Sherman O. Houghton | |
|---|---|
 Houghtonc. 1890–1900 | |
| 4th Mayor of San Jose, California | |
| In office 1855–1856 | |
| Preceded by | O.H. Allen |
| Succeeded by | Lawrence Archer |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromCalifornia | |
| In office March 4, 1871 – March 3, 1875 | |
| Preceded by | Samuel B. Axtell |
| Succeeded by | Peter D. Wigginton |
| Constituency | 1st district (1871–1873) 4th district (1873–1875) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Sherman Otis Houghton (1828-04-10)April 10, 1828 New York City, United States |
| Died | August 31, 1914(1914-08-31) (aged 86) |
| Resting place | Angelus-Rosedale Cemetery |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouses | |
| Alma mater | Collegiate Institute |
| Signature | .png) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service | United States Army |
| Rank | Lieutenant Colonel |
| Battles/wars | Mexican–American WarCivil War |
Sherman Otis Houghton (April 10, 1828 – August 31, 1914) was an Americanpolitician fromCalifornia, serving during his career as both a U.S. Representative and the mayor of San Jose. He also married, in succession, two survivors of theDonner Party.
Houghton was born inNew York City, on April 10, 1828.[1] He completed preparatory studies and attendedCollegiate Institute in New York.
During theMexican–American War, Houghton enlisted in the1st Regiment of New York Volunteers, in June 1846. He arrived inSan Francisco, California in 1847 with the rest of his regiment after sailing aroundCape Horn. The regiment garrisonedSanta Barbara, before capturing the city ofLa Paz inBaja California. He was honorably discharged as a lieutenant atMonterey, California, in October 1848.[2]
Houghton then proceeded tomine forgold during theCalifornia Gold Rush, and after about six months of mining, he moved toSan Jose and entered various commercial businesses.[3] He served as the deputy clerk of theSupreme Court of California in 1854, the same year he was elected to the San Jose Common Council. He was elected the fourthMayor of San Jose, California from 1855 to 1856.[1] He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1857, and commenced practice in San Jose.[4]
During theCivil War he was commissioned as a captain and promoted tolieutenant colonel, and served successively as inspector and ordnance officer.
After the war, he was elected as aRepublican to the Forty-second and Forty-third Congresses (March 4, 1871 – March 3, 1875) and was the chairman of the House Committee on Coinage, Weights, and Measures for the Forty-third Congress.
He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1874 to the Forty-fourth Congress.
He was appointed commissioner to investigate the affairs of theUnited States Mint atSan Francisco in 1881, and moved toLos Angeles in 1886 and continued the practice of law.
In 1859, he married Mary Martha Donner, a survivor of theDonner Party; she died a year later, most likely from complications related to thebirth of their only child, also named Mary. In 1861, he married his late wife's first cousin and fellow Donner Party survivorEliza Poor Donner,[4] with whom he had an additional seven children.
Sherman Houghton died on August 31, 1914, aged 86, inHynes, California.[4] He is interred inAngelus-Rosedale Cemetery, Los Angeles.
The Donner-Houghton House, an historic building in downtownSan Jose, was built by Houghton in 1881. The building was placed on theNational Register of Historic Places in 2002. A number of proposals have been made to either restore or renovate it. The structure was almost completely destroyed by a fire on the morning of July 19, 2007.[5]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Sherman Otis Houghton | 25,971 | 51.6 | |||
| Democratic | Lawrence Archer | 24,374 | 48.4 | |||
| Total votes | 50,345 | 100.0 | ||||
| Republicangain fromDemocratic | ||||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Peter D. Wigginton | 15,649 | 48.8 | |||
| Republican | Sherman Otis Houghton (Incumbent) | 11,090 | 34.6 | |||
| Independent | J. S. Thompson | 5,343 | 16.7 | |||
| Total votes | 32,082 | 100.0 | ||||
| Turnout | ||||||
| Democraticgain fromRepublican | ||||||
United States Congress."HOUGHTON, Sherman Otis (id: H000815)".Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
| Political offices | ||
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| Preceded by | Mayor of San Jose 1855–1856 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromCalifornia's 1st congressional district 1871–1873 | Succeeded by |
| New district | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromCalifornia's 4th congressional district 1873–1875 | Succeeded by |
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