Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Huston, Robert 1845 - 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com May 8, 2007, 1:54 am

Author: Portrait & Bio Album, 1890

ROBERT HUSTON, Sheriff of Will County, was elected to this office in 1886 and 
the indications are that he is thoroughly adapted to the discharge of its 
duties. He is a man of large experience and keen observation, having a good 
understanding of human nature and has proven himself competent to deal with 
the motley characters which frequently come under his jurisdiction. A native 
of New York City, Mr. Huston was born August 7, 1845, to Robert and Elizabeth 
(Shaw) Huston, who were natives of the North of Ireland. The Huston family is 
of Irish descent while the Shaws originated in Scotland. The father of our 
subject emigrated to America in 1831, when a young man, and two years later 
was married to Miss Shaw. The union resulted in the birth of five daughters 
and four sons, of whom Robert was the sixth in order of birth. The family, in 
1850, removed to Grundy County, this State. Robert Huston, Sr., had in his own 
country learned the trade of a carpet weaver, but now engaged in farming upon 
the rich soil of the Prairie State. Mrs. Elizabeth (Shaw) Huston departed this 
life at her home in Gardner, Ill., May 11, 1885. One son, John W., died in the 
hospital at St. Louis, Mo., from sickness contracted in the army during the 
late Civil War. Thomas J., for the past nineteen years has been the railroad 
agent at Lemont, Ill. William prosecutes farming at the old homestead in 
Bracewell Township. The sisters are all living and all married. One is 
residing in Braidwood, one in Hastings, Neb., and three in Gardner, Ill. The 
aged father who has now numbered eighty-two years, is passing his days quietly 
on the old homestead in Grundy County. Robert received the advantages afforded 
by the common schools and after the outbreak of the Civil War, although only a 
little over sixteen years old, enlisted December 20, 1861, as a Union soldier 
in Company I, Fiftieth Illinois Infantry, and participated with his comrades 
in the vicissitudes of army life and in many important battles. At the battle 
of Yellow Bayou, La., May 14, 1864, he belonged to the color guard, of whom 
four were wounded and two killed, Mr. Huston upon that occasion suffering the 
loss of his right leg. He was confined in the hospital at Jefferson City, Mo., 
until sufficiently recovered to return home and received his honorable 
discharge in February, 1865, being mustered out as corporal. After leaving the 
army Mr. Huston supplemented his education by an attendance at school two 
years, part of the time at Fulton, Ill., where arrangements had been made by 
the State for free tuition and board for soldiers. He subsequently taught 
school two years in Grundy County, and then for eighteen months was employed 
as a weighman at coal shafts at Braidwood. Later he engaged in merchandising 
at that point for twelve or thirteen years. At the expiration of this time he 
sold out and subsequently served as Postmaster of Braidwood one term. He 
assumed the duties of Sheriff in the fall of 1886. Mr. Huston contracted 
matrimonial ties February 6, 1872, being wedded to Miss Emma A., daughter of 
William and Augustine Blanehard. Mrs. Huston was born December 22, 1845, in 
Geneva, Ill. She received careful parental training and remained under the 
home roof until her marriage. Of this union there have been born four 
children, viz: Maud J., Charles E., William B., and Jessie O. Mr. Huston is 
prominently connected with the Grand Army of the Republic, the Ancient Order 
of United Workmen and the American Legion of Honor, in the latter of which he 
has been the State Treasurer for the past six years. It is hardly necessary to 
state that politically, he is a sound Republican. He has been partially 
reimbursed for the loss of his limb by the granting of a monthly pension from 
the Government.

Additional Comments:
Portrait and Biographical Album of Will County, Illinois, Containing Full Page 
Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens 
of the County; Chicago: Chapman Bros., 1890

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