Rev. James Theodore Houston

1847 - 1929  (82 years)

• Name	James Theodore Houston
  Title	Rev.
  Born	24 Jan 1847	Olivesburg, Richland, Ohio, United States
  Gender	Male
  Died	21 Jun 1929	James St., Oakland, Alameda, California, United States
  Person ID	I1167579578	Master Tree
  Last Modified	3 May 2006

  
  

  Father	Robert Houston,   b. 16 Jun 1820, Olivesburg, Richland, Ohio, United States ,   d. 25 Oct 1898, Richland, Ohio, United States  (Age 78 years)
  Mother	Rebecca Robinson,   b. 27 Mar 1817, Ashland, Pickaway, Ohio, United States ,   d. 30 Sep 1881, Olivesburg, Richland, Ohio, United States  (Age 64 years)
  Married	29 Nov 1842	Olivesburg, Richland, Ohio, United States
  Family ID	F1068897716	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Sophia Amanda Dale,   b. 21 Jul 1858, Pleasant Hill, McLean, Illinois, United States ,   d. 13 May 1930, Berkeley, Alameda, California, United States  (Age 71 years)
  Married	26 Apr 1883	Sao Paolo, Brazil
  Children	+ 1. Norma Christine Houston,   b. 14 Aug 1897, Wooster, Wayne, Ohio, United States ,   d. 2 Apr 1998, Santa Clara, Santa Clara, California, United States  (Age 94 years)
  Family ID	F1068897715	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Event Map		Born - 24 Jan 1847 - Olivesburg, Richland, Ohio, United States Married - 26 Apr 1883 - Sao Paolo, Brazil Died - 21 Jun 1929 - James St., Oakland, Alameda, California, United States  = Link to Google Earth
  Pin Legend	: Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  
  

• Notes

  James was 14 when the Civil War began. He wanted to run away and join the Union Army, but was stopped by his mother (Rebecca Robinson) who promised him that if he stayed at home she would see that he got a complete education. At age 20 he entered Lafayette College, graduating in 1871. James' education at Lafayette College earned him an appointment to Brazil for the Presbytarian Board of Foreign Missions. His marriage to Amanda Louise Snyder in November of 1874 was followed shortly by their arrival in Brazil where, in August, 1875, their daughter, Adielah Genevieve, was born. At about the time their second daughter, Mabel Louise, was born, both hers and Louise's health took a bad turn, and the whole family was forced to return to Ohio. In 1880, battling illness, both Louise and her younger daughter died. James returned to Brazil in August, 1881, leaving his surviving daughter with the sisters of his late wife. At about the same time James returned to Brazil, Sophia Amanda Dale was assigned to teach there at Escola Americana (later McKenzie University). Sophia and James met and were married in the latter part of 1882. Performing the ceremonies was Robert Lenington, the husband of Sophia's older sister, Martha. Son Leslie Robert and daughter Edna Dale were born there, and when Sophia contracted a severe case of malaria, the family was again forced to move back to Ohio, settling in and taking care of James' father, Robert, on his farm in Olivesburg. Anna Rebecca, Ruth Alden, and Howard Alexander were all born at the Olivesburg farm. In 1897 the family moved to Wooster, Ohio, where Norma Christine was born. In 1900, James returned to Brazil, where he stayed for 3 years, until Sophia's illness in 1903 called him back. In 1904, James res- ponded to the request of the Mission Board to serve as 'Stated Supply' at two churches in California, one in Centerville(now Fremont), and the other at Alvarado. In 1910, James retired from the ministry. He spent his remaining years enjoying his large family. He died 8 months before his youngest daugh- ter gave birth to his final grandchild, Beverly Anne Miller. Sources: Family reminiscences of Anna, Edna, Ruth, Howard, and Norma, plus based on research done by the Rev. Ralph Elmer Wilson within Presbyterian Church records.