Charles Frederick Houghton

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Charles Frederick Houghton (April 27, 1839 – August 13, 1898) was a Canadian rancher, justice of the peace, politician, and soldier.

Born in County Kilkenny, Ireland, he joined the British Army in 1855. In 1861, he was promoted to Captain and in 1863 he emigrated to British Columbia, Canada settling in the Okanagan valley. Through a military land grant, he established Coldstream Ranch in 1863, and later transferred title to fellow officers Forbes George Vernon and Charles Albert Vernon.

In 1865 and 1866 he lead expeditions to explore the Gold Range through to the Columbia River mines. In 1866, he was appointed justice of the peace. After British Columbia entered confederation he was elected to the Canadian House of Commons for the riding of Yale District in 1871.

After being promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel, he was appointed deputy adjutant-general of the militia for Military District No.11 (British Columbia) in 1873.

In 1877 he commanded a force of 60 men, reinforced by infantry and artillery from New Westminister and the gunboat HMS Grappler, in a failed attempt to remove striking colliers fromRobert Dunsmuir's Wellington mine. Two years later, Houghton would marry Dunsmuir's daughter Marion.

After his marriage and a half-year in Europe, Houghton was transferred to Manitoba where he organised the 90th (Winnipeg) Battalion of Rifles. He was passed over in favour of Major-General Frederick Dobson Middleton for command of the troops charged with suppressing the North-West Rebellion.