William C. Houston
Encyclopedia
William Cannon Houston (March 17, 1852 - August 30, 1931) was an American
politician and a member of the United States House of Representatives
for the 5th congressional district
of Tennessee
.
in Bedford County. He moved with his mother to Woodbury, Tennessee
in Cannon County in 1858. He attended the schools of Woodbury and Sweetwater, Tennessee
. He engaged in agricultural pursuits and later in the publication of a newspaper.
He was a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives
from 1877 to 1879 and from 1881 to 1885. He studied law, was admitted to the bar
in 1878, and commenced practice in Woodbury, Tennessee. He was a member of the Democratic
state executive committee in 1888. He was chairman of the Democratic state convention in 1888. He was elected judge of the eighth judicial circuit in 1894, was re-elected in 1902, and served until elected to Congress.
He was elected as a Democrat to the Fifty-ninth and the six succeeding Congresses. He served from March 4, 1905 to March 3, 1919, but he was not a candidate for renomination in 1918. He was the chairman of the United States House Committee on the Census during the Sixty-second Congress and chairman of the United States House Committee on Territories
during the Sixty-third through Sixty-fifth Congresses. He was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention
in 1920. He died on his plantation, "Beaver Dam," near Woodbury, Tennessee on August 30, 1931. He was interred
in Riverside Cemetery near Woodbury, Tennessee.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician and a member of the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
for the 5th congressional district
Tennessee's 5th congressional district
The 5th Congressional District of Tennessee is a congressional district in Middle Tennessee. The most regularly drawn of the state's nine districts, it currently includes almost all of Davidson County, half of Wilson County, and half of Cheatham County...
of Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
.
Biography
He was born in Shelbyville, TennesseeShelbyville, Tennessee
Shelbyville is a city in Bedford County, Tennessee, United States. It had a local population of 16,105 residents at the 2000 census. Shelbyville, the county seat of Bedford County, was laid out in 1810 and incorporated in 1819...
in Bedford County. He moved with his mother to Woodbury, Tennessee
Woodbury, Tennessee
Woodbury is a town in Cannon County, Tennessee, United States. Woodbury is part of the Nashville Metropolitan Statistical Area and is located apporoximately 50 miles southeast of downtown Nashville. The population was 2,428 at the 2000 census...
in Cannon County in 1858. He attended the schools of Woodbury and Sweetwater, Tennessee
Sweetwater, Tennessee
Sweetwater is a city in Monroe and McMinn counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the most populous city in Monroe County. The population was 5,586 at the 2000 census. Sweetwater is the home of the Craighead Caverns which contains the Lost Sea, the United States' largest underground...
. He engaged in agricultural pursuits and later in the publication of a newspaper.
He was a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives
Tennessee House of Representatives
The Tennessee House of Representatives is the lower house of the Tennessee General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Tennessee.-Constitutional requirements:...
from 1877 to 1879 and from 1881 to 1885. He studied law, was admitted to the bar
Bar association
A bar association is a professional body of lawyers. Some bar associations are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in their jurisdiction; others are professional organizations dedicated to serving their members; in many cases, they are both...
in 1878, and commenced practice in Woodbury, Tennessee. He was a member of the Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
state executive committee in 1888. He was chairman of the Democratic state convention in 1888. He was elected judge of the eighth judicial circuit in 1894, was re-elected in 1902, and served until elected to Congress.
He was elected as a Democrat to the Fifty-ninth and the six succeeding Congresses. He served from March 4, 1905 to March 3, 1919, but he was not a candidate for renomination in 1918. He was the chairman of the United States House Committee on the Census during the Sixty-second Congress and chairman of the United States House Committee on Territories
United States House Committee on Territories
The United States House Committee on Territories was a committee of the United States House of Representatives from 1825 to 1946 . Its jurisdiction was reporting on a variety to topics related to the territories, including legislation concerning them, and their admission as new states....
during the Sixty-third through Sixty-fifth Congresses. He was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention
Democratic National Convention
The Democratic National Convention is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party. They have been administered by the Democratic National Committee since the 1852 national convention...
in 1920. He died on his plantation, "Beaver Dam," near Woodbury, Tennessee on August 30, 1931. He was interred
Burial
Burial is the act of placing a person or object into the ground. This is accomplished by excavating a pit or trench, placing an object in it, and covering it over.-History:...
in Riverside Cemetery near Woodbury, Tennessee.