Houston was born in
Charlemont, Massachusetts, on August 7, 1820. He received a common school education, and became a stonecutter. He worked for one employer in
Meriden, Connecticut, from 1851 until moving to Wisconsin in September 1857, eventually settling on a farm in Pleasant Prairie, where he took up
dairy farming, selling
butter and
cheese (winning medals with both); and raised hay, corn and oats. Houston served as
chairman of the
town board for the
town of Pleasant Prairie, and as
treasurer of his local
school district. He was first elected to the Assembly in 1873 to represent
Kenosha County as a member of the
Liberal Reform Party. He drew 1,005 votes to 777 for Republican former state senator
Francis Paddock (Republican incumbent
Asahel Farr was not a candidate). The Reform Party was a short-lived
coalition of
Democrats,
reform and
Liberal Republicans, and
Grangers formed in 1873. The coalition won the election for
Governor of Wisconsin and secured Democratic control of the Assembly for the first time since before the Civil War. Serving in the
27th Wisconsin Legislature, he was assigned to the
standing committee on
railroads. This was an especially important committee during this legislative term, as railroad regulation was one of the key issues of the Reform coalition. Their signature legislation was the so-called "Potter Law" (1874 Wisc. Act 273), which implemented strict new regulations on railroad freight and passenger rates and created the office of
Railroad Commissioner to enforce and administer the new regulations. Houston did not seek re-election in 1874, and was succeeded by Republican
Rouse Simmons. He ran again in 1876, but was defeated by Republican
Walter Maxwell. He was elected again to the Assembly in 1890 for a two-year term, this time as a Democrat, with 1,597 votes to 1,453 for Republican J. Cavanaugh (Republican incumbent
Dwight Burgess was not a candidate). He was assigned to the committee on
agriculture. He was succeeded by Democrat
Daniel A. Mahoney. In 1895, a complaint was made to the state veterinarian that Houston's cattle had been contaminated with
tuberculosis. The state official came to Kenosha and, after testing, decided to slaughter 38 cows. Houston raised a complaint after learning that the carcasses of the cows had been taken and sold for beef. In the end, Houston was paid a small amount for his loss, but he continued his challenge and prepared a bill of damages, demanding full compensation. He attempted multiple lawsuits through the Wisconsin courts, failing at the circuit court and the
Wisconsin Supreme Court. He personally lobbied the governor,
Edward Scofield, and the Legislature, but was still unsuccessful. The legal fight cost most of what remained of his fortune. ==Personal life and family==