Charles Frederick Houghton facts for kids

Charles Frederick Houghton (born April 27, 1839 – died August 13, 1898) was an important figure in early Canadian history. He was a soldier, a rancher, a justice of the peace, and a politician. His life involved many adventures, from serving in the army to helping shape the new province of British Columbia.

Charles Frederick Houghton: Soldier and Pioneer

Charles Frederick Houghton was born in County Kilkenny, Ireland. He joined the British Army in 1855 when he was just 16 years old. He quickly moved up the ranks.

Early Military Life

• In 1855, he became an officer in the 57th Foot regiment.
• By 1856, he was promoted to lieutenant.
• He later transferred to other regiments, including the 5th Foot and the 20th Foot.
• In 1861, he became a Captain.

In 1863, Captain Houghton decided to leave the army. He moved to British Columbia, which was then a British colony. He settled in the beautiful Okanagan valley.

Life in British Columbia

When he arrived in British Columbia, Charles Houghton received land as a military grant.

• He used this land to start a large farm called Coldstream Ranch.
• Later, he transferred ownership of the ranch to his friends and fellow officers, Forbes George Vernon and Charles Albert Vernon.

Houghton was also an explorer. In 1865 and 1866, he led groups to explore the Gold Range mountains. They traveled all the way to the Columbia River mines. This helped map out new areas of the colony.

Becoming a Politician

In 1866, Charles Houghton was appointed a justice of the peace. This meant he helped keep law and order in his community.

British Columbia joined Canada in 1871. That same year, Houghton was elected to the House of Commons of Canada. He represented the Yale District. This was a big step in his public service career.

Later Military and Public Service

After his time in politics, Houghton continued his military career.

• In 1873, he was promoted to lieutenant-colonel.
• He became the deputy adjutant-general for the militia in British Columbia. This meant he was in charge of organizing military forces in the region.

In 1877, he led a group of soldiers to a mine in Wellington. Two years later, Houghton married Marion Dunsmuir. She was the daughter of Robert Dunsmuir, who owned the mine.

After his marriage, Houghton moved to Manitoba. There, he helped organize a new military group called the 90th (Winnipeg) Battalion of Rifles. He was a dedicated soldier and public servant throughout his life.