The Life and Times of John Houston

  • 1850 - John Houston born, November 14th or 17th, Peel County, Ontario
  • 1865 - Leaves home for Chicago - apprentices in print shop
  • 1866-86 - As 'tramp printer,' prospector, newspaperman, wanders across US
  • 1887 - Returns to Canada - reporter for The Calgary Herald
  • 1888 - Establishes The Truth in Donald
  • 1889 - Moves The Truth to New Westminster
  • 1890 - Moves to Nelson and establishes The Miner
  • 1890-92 - Establishes successful real estate business and Nelson Electric Light Company
  • 1892 - Sells The Miner (April). Marries Edith May Keeley. Establishes The Tribune (November)
  • 1893 - First attempt to incorporate Nelson fails
  • 1895 - Establishes The Rossland Miner
  • 1896 - Nelson Electric Company operational
  • 1897 - Nelson incorporated (March 18th). Houston elected mayor (April 15th)
  • 1898 - Returned to mayoralty by acclamation
  • 1899 - City buys Nelson Electric. Houston loses mayoralty election
  • 1900 - Elected mayor for the third time. Elected Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) for West Kootenay
  • 1902 - Defies Speaker in Legislature while drunk
  • 1903 - President of Provincial Conservative Party. Elected MLA (Nelson). Passed over for cabinet post. Houston's Progressive Party candidate, Dr. W. Rose wins mayoralty
  • 1905 - Elected Mayor for fourth term. Disappears for 6 weeks and turns up in Goldfield, Nevada. Resigns Mayoralty
  • 1907 - Runs for Legislature for Ymir and loses. Leaves Nelson for good
  • 1908 - Establishes The Prince Rupert Empire
  • 1910 - Establishes The Fort George Tribune. Obituary widely published March 4th. Dies March 8th