William Houston

For other people with the same name, see William Houston (disambiguation).

American Revolution

Continental Congress and legal career

He returned to the college and also opened a law office in Trenton. During these years he was named as clerk of the New Jersey Supreme Court. In 1783, he resigned from the college to devote himself to his legal career. He returned to the Continental Congress in 1784 and 1785.

Constitutional Convention delegate

In 1786, Houston was appointed to a commission to study the defects in the Articles of Confederation which joined the states. He went to the Annapolis Convention to discuss the problem. Instead of proposing changes to the articles, this Convention called for a full Constitutional Convention. When the United States Constitutional Convention assembled in 1787, he went to Philadelphia as a delegate. Houston only remained at the convention for a week before his failing health caused him to withdraw.

Death

He died of tuberculosis the following year in Frankford, Pennsylvania (now part of Philadelphia) and was buried at the Second Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Philadelphia. Later, he was reburied at the Mount Vernon Cemetery in Philadelphia.

External links

• United States Congress. "William Houston (id: H000830)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.