HARRY W. HOUSTON

Agricultural activity finds a worthy representative in Harry W. Houston, who is now the owner of two hundred and sixty-five acres of splendidly improved and highly cultivated land. This tract includes the old Houston homestead, which he has owned for twenty years. He was born upon this farm and, although he has not resided thereon continuously, he has devoted much of his life to its cultivation and improvement. He began his education in the district schools and afterward attended the Denmark Academy. Later he concentrated his energies upon general agricultural pursuits and for seven years he was a resident of Page county, where for three years he engaged in farming, while for four years he conducted a butchering business. For the past twenty years, however, he has owned and operated the old homestead farm and to it has added until within the boundaries of his place are comprised two hundred and sixty-five acres of rich and productive land, from which he annually gathers substantial harvests which return to him a good income.

In February, 1885, Mr. Houston was married to Miss Effie A. Riddle, a sketch of whose family appears elsewhere in this volume. She was born in Des Moines county, Iowa, in 1865, but from the age of twelve years was reared in lee county and after attending the public schools was a student in the Denmark Academy. Mr. and Mrs. Houston have four children: Robert S., who was born in Page county, Iowa, and supplemented his public-school course by study in Elliott's Business College at Burlington; Paul D., who was born in Lee county and has been attending the Iowa Agricultural Collage at Ames for the past two years; and Bernice K. and Myron H., both of whom are natives of this county and are attending the local schools.

In his political views Mr. Houston is a republican and is recognized as one of the local leaders of the party. He is now a trustee of Denmark College and was a school director for a number of years, and the cause of education has always found in him a stalwart champion. He belongs to the Modern Woodmen camp at Denmark and his wife is a member of the Congregational church, which is the oldest church west of the Mississippi river. High principles and public purposes have actuated him throughout his entire life, and in every relation he has been found true to high standards of manhood.

Source: "The Story of Lee County, Iowa" ³⁴⁸⁸