Draft:John B. Huston

John B. Huston
Speaker of the Kentucky House of Representatives
In office December 31, 1855 – December 7, 1857
Preceded by	Charles G. Wintersmith
Succeeded by	Daniel P. White
Member of the Kentucky House of Representatives from Clark County
In office August 5, 1861 – August 3, 1863
Preceded by	Harrison Thompson
Succeeded by	A. Sidney Allan
In office August 6, 1855 – August 1, 1859
Preceded by	Roger W. Hanson
Succeeded by	Harrison Thompson
In office December 2, 1839 – August 19, 1840
Succeeded by	Pleasant Bush
Personal details
Born	(1813-10-01)October 1, 1813 Nelson County, Kentucky
Died	November 14, 1881(1881-11-14) (aged 68) Winchester, Kentucky
Political party	Whig (before 1855) Know Nothing (1855–1859) Union Democratic (1861–1864) Democratic (after 1864)
Relations	Chilton Allan (father-in-law)
Education	Centre College Transylvania University (LL.B)

John Boyd Huston (October 1, 1813 – November 14, 1881) was an American politician and attorney who served four terms as a member of the Kentucky House of Representatives during the mid-nineteenth century.

He is noted as the only member of the Know Nothing Party to serve as Speaker of the Kentucky House, being elected to the position when the party gained a majority in the chamber following their statewide electoral victories in 1855.

Early life and education

Huston was born on October 1, 1813, in Nelson County, Kentucky, and raised in the town of Bloomfield. His mother, Mary McKee, was born in Ireland, and immigrated to Delaware with her parents as a child. There, she met and married James Huston before the couple moved to Kentucky in 1800.

John was educated locally before enrolling at Centre College. Following two years of study, John graduated with honors in 1833, and was offered a junior professorship. He accepted, and for a time was a tutor at the college as well as a teacher at Walnut Hill in Fayette County. During this time, John studied the law under Danial Mayes, circuit judge of Lexington, as well as Joshua Fry Bell.

Being devout Cameronian Presbyterians, his parent's had hoped that a higher education would prepare John for a career in ministry. However, he chose instead to enroll in the law program at Transylvania University, graduating with a Bachelor of Laws degree on February 29, 1836.

After receiving his law degree, Huston moved to Winchester, Kentucky, where he met Mary J. Allan. Mary was the daughter of Chilton Allan, a prominent Winchester attorney who served in a variety of elected positions, including two terms in the United States House of Representatives. Huston and Allan were married on September 21, 1836, and remained together until Mary's death in 1852.

Huston would return to teaching for a year before joining his father-in-law's private practice in 1837. He was noted as a particularly gifted orator and advocate even amongst other members of the Clark County Bar such as Governor James Clark and Chief Justice James Simpson of the Kentucky Court of Appeals.

Political career

First term

Like his father-in-law, Huston was a member of the Whig party. In 1839, Huston was elected as a member of the Kentucky House of Representatives from Clark County. A member of the whig party,

• Constitution of 1799 had representatives serving only 1-year terms, beginning on the first day of the General Assembly
• Appointed to Committee on Courts of Justice

Second Term (1855-1857) and Speaker of the Kentucky House

• Constitution of 1850, representatives serve two-year terms beginning the day of the general election
• 1850 census, owned 32 slaves ranging in age from 70 to 10 months old
• Elected as know nothing member of the house in 1855
• Know nothings had majorities in both chambers (House 61 - 39); (Senate 25 - 13)

• only know nothing speaker (1855-1857)

Third Term (1857-1859)

• Entered into private practice with William S. Downey in 1857. Their office was located on the site currently occupied by the McEldowney Building in Winchester's downtown historic district.
• Gave up speakership December 7, 1857, nominated successor Daniel P. White
• Appointed to Committee on Judiciary; Committee on Federal Relations; Chair of Committee on Court of Appeals
• Dems regained majority in 1858

Union Democratic Party

• 1860 census, owned 22 slaves
• Delegate to 1861 Union Democratic Party State Convention (May 4, 1861) from the 9th congressional district
• Delegate to Border States Convention in Frankfort

Fourth term (1861-1863)

• Rumored to be in contention for speakership again, but eventually voted for Richard Aylett Buckner
• Appointed to Committee on Federal Relations; Chair of Committee on Revised Statutes; Committee to investigate conditions of Institute for Feebleminded Children; added to Committee on Judiciary in December
• Introduced bill to prohibit rebellion by Kentucky citizens (pg 86, vol1) as well as to get back Kentuckians imprisoned by the confederacy
• Appointed by speaker alongside member Elliot to investigate arrest of general assembly members in Harrodsburg (pg 196 vol1) --> committee report (pg 221-222 vol1)
• At times, served as speaker of the house during absence of Buckner

Imprisonment

• Supported Gen George B McClellan for president in 1864
• Arrested by Gen Stephen G. Burbridge
• Gov Bramlette writes Pres Lincoln for release.
• Lincoln responds "“I can scarcely believe that General John B. Huston has been arrested for no other offense than opposition to my re-election; for if that had been deemed sufficient cause of arrest I should have heard of more than one arrest in Kentucky on election day.”
• Subsequently released

Later life and death

Following the war, Huston and his law partner moved their practice to Lexington. There, he served for over twelve years as a member of the law faculty at Transylvania University. He was described at this time as being, "in stature over six feet, full-chested, graceful; he had a bright eye, a finely shaped head, a powerful and pleasant voice and an expressive face."

On November 14, 1881, Huston died in the Rees House Hotel in Winchester. He was interred in an unmarked grave in the Winchester cemetery until 1904, when members of the Lexington and Winchester Bar Associations erected a monument. A commemorative ceremony was hosted at the Winchester Opera House with William M. Beckner presiding, and W. C. P. Breckenridge delivering the dedication address.

Huston's monument states that he was an active freemason, and had achieved the highest rank of the order. It is also one of two white bronze monuments located in the Winchester cemetery.