History of San Jose, (Santa Clara County) California United States of America

Our database does not include an historic photo for San Jose, (Santa Clara County) California, do you have one you would like to contribute? Contact Us!

Sherman Otis Houghton, representative, was born in New York city, April 10, 1828; son of Abijah Otis and Eliza (Farrand) Houghton; grandson of Abijah and Mary (Sawyer) Houghton, and of Daniel and Rhoda (Smith) Farrand; great grandson of Abijah Houghton and of Lieut. Bethuel and Eliza (Plume) Farrand, and a direct descendant of John Houghton, who settled in Charlestown, Massachusetts Bay colony, in 1635. His grandfathers Houghton and Farrand were among the minutemen at Lexington and Concord, and Abijah Houghton was twice wounded at Bunker Hill. His great grandfathers on both sides were also soldiers both in the French and Indian war, and in the patriot army during the Revolution. Sherman received a thorough commercial education at private schools in the city of New York, and in 1846 enlisted as a private in the volunteer army for service during the Mexican war, and went with his regiment that year around Cape Horn to California and thence to Mexico. He served until the close of the war, and was promoted to the rank of lieutenant. He returned to California in 1848; engaged in gold mining with success, 1848-49; and in 1849 commenced business at San Jose. He gained a thorough knowledge of the Spanish language and of Spanish and Mexican land laws; was admitted to the bar in 1857, and acquired a large practice before the federal courts in settling titles to lands in California, under grants from Spain and Mexico. He was ordnance officer and inspector of the National Guard of California, 1861-65; was president of the city council of San Jose in 1854, and mayor of that city, 1855-56. He was elected by the Republican party a representative in the 42d and 43d congresses, serving 1871-75. In 1881 was appointed by President Arthur a commissioner to investigate the affairs of the U.S. mint in San Francisco. He removed from San Jose to Los Angeles in 1886, where he continued to practise his profession in 1900.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of San Jose, (Santa Clara County) California

Biographies: