Montgomery's Self-Made-Man: Levi Houston

Montgomery's Self-Made-Man: Levi Houston. . , From its founding, Montgomery was an industrial town. Without its factories, it's unlikely the borough would exist today. One of the first men to start a factory in Montgomery was Levi Houston. Born in New Hampshire in 1835, he grew up learning the machinist's trade. In 1873, after years of working in New England and New Jersey and with $2500 in his pocket, Houston decided to start his own business; he chose Montgomery as the site for the Levi Houston Company, which specialized making industrial woodworking machines like lathes, table saws, and more., Houston's influence in town grew as he opened a store in 1881 and the Houston Hotel in 1890. He built a spacious home on the street which bears his name, West Houston Avenue. He later purchased a second home on Williamsport's "Millionaire Row.", Personal Life: , Houston and his first wife, Celia Fredericks, had one son, Harry (1866-1873), who died in a childhood accident. Celia died in 1866, aged 28. In 1867, Houston married Louisa Merick (1835-1910). The couple had two daughters, Celia and Pauline (1876-1950). Levi's brother Parker Hale Houston (1847-1900) lived in Montgomery for a time and served on the first borough council in 1887. At Levi Houston's death [in] 1892 (aged 57) of complications from a stomach ulcer, hundreds of his employees attended his viewing and escorted his coffin to the train station, where his remains were sent off to be buried in his native New Hampshire., Legacy: , Levi Houston was known as a generous donor to churches and charitable causes throughout the county. His factory, which later merged into the American Wood Working Machinery Company [AWWMC], employed hundreds of local people and essentially jump-started Montgomery's growth as a town. Woodworking machines fabricated in Montgomery were sold all over the world. Later in the 20th century, the factory came under the ownership of Yates-American., Houston came to Montgomery in 1873, before there was even a town, and left it a borough with nearly 800 residents. In its obituary tribute to him, the Grit newspaper summarized Houston's legacy: "The host is legion that today mourns the demise of this whole-souled citizen. Long will live in memory the name of Levi Houston.", [Photo captions, clockwise from center portrait, read] , . Levi Houston (1835-1892): Montgomery's "whole-souled citizen", . The Levi Houston Company, later AWWMC, operated on Bower Street, Montgomery., . The Houston Hotel was established in 1890 and demolished in the 1970s., . AWWMC employees making patterns for casting, . AWWMC employees building lathes