the year 1734. My grand-father, William Houston, was born in Scotland on the occasion of a visit of his mother to that country about the year 1750. My paternal grand-mother's name was Jane Watson, a member of a very wealthy and highly respected family of Lancaster County, Pa.
My grand-father was a Revolutionary soldier with the rank of Lieutenant and Adjutant in a Pennsylvania Corps. He was wounded at the battle of Brandywine, taken prisoner, and held in the prison ships at Philadelphia for some months. He never recovered from his treatment while a prisoner, until his death. He was always lame, and could not stand on a log to chop.
My father was born in Lancaster Co., Pa., in 1782. The family crossed the Allegheny Mountains on pack-saddles and settled on Government land in Coitsville in the year 1800. This was then a dense wilderness of magnificent forest trees, two or three miles from any other settlement. And there they hewed them out a home, under all the hardships incidental to such circumstances.
My father married Grace McCall in the year 1810. He enlisted to serve during the war, but before he left his State the war was closed. I have three brothers: William, John, and Alexander; and five sisters: Jane, Betsy, Mary, Milissa, and Cynthia.
The first years of my life were spent like those of most other bare-footed boys of my time; going to a three-months' school in winter, and hard work on a worn-out farm in summer. When I was 16 years old I fell from the roof of my father's barn and dislocated my hip-joint. This has disabled me, and given much pain at times, through all my life.
Not being able to work, I went to select school, first in Pulaski, then in Bedford, Pa., and then one term to Allegheny College, at Meadville, Pa. When I was 19, I taught school one term in the Dalby District at $12.50 per month. The next year I went to Kentucky with a student friend by the name of Samuel McBride, and taught school there for one term. About this time, my brother Alexander left home to attend college, preparatory to entering the Ministry. This compelled me to return home, and take charge of father and mother, who were quite frail.
In the year 1849, I sold the Coitsville farm in Ohio, and bought a little farm to which we moved, 2 1/2 miles east of New Wilmington, Pa. There I farmed in the summer and taught school in the winter until 1854, when I was married to Miss Mary Agnes Johnston, of Fulton Co., Pa., who has been my faithful and devoted wife ever since, suffering all hardships and enjoying all blessings with me, and will continue so to the end.
After out marriage, I tried store-keeping, at Neshannock Falls, where our first child, Grace, was born. This proved unprofitable. I then, at the age of 26, commenced reading Law under D. B. Kurtz, of Newcastle, Pa.,- teaching school and reading, at night and some before daylight in the morning. After being admitted to the bar, in 1856, I practiced one year in partnership with the Hon. R. B. McCombs.
The stirring scenes being enacted in Kansas at that time attracted me. I determined to break loose from all dear old friends and take part in the fight for free State and free men in the far West. I camped in Lawrence on the 13th day of March, 1858, and after visiting most of the then settled portions of the Territory, settled in Garnett, Anderson Co., and hung out my shingle as an attorney-at-law, with thirteen dollars in my pocket. My wife and two children joined me in June of the same year. I had built a little plank house, and made some benches and a table. Thus we commenced our life in Kansas.
In September, 1861, I entered the Union army, while my wife and children returned to her father in Pennsylvania. My health failing, in the spring of 1864 I resigned my office in the army and returned to the practice of law in Garnett. In the fall of that year I was elected State Senator, and served in that office two years. In the spring of 1869, I was appointed by President Grant, U.S. Marshal for the District of Kansas. In the fall of that year, I moved my family to Leavenworth. My term of office expired in 1873, but I remained in Leavenworth until 1877, when we moved back to Garnett and settled on an 80-acre fruit farm adjoining the town. In 1887, I sold this farm and built a house on Second Avenue, Garnett. Afterward, I sold this house and bought where I first settled, on the corner of Fourth and Walnut Streets. This I expect to be my home as long as I live.
In the fall of 1908, being out of business and wearied with idleness, I determined to try roughing on a homestead again. On the 4th of October I filed on a quarter-section in New Mexico, and on the 19th my daughter Grace filed on a quarter adjoining mine. This may prove a very foolish move, or it may prove wise. But here we are in the hands of our Heavenly Father for good or bad. Amen.