CHARLES V. HOUSTON
was born in Dover, Me., February 7, 1826.
He is a
son of Joseph and Loretta (Spakling)
Houston, both of whom were natives of Kennebec county, Me., the father having been born in
1782 and the mother in 1790. The
father was reared in his native county and resided there until 1861, when he
came to Iowa and from that date until his death, which occurred in 1867,
made his home with his son, the subject of this sketch. He was a farmer all his life and died in
moderate circumstances. He was for
many years a member of the Baptist church and always enjoyed the esteem,
confidence and good will of the people among whom he lived. His father, the
grandfather of our subject, was named William Houston, and he was a native also
of Maine, his ancestors being of Scotch and
English origin. Our subject's mother
died some years before her husband, dying at Dover, Me., in 1843. She was a daughter of
John and Bettie Spaulding, both of whom were natives of Maine and of English origin. Mrs. Houston was a life-long member of the Baptist church and
lived a pious, Christian life.
Eleven
children were born to Joseph and Loretta Houston as follows—Joan, now deceased ; Marcia, now wife of C. A. Bragg, a lumber dealer
at Keno, Nev.; Sybil deceased; George, a retired farmer, residing at Helena,
Mont.; Charles V., the subject of this notice; Addie
and Emaline, twins, both now deceased; Joseph, a
farmer residing in Pierce county, Nebr.; Mary, Ellen and Ann, deceased.
Our subject
was reared on a farm in Dover, Me., and received an ordinary common-school
training. He remained in his native place until 1849, when he took a trip to California, going by the way of Cape Horn. He remained six years in California, engaged in mining and made some money
while there. He returned to Dover, Me., by way of the Isthmus of Panama, and in 1856, came to Iowa, settling in Delaware county. He
bought the farm where he now Jives immediately on locating
in the county and engaged in farming, which he has followed since. He now owns
two hundred and eighty acres in section 36, Hazel Green township,
and thirty-three acres in Union township. He has given all his attention to
farming since coming to Iowa, and has met with good success. He
raises considerable live stock and does some dairying.
August 31, 1856, Mr. Houston married Miss Sophronia A. Potter, of Dover, Me., she being a native of that place,
born June 11, 1834. She is a daughter of Joseph W. and
Nancy Greenleaf Potter, the father having been a native of New Hampshire and the mother a native of Massachusetts. These died at Dover, Me., well advanced in years. They had
three children, of whom Mrs. Houston is the eldest. The two younger ones, Mary F.
and Joseph, are now deceased.
Mr. Houston
and wife have had nine children born to them—Mary E., who is now the wife of
Fletcher Porter, a farmer residing at Albion, Nebr. They have four children—Sophronia, Charles W., John A. and Raymond. Mr. and Mrs.
Houston's next was Walter G., who died at the age of eleven months; Clara, now
a young lady, is still at home with her parents; Frank W. is a farmer in Hazel
Green township, Delaware county. He married Miss Clarissa Winch, of Union
township, Delaware county,
and has two children—Charles H., now deceased, and Rubie.
Mr. and Mrs. Houston's remaining children—Fred L., Wallace, Lora A., Elmer G.
and Burt O.,—are single and reside yet with their parents.
Mr. and
Mrs. Houston have given to their children the best educational advantanges within their reach, having sent all of them to
college.
In politics
Mr. Houston is a republican, but does not much interest in partisan matters. He
is a liberal contributor to all charitable and religious purposes, and he and
wife are members of Y. W. Baptist church.
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