BIO: Samuel F. Houston, Cumberland County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Bookwalter Copyright 2009. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cumberland/ ______________________________________________________________________ History of Cumberland and Adams Counties, Pennsylvania. Containing History of the Counties, Their Townships, Towns, Villages, Schools, Churches, Industries, Etc.; Portraits of Early Settlers and Prominent Men; Biographies; History of Pennsylvania; Statistical and Miscellaneous Matter, Etc., Etc. Illustrated. Chicago: Warner, Beers & Co., 1886. http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cumberland/beers/beers.htm ______________________________________________________________________ PART II. HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY. PENNSYLVANIA. CHAPTER XXXIX. BOROUGH OF MECHANICSBURG. 416 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: SAMUEL F. HOUSTON, harness-maker, at present engaged in fly net manufacture, Mechanicsburg, was born September 13, 1833, in Silver Spring Township, this county, on his grandfather's (Michael Saxton's) farm; is a son of James (a farmer) and Mary (Saxton) Houston, also natives of this county, attendants of the Silver Spring Presbyterian Church. They had three sons and one daughter, Samuel F. being the second son and third child. His father dying when our subject was but four years of age, the latter was raised by Henry W. Irwin in Silver Spring Township until he was twelve years old, when he was apprenticed to Samuel Fisher to learn the harness-maker's trade, at New Kingston, where he served four years; then traveled west in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa and Missouri; then returned to new Kingston and carried on a shop of his own six years (until 1859), when he located in Mechanicsburg, and engaged in the same business here until 1863; then acted as salesman for George De B. Keim, ex-sheriff of Philadelphia, in the hardware business until 1864; then clerked in a dry goods store at Harrisburg until 1866; then formed a partnership with George Beelman and engaged in the grocery business until the spring of 1871, when he sold out to his partner, and opened a grocery store in Mechanicsburg, continuing this till 1881. In 1882 he established his resent net manufacture, where he employs from eight to ten hands, and manufactures over forty different kinds of leather nets. Mr. Houston owns the store building (occupied, the first floor by M. H. Spahr and John A. Kauffman; the second floor by Mechanicsburg Library and Literary Association, John L. Shelly and J. N. Young; the third being lodge rooms of P. S. A. and K. of G. E., respectively), some building lots and his house on Main Street, where he and his family reside. Our subject was married, December 26, 1865, to Miss Sallie A. Beelman, born in Monroe Township, this county, daughter of John and Susan (Coover) Beelman. To this union have been born three sons: J. Milton, born July 2, 1867; Glen R., born June 26, 1871, and George B., born November 26, 1874. Mr. Houston is a member and treasurer of Eureka Lodge, No. 302, F. & A. M., also a member of Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, and member of Samuel C. Perkins Chapter, No. 215, R. A. M., and member of Grand Chapter of Pennsylvania. He has held various offices of trust in Mechanicsburg; was councilman one term, burgess three terms, and was treasurer of Mechanicsburg Loan and Building Association for nine years. The family of Houston is of Scotch-Irish descent, and our subject's ancestors were among the hardy Scotch-Irish people driven out of Ireland on account of their religion, seeking homes in America and settling in Pennsylvania.