Obit: Houghton, Edgar Putman (1845 - 1925)
Contact:  Cindy Dressler
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Surnames: Houghton, Johnson, Nettleton, Metcalf, Wells, Stern

----Sources: HUMBIRD ENTERPRISE (Humbird, Clark County, Wis.) September 26, 1925

Houghton, Edgar Putman (Feb. 1845 - 14 Sept. 1925)

Edgar Putman Houghton was born in the village of Greene, Chenango County, New York, on the second day of February, 1845. He came to McHenry county, Illinois, with his parents in 1854, and in 1856 they settled in the town of Alma, Jackson county, Wisconsin, coming through from McHenry county with ox team and wagon. His father was David J. Houghton, the eldest of the five Houghton brothers that bought government land and opened farms in the territory which for many years has been known as Houghtonburg.

Edgar attended school in the log school house built on his father's farm, for three or four months each winter until October, 1861, when he enlisted in Captain C. R. Johnson's company of Black River Rangers, which afterwards became Co. I, 14th Wis. Vol. Inft. This company took part in the battles of Shiloh, Vicksburg, Tupelo, Nashville, Spanish Fort, and many smaller engagements and was mustered out at Mobile, Ala., in October, 1864.

He was married to Elizabeth Nettleton on March 11, 1866, and moved onto his farm one mile south of Humbird, in 1870. In the fall of that year, he walked seventeen miles through the woods to Neillsville where he was made a Master Mason. In 1874 he left the Neillsville lodge to become a charter member of Humbird Lodge No. 191, F. & A. M., which was instituted June 18, of that year. He served the lodge as Worshipful Master in 1881 and again in 1892 and '93. He was also interested in Grand Army affairs and was a frequent attendant upon state and national encampments and other reunions of the Boys in Blue.

He resided on his farm in the thown of Mentor for twenty-six years, taking an active part in public affair; in these years he held all the offices in town excepting that of assessor. In 1896 he was elected county treasurer and was re-elected in 1898.

His wife, Elizabeth, died Jan. 11, 1902, leaving one daughter, Mary Irene (now Mrs. F. D. Metcalf, of Puyallup, Wash.) and two sons, Ira P., of San Jose, Calif., and Ralph O.

In 1903, Mr. Houghton went to Marengo, Ill., where on March 25, of that year, he was married to Alice E. Wells. They resided at Marengo until the fall of 1904, when they went to Tacoma, Wash., where they remained until 1910, when they moved to Puyallup, Wash., which has since been his home. His wife, Alice E., died on Oct. 17, 1919.

Through the passing years Mr. Houghton retained his interest in Masonry, and last year when the local lodge celebrated its fiftieth anniversary, he came back to participate in the festivities. It was one of the happiest times of his life to be able to be present on that occasion. He fully realized that it would be his last visit to the old home, the last opportunity to mingle with the friends of half a century gone, to clasp for the last time the hand of his old army comrades.

Mr. Houghton spent a month of more here and soon after returning home he was united in marriage with Mrs. Mary A. Stern, Aug. 11, 1924. After only about a year of happiness together, he closed his eyes in eternal sleep. Stricken the fore part of August, he gradually lapsed into unconsciousness, and passed peacefully away on Monday evening, Sept. 14, 1925. The burial was held on the following Wednesday, and all that was mortal of Edgar Putman Houghton was placed in the tomb beside his wife, Alice E., in a Tacoma cemetery.

No eulogy is needed for this long and useful life. When the news of his death was received here last Saturday sorrow was expressed by all who knew him, and tears came to the eyes of those who knew him best. A truly good man has claimed the reward of a life well spent.