The Union County journal. [volume] (Marysville, Ohio) 1875-1951, 1949-05-02
OBITUARY. MEMORIAM
CARD OF THANKS
OBITUARY OF
FRED HOUSTON

OBITUARY OF
FRED HOUSTON
Fred Houston, one of MaryS-
villes' life long citizens died,
"wednesday morning, April 10th
at the family home, 264 West
Fifth street, after short illness
of two weeks. He had lived 80
years.
Baptized Frederick King Hous-
ton, the third Of four children of
Christopher and Hannah Sabine
Houston, he was born on March
28th, 1867, in Marysville. His
father, Christopher Houston, had
come to America and to Ohio
from County Tyrone, Ulster, Ire
land in 1852, engaging in the gro
Gerry business in Marysville. He
was for many years, until his
death in 1893 one of the progress
i've men Of this community. The
Houston block, corner Fifth and
Main streets, MarySville was
built by Christopher Houston and
he was one of the originators of
the Citizens Savings and Loan
Company, now the Citizens Fed
eral Savings and Loan Associa-
ton, this city.
The father, Christopher HouS-
ton, married Hannah Sabine,
daughter Of John fletcher Sabine
and Euphemia Clement, March
26th, 1861. To these parents were
born four children: William Alex
ander, Archibald, Fredrick King
and Anna Christine.
The Houston children all at
tended the Marysville public
school. Fred, while in high school,
transferred to the Ohio Prepara-
tory School, Columbus, from
which he graduated. He later
spent several years on the west
coast On his return to Marys-
vile, he was employed in the
Bank of Marysville where as as
siStant cashier he served the pub
lie for over twenty-five years,
making many enduring friend
ships.
/ Mentally, he was alert, keenly
obSerVant, inquiring, retentive.
He was tireless student, read
ing continually and extensively.
His knowledge of literature, his
tory, biography, travel, was
! broad.
In art, especially painting, Mr..
Houston was an authority. AS
long as his health permitted, he
travelled extensively in this coun-
try and abroad. There is probably
no Artgallery of merit in the
United States, Canada, or Europe
that he has not visited. He never
boasted of his talent and not
many people know that he paint,
ed Skillfully in watercolor ano
drew delightfully."- in pen-and- ink
His feeling for color was eVi.
dent in his appreciation of nature
and his intense love for flowers
The backyard of the Houston
home has always been gay with
flowers from early spring until
late fall and the parlors of his
home have been filled with THEN
blossoms. Probably no one in
MarySVille was as Skillful or as
artistic in flower arrangement as
Fred Houston. A neighbor once
said, HE can make ugly weeds
look wholly beautiful" In his
younger days he went on a walk
ing tour over part of Ireland, as
he said ito see how the sham
rocks grew"
Coupled with his love for flow
J ers was his love for little children
Neighborhood children through
two generations have romped and
played in the spacious Houston
yard which originally extended
from Fifth through to Fourth
street and embraced the grounds
now occupied east and west by
the Morelock and Sharrer homes
Its rambling apple trees and tall
firs form vivid memories in the
minds of many present groWnups
who, as youngsters, felt the
quiet genial ways of this friendly
man. His was the hand to show
the right grip on the tenni!
racket, to adjust the ropes of the
barrel hammock, to part the tai
grass in search of the first buck
eye.
With quiet unasuming grace
his loyalty to his home town anC
the people who lived in it wa
very real. Civic interests and en-