Obit: Houghton, Oliver (1818 - 1898)

Contact:  Stan
Email: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: HOUGHTON WALKER

----Sources: NEILLSVILLE TIMES (Neillsville, Clark County, Wis.) 20 Jan 1898

Houghton, Oliver (4 JUN 1818 - 10 JAN 1898)

(Merrillan Leader)

Oliver Houghton was born in Courtland Co., N.Y., June 4, 1818; was married to Caroline Walker March 12, 1846; and came west and settled in Walworth Co., Wis., the following May, remaining there until April 1855, when they settled on the farm in Alma, Jackson County, where he died Jan. 10, 1898, aged 79 years, 7 months and 6 days. He had been suffering from paralysis for the past year, steadily failing until the end came, he waiting patiently for the change and prepared to go. The funeral was held at the house Jan. 12th, 1 o’clock p.m., Rev. Leimkuhler preaching the sermon, being in charge of the Masonic fraternity, of which he was an honored member, having been made a Mason at Harvard, Ill., in 1864. The services at the grave were conducted by Hon. J.J. McGillivrary of Black River Falls, at the special request of the deceased. Oliver was the last of the five Houghton brothers left here, who settled in what is called Houghtonburg in 1855. His house was headquarters for the neighborhood. The first sermon ever delivered in this community was preached here; the first school meeting was held here; the stranger was always welcome here and in those days his friends (he had no enemies) gathered there on the Sabbath and holidays for mutual counsel and pleasure and this continued up to the time of his death. He will be sadly missed by all who knew him.