He was born in
Deerfield, Massachusetts and graduated from
New York University in 1842 and from the
General Theological Seminary in 1845. He married Caroline Graves Anthon, daughter of
John Anthon and aunt of
Marion Graves Anthon Fish. In 1848 he organized, and until his death was rector of, the
Church of the Transfiguration, better known as the "Little Church around the Corner," in
New York City. The story which explains the origin of this name is that actor
George Holland having died, his friends requested one of the city's
pastors to conduct the funeral services. The latter refused but advised them to try the "little church around the corner," and Houghton obliged. Under his leadership, the Little Church became a favored destination for New York's
Gilded Age elite. His wife Caroline's niece
Marion Graves Anthon married
Stuyvesant Fish in the church in 1876, and
Caroline and William
Astor were parishioners; their daughters Emily and Helen were in the 1869 confirmation class. Houghton was always focused, however, on service to the poor and needy in the city, and was known to walk the
Five Points to offer pastoral care and confession to the destitute and struggling in the poverty-stricken parts of New York. He died at the rectory adjoining the church on November 17, 1897. He was succeeded by his nephew,
George Clarke Houghton. == References ==