William Houstoun (lawyer)
William Houstoun (/ˈhaʊstən/ HOW-stən; also spelled Houston; c. 1755 – March 17, 1813) was a Founding Father of the United States, statesman, and lawyer.With the onset of war, many remained loyal to the crown, but William, a zealous advocate of colonists' rights, was among the first to counsel resistance to British aggression."[5] Houstoun also reportedly threatened to kill a reverend living in Rhode Island for making a critical remark about the South.Biographer Edith Duncan Johnston finds room for flattery despite this, writing: "Loyal to his native state and section, he was quick to avenge any insinuation that reflected against either."[1] Houston Street in the New York City borough of Manhattan, originally part of his father-in-law's estate, was named for Houstoun,[3] using an alternate spelling.