Andrew Merrill Houghton, son of Elijah and Catherine Houghton, was born in 1826 [12 Oct 1825 - 2 Jan 1891 on stone], and always lived on the home farm.

He was a man of staunch character, a good neighbor, an enterprising and prosperous farmer, and had a large tract of fine land.

He married Miss Barbara A. Renshaw [18 Sep 1829 - 11 Oct 1918], of Sangamon County, Illinois, April 9, 1856. They had two children.

Lamenting the loss of their only son by death, they took into their home a little orphan boy, Marshal Grider, who grew to manhood and is now an honored citizen of Sangamon County.

Their daughter, Anna Maria, wife of John S. Hurie, died in 1910. Her influence in the home and community was gentle, refining and permanent.

Of the four sons of Mr. and Mrs. Hurie, one, Wiley Lin, is a minister; another one, Erle, an elder; and the oldest one, Andrew, a deacon.

Source for photos and bio is: The Book Committee. Rock Creek Presbyterian Church Christian Heritage 175 years, Menard Co. IL. 1997. This includes a reprint of ROCK CREEK, A Retrospect of One Hundred Years, by Alice Keach Bone, written ca 1922, page 81, 82. It is a history of Rock Creek Cumberland Presbyterian Church and it's people