Frank L. Houx
Encyclopedia
Frank Lee Houx was an American
politician
, who served as the tenth Governor of Wyoming.
Houx was born near Lexington, Missouri
, the second of five children of George W. Houx and Fannie (Price) Houx. The elder Houx served in the Confederate States Army under General Sterling ("Old Pap") Price
, a distant cousin, and uncle of his wife. The future Governor grew up on his father's farm.
Houx married Augusta Camp in 1875, and sired two daughters and a son. (The birth year of Frank Houx is variously listed as 1854, 1859, and 1860; given his 1875 marriage, 1854 is accepted.)
He took up the study of law, reading in the office of John S. Blackwell, of Lexington, Missouri. Houx did not complete his course, however, turning his attention to commercial interests. He graduated from Shaw's Business College in Kansas City, Missouri in 1884. The next year, he moved to Montana
and went into the cattle business. In 1895, he took up residence in Cody, Wyoming
, where he went into politics.
On April 10, 1898, he was widowed. The next year, he remarried Ida Mason Christy, with whom he had four daughters.
For a time, Houx was associated with Colonel William F. Cody
("Buffalo Bill"), in the construction of the Cody canal and other projects.
In 1901 when the town of Cody was incorporated, he first sought office, becoming the town's first Mayor. During his first term as Mayor, he also served as police judge from 1902 to 1903. He was re-elected to a second mayoral term in 1905. During the next four years, the town built a residence for him; this two-story A-frame building still stands, and now serves as a bed and breakfast known as the "Mayor's Inn."
In 1910, he became the first Democrat
to be elected Secretary of State of Wyoming
, an office to which he was re-elected in 1914. When Governor John B. Kendrick
resigned his office on February 26, 1917 after being elected to the United States Senate
, Houx became Acting Governor, and he served until the expiration of Kendrick's term, leaving office on January 6, 1919.
During his service as governor during World War I, Houx mobilized the National Guard of Wyoming for federal service, appointed the Wyoming Council for National Defense, and nominated persons to administer the Selective Service draft. He was an advocate of prison reform and a proponent of Prohibition
.
He sought election as governor in his own right in 1918, but was defeated by Republican
candidate Robert D. Carey
. Houx then went into the oil refining business in Texas
, but returned to Cody in 1935. He died in the famous Irma Hotel
in Cody in 1941 at the age of 86, and was interred in Cody Cemetery. The autobiography he wrote in 1939 was published in serial form by the Cody Enterprise (newspaper) in the months following his death.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, who served as the tenth Governor of Wyoming.
Houx was born near Lexington, Missouri
Lexington, Missouri
Lexington is a city in Lafayette County, Missouri, United States. The population was 4,453 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Lafayette County. Located in western Missouri, Lexington lies about 40 miles east of Kansas City and is part of the Greater Kansas City Metropolitan Area...
, the second of five children of George W. Houx and Fannie (Price) Houx. The elder Houx served in the Confederate States Army under General Sterling ("Old Pap") Price
Sterling Price
Sterling Price was a lawyer, planter, and politician from the U.S. state of Missouri, who served as the 11th Governor of the state from 1853 to 1857. He also served as a United States Army brigadier general during the Mexican-American War, and a Confederate Army major general in the American Civil...
, a distant cousin, and uncle of his wife. The future Governor grew up on his father's farm.
Houx married Augusta Camp in 1875, and sired two daughters and a son. (The birth year of Frank Houx is variously listed as 1854, 1859, and 1860; given his 1875 marriage, 1854 is accepted.)
He took up the study of law, reading in the office of John S. Blackwell, of Lexington, Missouri. Houx did not complete his course, however, turning his attention to commercial interests. He graduated from Shaw's Business College in Kansas City, Missouri in 1884. The next year, he moved to Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
and went into the cattle business. In 1895, he took up residence in Cody, Wyoming
Cody, Wyoming
Cody is a city in Park County, Wyoming, United States. It is named after William Frederick Cody, primarily known as Buffalo Bill, from William Cody's part in the creation of the original town. The population was 9,520 at the 2010 census...
, where he went into politics.
On April 10, 1898, he was widowed. The next year, he remarried Ida Mason Christy, with whom he had four daughters.
For a time, Houx was associated with Colonel William F. Cody
Buffalo Bill
William Frederick "Buffalo Bill" Cody was a United States soldier, bison hunter and showman. He was born in the Iowa Territory , in LeClaire but lived several years in Canada before his family moved to the Kansas Territory. Buffalo Bill received the Medal of Honor in 1872 for service to the US...
("Buffalo Bill"), in the construction of the Cody canal and other projects.
In 1901 when the town of Cody was incorporated, he first sought office, becoming the town's first Mayor. During his first term as Mayor, he also served as police judge from 1902 to 1903. He was re-elected to a second mayoral term in 1905. During the next four years, the town built a residence for him; this two-story A-frame building still stands, and now serves as a bed and breakfast known as the "Mayor's Inn."
In 1910, he became the first Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
to be elected Secretary of State of Wyoming
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
, an office to which he was re-elected in 1914. When Governor John B. Kendrick
John B. Kendrick
John Benjamin Kendrick was an American politician who served as a United States Senator from Wyoming.Kendrick was born near Rusk, Texas, where he attended the public schools, and then moved to Wyoming in 1879 and settled on a ranch near Sheridan, where he raised cattle.He was a member of the State...
resigned his office on February 26, 1917 after being elected to the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
, Houx became Acting Governor, and he served until the expiration of Kendrick's term, leaving office on January 6, 1919.
During his service as governor during World War I, Houx mobilized the National Guard of Wyoming for federal service, appointed the Wyoming Council for National Defense, and nominated persons to administer the Selective Service draft. He was an advocate of prison reform and a proponent of Prohibition
Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
.
He sought election as governor in his own right in 1918, but was defeated by Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
candidate Robert D. Carey
Robert D. Carey
Robert Davis Carey was born in Cheyenne, Wyoming and was an important political figure in the state of Wyoming. He was a Republican.In 1919, Carey was elected the 11th Governor of Wyoming and served as such until 1923...
. Houx then went into the oil refining business in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, but returned to Cody in 1935. He died in the famous Irma Hotel
Irma Hotel
The Irma Hotel is a landmark in Cody, Wyoming. It was built by William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody, the city's co-founder and namesake who named it after his daughter Irma Cody...
in Cody in 1941 at the age of 86, and was interred in Cody Cemetery. The autobiography he wrote in 1939 was published in serial form by the Cody Enterprise (newspaper) in the months following his death.