David F. Houston

This article is about the American politician. For other uses, see David Houston (disambiguation).
David Franklin Houston

Houston takes to University of Texas in 1910.
11th President of Texas A&M University
In office
1902–1905
Preceded by Roger H. Whitlock
Succeeded by Henry H. Harrington
4th President of the University of Texas at Austin
In office
1905–1908
Preceded by William L. Prather
Succeeded by Sidney E. Mezes
8th Chancellor of Washington University in St. Louis
In office
1908–1913
Preceded by William S. Chaplin
Succeeded by Frederic A. Hall
5th United States Secretary of Agriculture
In office
March 6, 1913 – February 2, 1920
President Woodrow Wilson
Preceded by James Wilson
Succeeded by Edwin T. Meredith
48th United States Secretary of the Treasury
In office
February 2, 1920 – March 3, 1921
President Woodrow Wilson
Preceded by Carter Glass
Succeeded by Andrew W. Mellon
Personal details
Born (1866-02-17)February 17, 1866
Monroe, North Carolina, U.S.
Died September 2, 1940(1940-09-02) (aged 74)
Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in New York City, New York, U.S.
Resting place St. John's Church Cemetery, Oyster Bay, New York, U.S.
Political party Democratic
Spouse(s) Helen Beall Houston
Children Duval Houston
David Franklin Houston, Jr.
Elizabeth Houston
Helen Houston
Lawrence Beid Houston
Alma mater University of South Carolina
Harvard University
Profession Politician
Religion Presbyterian

David Franklin Houston (February 17, 1866 – September 2, 1940) was an American academic, businessman and conservative Democratic[1] politician.[2] He served under President Wilson as the 5th Secretary of Agriculture and the 48th United States Secretary of the Treasury.

Early life and family

Young Houston age 19, (April 1885).

Houston was born in Monroe, North Carolina, on February 17, 1866. He was the son of William Henry Houston, a horse dealer and grocer, and his wife, the former Pamela Ann Stevens. He graduated from the University of South Carolina in 1887 and did graduate work at Harvard University, where he received a M.A. in political science in 1892.[2] Houston married Helen Beall on December 11, 1895. They had five children: David Franklin, Jr., Duval, Elizabeth, Helen and Lawrence Beid Houston.

Higher education

Houston taught political science at University of Texas. He became an adjunct member of the faculty in 1894 and was named dean of the faculty in 1899. He then became president of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas (now Texas A&M University) from 1902 until 1905. In 1905 he returned to UT to become that institution's president, serving until 1908. During his tenure at UT Austin, the school opened a doctoral program and a law school.[2]

Houston left Texas to serve as chancellor of Washington University in St. Louis, a position he held from 1908 to 1913. During his tenure he established the School of Architecture and strengthened the medical school through partnerships with Children's and Barnes hospitals. He left the university to become the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture.[2]

Under President William McKinley he was on the board of visitors of the United States Military Academy at West Point. Later in life, he was an overseer of Harvard University and on the Columbia University Board of Trustees.[2]

Politics and ready for Wilson's administration

Houston served as President Woodrow Wilson's Secretary of Agriculture from 1913 to 1920, when he became the Secretary of the Treasury until 1921.[3]

During his time as Agriculture Secretary many important agricultural laws were passed by the U.S. Congress, including the Smith-Lever Act, the Farm Loan Act, the Warehouse Act, and the Federal Aid Road Act.

Houston's former house in the Dupont Circle neighborhood of Washington, D.C..

Houston came to the Treasury Department as World War I was ending and his brief tenure was marked by stormy controversies over federal monetary policies. As ex officio Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board, he issued severe warnings and, increased rediscount rates in order to prevent the inflation that the European allies were experiencing. Houston predicted a fall in U.S. prices, particularly of farm products, after the optimism of the Armistice wore off. He pushed for easier credit for farmers and urged them to produce less.

But when prices fell more dramatically than expected in 1920, farm spokesmen unfairly accused Houston of deliberately wrecking agrarian prosperity. Abroad, England and France were pushing to cancel their war debts. Houston, the U.S. Congress and the President, against cancellation, converted the short-term debts to long-term loans. Houston resigned at the end of President Wilson's term, after only a year in office.

Business

After leaving the U.S. federal government, Houston became as the president of the Bell Telephone Securities and a vice president at AT&T. Houston also served as a director of AT&T, the Guaranty Trust Company and the United States Steel Corporation. He was president of the Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York for ten years.[2]

Death

Houston died of a heart attack on September 2, 1940 at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in New York City.[2][4] He was buried next to his wife at Saint John's Church Cemetery in Oyster Bay, New York.

Writings

Houston published A Critical Study of Nullification in South Carolina (1896) to establish his place in academia. He later published a two-volume memoir of his experiences as a cabinet member, Eight Years with Wilson's Cabinet.

References

  1. ↑ Elliot A. Rosen (2012). Roosevelt, the Great Depression, and the Economics of Recovery. University of Virginia Press. p. 68. ISBN 978-0-8139-3427-3.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "David Franklin Houston". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 2011-04-07.
  3. ↑ "David Franklin Houston". Christian Science Monitor. February 3, 1920. Retrieved 2011-04-07. The promotion, for such it must be regarded, of David Franklin Houston, for almost seven years Secretary of Agriculture in the Cabinet of President Wilson, ...
  4. ↑ "David F. Houston, Wilson's Secretary of Agriculture, Dies". Los Angeles Times. September 3, 1940. Retrieved 2011-04-07. David Franklin Houston, 74, life insurance company executive, former educator and a member of Woodrow Wilson's Cabinet through the World War President's eight years in office, died at the Harkness Pavilion today after a brief illness.
Academic offices
Preceded by
Roger H. Whitlock		 List of Texas A&M University presidents
1902 – 1905 		Succeeded by
Henry H. Harrington
Preceded by
William L. Prather		 President of the University of Texas at Austin
1905 – 1908 		Succeeded by
Sidney E. Mezes
Preceded by
William S. Chaplin		 Chancellors of Washington University in St. Louis
1908 – 1917 		Succeeded by
Frederic Aldin Hall
Political offices
Preceded by
James Wilson		 U.S. Secretary of Agriculture
Served under: Woodrow Wilson
March 6, 1913 – February 2, 1920 		Succeeded by
Edwin T. Meredith
Preceded by
Carter Glass		 U.S. Secretary of the Treasury
Served under: Woodrow Wilson
February 2, 1920 – March 3, 1921 		Succeeded by
Andrew W. Mellon
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