The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1902-01-09
Former Well Known Resident of Keno
sha County Passed Away in
Milwaukee Sunday.
DEATH CAME VERY SUDDENLY.
Old Uncle sam just Dropped Asleep in his
Chair while Waiting for Breakfast.
His Long career in This county

The Hon. r. s. Houston, commonly
known as. ''Uncle Sam Houston, ore
of the pioneers of Kenosha county aiG
a man universally known throuR tput
Wisconsin, died 4 an early hGtF Sun
day morning al his home in Milwau-
kee after an illness which has Coutiu-
ue1 for more than nine months. The
announcement Of the death of Uncle
Sam came as great surprise among
his home people, as it was reported
few days ago that the old man was
rapidly recovering his health. How
ever, on New Years day he had a re-
lapse and shortly after four O'Clock
Sunday morning he passed away. The
deceased was eighty-twO years of age
at the time of his death.
Death came very suddenly. Mr..
Houston had been about the house as
usual and his wife was at work in the
kitchen of the house. Uncle Sam was
assisting her, but later he went into
another room of the house and sat
down in his favorite chair. A few
minutes later his wife went into the
room and found him sitting in the
chair, but the spirit had already taken
it's flight to another world.
The death of Hon. r. S. Houston
marks the passing of one of the most
universally known men who ever lived
in Wisconsin. His death will cause.
universal sorrow and regret in many
places and it will probably put an end
to the ''Old Houston Claim" which
has occupied the attention OF the State
Legislature for the past seven or eight
years, This old claim was the thing
that made Uncle Sam Houston famous.
Incidentally it has caused more trouble
for Wisconsin legislators than any
similar claim ever filed against the
State.
Fifty-years ago Mr.. Houston came
to Kenosha county and purchased
farm near the city in the town of
Pleasant Prairie. Here he built mag
nifcent buildings and for the first
time in it's history the southern part of
the State was given a model stock
farm. Realizing the great possibili-
ties of the dairy business IN a neigh
borhood so near Milwaukee and Chi
cago, Mr.. Houston stocked his farm
with the finest breeds of cattle that
could be purchased. AS the father of
the dairy interests of this part of the
State, he took a great interest in the
cattle and in short time his farm
work was abandoned and he gave all
his time to the production of butter
and milk. When the Centennial Elk
position was held at Philadelphia in
1876, Mr.. Houston was the only exhib
itor of butter and cheese from this part
of the State, yet he carried off all the
gold medals offered in these lines and
brought great honor to the dairy inter
ests of Wisconsin. The fame of the
Houston herd spread and the old mans
cattle became renowned and he be-
came wealthy.
In 1895 a complaint was made to DR..
A. L. Scott, then State Veterinarian,
that the cattle on the Houston farm
were inoculated with tuberculosis and
the State official came to the city to
test the herd. AS result of the test
he ordered the slaughter of thirty
eight of the herd. The animals were
slaughtered and it was afterwards
once shipped to Chicago and passed by
the United States inspectors and sold
for beef The affair caused a great
scandal and for a time arrests were
threatened. In due time the value of
the cattle was determined and Houston
was paid small amount for them.
Then began the legal fight which has
continued in the courts and in the
State Legislature ever since and the
last act of the old man before his
death was the preparation of bill for
damages to the State. The fight to
recover pay for his cattle took the for
tune of the old man and q short time
before his death his friends started to
secure aid to allow him to make an
other contest.
The case was first tried in the courts
and Houston lost. It then went to the
Supreme Court with a similar result,
and after this Houston began bonn
bardment of the State Legislature.
He haunted the 1obbies of the State
Capitol and interested in the case
many of the leading men of the State.
He exacted a pledge from former Gov
ernor Scofe1d to have the matter in
vestigated and at the suggestion of
the Governor a commission was APP
pointed in 1899 which went over the
entire matter. While the matter was
IN the hands of the commission, Col.
Casson was added to the staff of
Houston and he made every effort pos.
sible to secure some adjustment of the