Charles Frederick Houghton
Charles Frederick Houghton | |
---|---|
Member of the Canadian Parliament for Yale District | |
In office 1871–1872 | |
Succeeded by | Replaced by Yale |
Personal details | |
Born | Glashare Castle, County Kilkenny, Ireland | 27 April 1839
Died | 13 August 1898 Victoria, British Columbia | (aged 59)
Political party | Liberal |
Charles Frederick Houghton (27 April 1839 – 13 August 1898) was a Canadian rancher, justice of the peace, politician and soldier.
Military career
Born in County Kilkenny, Ireland, he was commissioned into the 57th Foot without purchase in 1855. In 1856 he was promoted lieutenant without purchase, and in 1858 he transferred into the 5th Foot; a month later he transferred into the 20th Foot. In 1861 he purchased a Captaincy. In 1863 he retired from the Army and emigrated to British Columbia, Canada, settling in the Okanagan valley. Through a military land grant, he established Coldstream Ranch that year, later transferring title to fellow officers Forbes George Vernon and Charles Albert Vernon.
Political career
In 1865 and 1866, he led expeditions to explore the Gold Range through to the Columbia River mines. In 1866, he was appointed justice of the peace. After British Columbia entered confederation he was elected to the Canadian House of Commons for the riding of Yale District in 1871.
After being promoted to lieutenant-colonel, he was appointed deputy adjutant-general of the militia for Military District No.11 (British Columbia) in 1873.
In 1877, he commanded a force of 60 men, reinforced by infantry and artillery from New Westminster and the gunboat HMS Grappler, in a failed attempt to remove striking colliers from Robert Dunsmuir's Wellington mine. Two years later, Houghton married Dunsmuir's daughter, Marion.
After his marriage and a half-year in Europe, Houghton was transferred to Manitoba where he organised the 90th (Winnipeg) Battalion of Rifles. He was passed over in favour of Major-General Frederick Dobson Middleton for command of the troops charged with suppressing the North-West Rebellion.
External links
- Use dmy dates from April 2012
- 1839 births
- 1898 deaths
- Politicians from County Kilkenny
- Middlesex Regiment officers
- Lancashire Fusiliers officers
- British colonial army officers
- Liberal Party of Canada MPs
- Members of the House of Commons of Canada from British Columbia
- Pre-Confederation British Columbia people
- Irish emigrants to pre-Confederation British Columbia
- Canadian ranchers
- British Columbia politician stubs
- Canadian military personnel stubs