The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1900-08-09
FOUR SCORE YEARS.
Uncle Sam Houston Is Celebrating His
Eighthieth Anniversary at the
Old Home Today.
FIRST WISCONSIN DAIRYMAN.
His Famous Suit Against the State Will
Be Taken UP Again when the
Assembly Meets.
(From Tuesdays Daily.)


Robert S. Houston, of Milwaukee,
known to every man, woman and child
in Kenosha county as ''Uncle Sam
Houston, came to Kenosha this morn
| ing to go to his old home in Pleasant
Prairie to celebrate the 80th anniver-
sary of his birth. The celebration of
the event of the passing of the four
score milestone is being held at the
home of Albert Barter, "a son-in-1aw of
Mr.. Houston, and many of the old
| friends of Mr.. Houston have been in
vited in to congratulate him on the
event.
The life of Mr.. Houston has been
closely connected with the develop
ment of Kenosha county, and to Uncle
Sam the great dairy business of this
part of Wisconsin largely owes its
origin. It was more than forty years
ago that Mr.. Houston came from his
home in the far East and bought a
little farm in Pleasant Prairie which
was destined to be the origin of the
dairy business in Southern Wisconsin,.
Kenosha county was then given up
entirely to agriculture, but since the
| first herd of Guernseys was started by
! Mr.. Houston the county has become
one of the great dairy counties IN the
state, and the city of Chicago now re-
ceives much of it's milk supply from
the little milk stations in this county.
| When seen this morning Mr.. Houston
was in reminiscent mood and was
telling his friends of the early days ia
Kenosha county and of his achieve
ments for the county in different parts
of the world.
| AS a pioneer in the cheese and dairy
business Mr.. Houston has made a
name for himself and for the county.
1t was not many years before Mr..
Houston began to send his cheese out
for competition at fairs and conven-
tons, and in 1869 he took the first sill
yer medal ever offered IN Wisconsin at
the State fair held that year. Then
creamery butter from his dairy began
to be placed in competition also and IN
1873 he won another silver medal for
this line of dairy product. In 1876 he
won the big bronze medal offered for
butter at the Philadelphia exposition,
winning the only dairy prize that came
] to this state from that exposition
After that time he won three other
medals, one of silver in New York, and
| two in Wisconsin,, one a gold medal
and another of silver. These medals
are now to be placed in the Kenosha
public library museum.
Mr.. Houston was in the cheese bust
ness from 1868 until 1874, and then
turned his attention exclusively to the
making of creamery butter, in which
! line he continued until 1885. Since
that time, until the day when he re-
/ tired to go to Milwaukee, Mr.. Houston
sold his milk to the Chicago dealers.
During his time in the creamery bust
ness he attended conventions almost
innumera bic, and at Be1videre, ILL.,,
met Hiram Smith, whose intimate as
sociate he became. He also met
Messrs. Hoard, Wilder, Chester Hazen
and Stephen Favi11e at that conven-
/ ton and from that date ranked with
the most prominent of the state dairy
men.
4 HS C1Su JCfLIS uOW huASLto ia ' =
! been eventfu1 ones for Uncle Sara and
he has attained fame on account OF his
suit against the State to get damages
for herd of cattle killed many years
ago by a State Veterinarian. This
morning Mr.. Houston stated that he
/ had received a letter from Governor
Scofeld stating that the old case
would be brought up again at the next
meeting of the State Assembly. The
| Governor has promised Houston that
he will recommend that the State take
some action to reimburse Houston for
the loss of his herd. The case has
been before the State courts for many
years and it is hoped that he Ill at
least find some settlement for the old
case.
This paper joins many friends in
congratu1ating Mr.. Houston on this
his eightieth anniversary and gives
best wishes for celebration of the
completion Of century.