History of Concord, (Sussex County) Delaware United States of America

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Biographies:

John Wallace Houston - A Biography

John Wallace Houston, representative, was born in Concord, Sussex county, Del., May 4, 1814; son of John and Elizabeth (Wiltbank) Houston. He was prepared for college at Newark academy, Newcastle county, by the Rev. A.K. Russell, 1827-30, and was graduated at Yale, A.B., 1834, A.M., 1837. He was a law student in the office of John M. Clayton, Dover, Del., 1834-37; was admitted to the bar in 1837, and practised law in Georgetown, Del., 1839-55. He was appointed secretary of state by Governor Cooper in 1841, serving, 1841-44, and represented Delaware as a Whig in the 29th, 30th and 31st congresses, 1845-51. He was the only representative from a slave-holding state to vote for the Wilmot Proviso. He was associate judge of the supreme court of Delaware, 1855-93, and a delegate to the peace conference of 1861. He compiled six volumes of Reports of the Decisions of the Supreme Court of Delaware. He never married. He died in Georgetown, Del., April 26, 1896.

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