One Township's Yesterdays Chapter XXVI  

JAMES HOUGHTON was one of the pioneers of '36. Born in England in 1797, he came to the United States when a young man and settled in Rush County, Indiana, where lie located on a farm and continued the avocation to which he had been trained. For some time he followed his trade of coach and wagon making, at which he was an expert. While in Rush County, he married HANNAH MORRIS, who was born in Ohio, December 8, 1800.

James and Hannah Houghton came to Union Township in 1836. He had entered 160 acres of government land, and immediately began its improvement, developing in the course of time a most excellent farm. After clearing and putting under the plow a large portion of this tract, he sold the property and purchased a farm near Culver, which remained his homestead until his death. The children of James and Hanna Houghton were nine in number:

Phoebe
John
Thomas
Clarissa
Rachael
William
Elvira
Edward
Jefferson

all born in Indiana.

Thomas, who became, a prosperous farmer, stock raiser and land owner in this township, was born in Rush County, January 4, 1829. He was seven years old when his parents came to settle down in the wilds a short distance from Maxinkuckee lake. The district schools of the township served primarily to give Thomas an education, although his father took much interest in his mental improvement and taught him how to read. He attended the country schools at intervals, while he grew to manhood on the farm, becoming early familiar with the rugged duties of agriculture. While still a boy he was apprenticed to a harness maker at Plymouth, learned the trade and acquired considerable proficiency in it. But, after completing his term, he returned to his father's farm, of which he assumed the management.

He was married March 27, 1851, TO NANCY MCCORMICK MITCHELL, daughter of JAMES MITCHELL, of Union Township. She died in 1854. Mr. HOUGHTON was married twice, subsequent to the loss of his first wife. Following his first marriage, in 1851, he removed to the homestead farm on the Burr Oak road, about midway between Burr Oak arid [and] Culver. The farm at that time consisted of 160 acres, and later, 327 acres. He also became the owner of two other farms of 166 acres, all in Union Township. The homestead farm on the Burr Oak road is today occupied by a son, Ralph. THOMAS HOUGHTON died in 1915, at the age of 89 years.