George W. Houk

Who was George W. Houk?

George Washington Houk was a lawyer and politician representing Ohio.

George W. Houk was born near Mount Holly Springs in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, the son of Adam and Catherine Houk. The family moved to Dayton, Ohio in 1827 where George Houk attended the public schools and the E. E. Barney Academy at Dayton. For a number of years Houk taught school while he studied law with Peter P. Lowe. George W. Houk was admitted to the bar in 1847, commencing practice in Dayton.

He married Eliza Phillips Thruston, daughter of Robert A. and Mary Thruston, both of locally prominent families. They had five children.

In 1861, he became a law partner of John A. McMahon, who had previously been a law partner of Clement Vallandigham. He remained in that partnership until 1882.

Houk was elected a member of the Ohio House of Representatives, serving from 1852 to 1853. He was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1860 supporting Stephen A. Douglas and a delegate again in 1876. He was defeated for circuit judge in the Ohio Second judicial circuit in 1884.

In 1888 on the Democratic ticket, he faced incumbent Elihu S. Williams in Ohio’s third district, but was defeated.