George Smith Houston, governor of Alabama, was born in Williamson county, Tenn., Jan. 17, 1811. His parents removed to Limestone county, Ala., and he was educated at Athens and was admitted to the bar in 1831. He was a state representative for two terms; state's attorney for the Florence judicial district, 1836; and a representative in the 27th, 28th, 29th and 30th congresses, 1841-48, and in the 32d, 33d, 34th, 35th and 36th congresses, 1851-61. He served as chairman of the committee on judiciary, on that of ways and means, and on the special committee of thirty-three. He retired from congress when the state of Alabama seceded. In 1865 he was elected to the U.S. senate, but was not allowed to take his seat. He was a delegate to the Philadelphia National Union convention of 1866, and was governor of Alabama, 1874-78. He died in Athens, Ala., Dec. 31, 1879.

The Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans 1904

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