Businessman philanthropist railroad executive
Houston was born on his father's farm at Wrightsville, York County, Pa. in 1820. He was the son of Samuel Nelson and Susan (Strickler) Houston. He was a great-grandson of John Houston who emigrated from Ireland about 1725 and settled near Gap, Lancaster County, Pa. ; his grandfather was Dr. John Houston of Pequea, Pa. , who served as a surgeon in the Colonial army.
Henry attended the schools of Wrightsville and Columbia, Pa.
At the age of fourteen obtained employment in the general store of John S. Futhey, Wrightsville, remaining there until 1839. From 1840 to 1843 he was employed by James Buchanan at Lucinda Furnace, Clarion County, Pa. In the latter year he joined Edmund Evans in rebuilding and operating Horse Creek Furnace, on the Allegheny River, in Venango County. Returning to Columbia in January 1845, he remained there until 1846, when he started upon a tour of the Southern and Western states. In 1847 he became a clerk in the canal and railroad transportation office of David Leech & Company, Philadelphia. After three years he resigned to take up the organization and management of the freight line of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.
On November 23, 1852, he was appointed general freight agent of the Pennsylvania Railroad and held this office until July 1, 1867, when he resigned because of poor health. Subsequently he was one of the promoters of the Union Line, a private organization which ran through cars over the lines of the Pennsylvania Railroad and its connections to the West. He was similarly connected with the Empire Line, which furnished like facilities in connection with the Lake Shore Railroad and its allied roads. These fast freight lines proved very efficient in the development of freight business and incidentally contributed to the development of the country, since prior to their organization there had been no interchange of freight cars between railroads. He became a member of the board of directors of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company in March 1881 and remained as such until his death.
He was also a director in many other railroad and transportation companies. In the early days of the Pennsylvania oil fields, he made careful investments which resulted in handsome profits, so that he became known as a prosperous producer and operator in petroleum. Interested also in Western gold mines, he accumulated a large fortune. He was actively connected with many other interests besides those of a commercial nature, frequently taking a prominent part in movements connected with public welfare. He contributed largely to the development of Wissahickon Heights, a Philadelphia suburb. He erected many houses in the vicinity of his residence and built the Wissahickon Inn and the Protestant Episcopal Church of St. Martin's-in-the-Fields. He was a generous benefactor of Washington and Lee University and the University of Pennsylvania, being a trustee of both institutions from 1886 to the time of his death, and presenting the latter institution with Houston Hall – a club house "for the daily use of the students of the University" – as a memorial to his oldest son, Henry Howard Houston, who graduated in 1878 and died the following year while traveling in Europe.
His death, occasioned by heart disease, occurred suddenly at his home in Philadelphia.
His wife, whom he married in 1856, was Sallie Sherred Bonnell, and they had six children.
