John Houghton (apothecary) facts for kids

John Houghton (born 1645, died 1705) was an interesting English person. He was an apothecary (like an old-fashioned pharmacist) and also a writer. He wrote a lot about farming and trade. He was even a member of the important Royal Society, which is a group for top scientists and thinkers.

About John Houghton's Life

John Houghton went to Corpus Christi College, Cambridge for a while to study. After that, he became an apothecary. He also sold fancy things like tea, coffee, and chocolate. His first shop was near the Royal Exchange in London. Later, he moved to another spot called the Golden Fleece on Gracechurch Street.

John Houghton was also a bit like an early advertising agent! He would put advertisements in his newspaper, Collections. In 1695, he printed the very first personal ad from a man looking for a wife. This started what we now call the "lonely hearts" industry. He became a member of the Royal Society in 1680. He also served on their committee that focused on farming. John Houghton passed away in 1705.

What John Houghton Wrote

John Houghton edited a newspaper called A Collection of Letters for the Improvement of Husbandry & Trade. It was published in London between 1681 and 1683. Famous writers like John Evelyn and John Worlidge contributed to it. Houghton was one of the first to notice that potato plants could be grown as a farm vegetable. He also observed that turnips were eaten by sheep.

In 1691, Houghton started a new project called A Proposal for Improvement of Husbandry and Trade. This project was supported by important members of the Royal Society. It later became another Collection newspaper, which came out every week. The first issue was in March 1692, and the last was in September 1703. In total, 19 volumes of this collection were published. Later, in 1727, a selection of his writings was published by Richard Bradley. It was called A Catalogue of all sorts of Earths, the Art of Draining, of Brewing, of all sorts of Husbandry.

Houghton also published a special sheet in 1693. It was called An Account of the Acres and Houses, with the proportional tax … of each county in England and Wales. He also wrote articles for a science magazine called Philosophical Transactions. In 1699, he wrote "A Discourse of Coffee" and an article about the calendar.

John Houghton's Family

John Houghton married Elizabeth Claget in 1687. She was from Greenwich.