Charlie and Joella (Matthews) Houghton

born: 25 Oct 1876, Felida,Clark Co.,Washington

died: 20 June 1955, Woodland,Washington

bur.: Woodland,Washington, at Gardner Cemetery

spouse: Charles H. HOUGHTON

marr: 21 Feb 1897, Hayes, Washington, at Gardner Chapel

born: 27 Jul 1875, Hayes, Lewis River, Washington Territory

died: 10 Jan 1956

bur.: Woodland,Washington, at Gardner Cemetery

Children:

Elmer Charles Houghton

Louella Grace ``Iris'' ``Lulu'' Houghton

Clara Ruth "Ruth" Houghton

Cecil L. Houghton

Sarah Ann Houghton

Rita May Houghton

                      |--------James MATTHEWS (1779, Virginia - 1837, Indiana)
                      |
           |---------John Harvey MATTHEWS (1804, Kentucky - 1858, Washington)
           |          |
           |          |--------Margaret REED (1784 - 1824, Ohio)
           |
  |------James Leander ``Lee'' MATTHEWS (1837, Iowa - 1910, Washington)
  |        |
  |        |          |--------
  |        |          |
  |        |---------Elizabeth HATTON (1813, Kentucky - 1878, Washington)
  |                   |
  |                   |--------
  |
Joella Ruth MATTHEWS (1876, Washington - 1955, Washington)
  |
  |                   |--------
  |                   |
  |        |---------
  |        |          |
  |        |          |--------
  |        |
  |------Mary Ann ``Pollyanna'' POWELL (1841, Missouri - 1916, Washington)
           |
           |          |--------
           |          |
           |---------
                      |
                      |--------

He grew up on his father's farm and worked out with his team in logging camps and contracted getting out trap poles for the Bakers Bay trap fisherman-mainly for his cousins the Gerow boys at Chinook, Washington. Charley boasted that nobody could peel a trap pole faster than he.

February 21, 1897, Charley married Joella Matthews in Gardner Chapel at Hayes. The newly weds first lived on the old Littler place, originally the D. W. Gardner homestead - not to be confused with the D. W. Gardner Donation Land Claim which adjoined. After a year, in the meantime working his farm and driving team in his Uncle Tom Wilson's logging camp near La Center, wanting a farm of his own, in 1899 he rented the D. W. Gardner farm, living there until 1904, when he bought the David Kenyon and Orlando C. Miller farms in what is now the Clover Valley District. He moved into the Kenyon home and lived there eight years, when it burned to the ground, February 1913. It was then that Orlando Miller, a Lewis River character who everyone knew as a wit and punster, showed his true character by coming over to Charley telling him that he would move out so that Charley could move into his house while Charley built his new home. This Charley did, building a fine new house and barn. By this time Charley had established a reputation for thrift and honesty and was able to secure loans for immediate improvements when needed.

Charley built up his beef and dairy cattle herd and acquired a reputation of being a shrewd trader in horses and cattle.

The Houghton family lived on the farm, sending their children to the Woodland and Clover Valley Schools, until, renting their farm in 1922, they moved to Woodland. They lived there until 1925 when they moved back to the farm where they remained until 1937, when they again moved to Woodland, buying a new home and settling down in retirement.

While living on the Gardner place, Mr. Houghton operated a ferry for public and private use. In 1929 he secured a contract from the Ariel Dam builders to furnish them with milk for their camps. The price was seven cents per quart in 10 gallon cans and ten cents per quart in quart bottles. He kept the camps supplied until the dam was completed.

Mr. Houghton was a religious man. He sometimes filled the pulpit in the preacher's absence. He was proud of his physique and had quite a reputation as a wrestler.

Sources for this individual: @S378@ @S376@ @S1375@