HOUCK, Harmon L.

HOUCK, HENDERSON, HUNTINGTON, JOHNSON, DUBOI, SMITH, BILDERBACH, RAYNER, PETERS, JOHNSON, BOYLEN

Posted By: Nettie Mae
Date: 1/19/2003 at 00:11:22

Source: "The 1901 Biographical Record of Clinton Co., Iowa, Illustrated" published: Chicago : S. J. Clarke Pub. Co., 1901.

HARMON L. HOUCK.

Among the honored early settlers of Clinton county is numbered Harmon L. Houck, who dates his residence here from June, 1853, and was for over a third of a century one of the most active and thrifty farmers of the county, but is now living a retired life in DeWitt. He was born on the 22d of October, 1831, in Onondage county, New York, of which state his parents, George and Betsy (Henderson) Houck, were also natives. From Onodage county the family removed to Cattaraugus county, New York, and there our subject assisted in clearing and improving a farm. On leaving the parental roof, at the age of fifteen years, he went to Pennsylvania, where he worked in a sawmill manufacturing lumber, and was also engaged in running rafts down the Allegheny and Ohio rivers to Cincinnati and Louisville for some years, continuing that occupation until coming west in 1853.

On his removal to Clinton county, Iowa, Mr. Houck was accompanied by his brother-in-law, Amos Cummings. After purchasing a tract of eight acres in Olive township, our subject went north and worked in the lumber woods of Wisconsin at intervals for about four years, and then located on his land in this county, which in the meantime he had broken and improved. Subsequently he bought more land, becoming owner of one hundred and forty-eight acres, on which he built a good house, barn and other outbuildings. He also laid seven miles of tile and fenced the place, set our shade and fruit trees, and made many other improvements thereon. In connection with farming he also engaged in raising a high grade of cattle. He continued to follow farming until 1895, when he bought property in DeWitt and has since lived retired, having sold his farm. He was one of the first men in this section to tile his land.

Mr. Houck was married in this county, August 18, 1856, to Miss Mary Huntington, a native of Hartford, Connecticut , and a daughter of Alonzo Huntington, who was born in New Salem, Massachusetts, and was married in Dutchess county, New York. From Hartford, Connecticut, he removed to Rochester, New York, where he was engaged in business for some years, and in 1855 came to Clinton county, Iowa, locating on a farm in Olive township, where his last years were spent. There he died in 1886, at the ripe age of eight-four years. Mrs. Houck was reared and educated in Rochester.

Unto our subject and his wife were born ten children, one son and nine daughters, of whom seven daughters are still living, namely: Celia, wife of M. W. Johnson of Calamus, this county; Carrie, wife of Charles Dubois, of that same place; Jennie, wife of William Dubois, also of Calamus; Mary, wife of Adelbert Smith, of that place; Mrs Gertrude Bilderbach, a widow, residing in Cumberland, Iowa, Sophia, wife of James R. Rayner, of Cumberland; and Idella, wife of Arthur Peters, of DeWitt. Those of the family now deceased were Harmon H., who died at the age of three years; Minnie, who married M. W. Johnson and died in Nebraska, leaving four sons, Horace, Roy, Dwight and Eugene; and Dora E., who married Dennis Boylen and died near Calamus, this county, leaving one son, Sidney.

In politics Mr. Houck is independent, voting for the man and not the party. He case his first presidential ballot for John C. Fremont in 1856. For almost a half century he has made his home in this county, and with its development and upbuilding has been closely identified. He has seen the wonderful changes that have been made during this time; the wild prairies transformed into highly cultivated and well-improved farms. Cities and villages have sprung up, and railroads, telegraphs and telephones have been introduced, until today the county has all of the conveniences of an advanced civilization.