Abraham J. Houghton1,2

M, #79351, b. between 1850 and 1852

Biography

Corresponded with authorN
A Contributor to Houghton Surname ProjectN
Birthbetween 1850 and 1852PA, USA, age 60 in 1910 census; age 78 in 1930 census1
Marriagecirca 1879age 27; mar 2nd, 31 y in 1910 census
1910 Census1910Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., PA, USA, age 60, crane foundry machinist2
1930 Census1930Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., PA, USA, age 78, an inmate at Methodist Episcopal Home for aged1
ParentsSparents born in England1
Pedigree

Citations

  1. [S1233] 1930 U.S. Federal Census , Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., Pennsylvania; Roll: 2107; Enumeration District: 370; sheet 1B, line 66.
  2. [S1231] 1910 U.S. Federal Census , Philadelphia Ward 10, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Roll: T624_1389; Page: 4A; Enumeration District: 153; line 15.

Tayler N. Houghton1

M, #79352, b. circa 1851

Family:

Biography

A Contributor to Houghton Surname ProjectN
Corresponded with authorN
Birthcirca 1851VT, USA, age 79 in 1930 census1
1930 Census1930Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., PA, USA, age 79, widower1
ParentsDparents born in VT1
Pedigree

Citations

  1. [S1233] 1930 U.S. Federal Census , Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., Pennsylvania; Roll: 2108; Enumeration District: 397; sheet 1A, page 237, line 39, dwl 205-14-20.

Mabel Houghton1

F, #79353, b. circa 1875

Family: (?) Houghton d. b 1930

Biography

A Contributor to Houghton Surname ProjectN
Corresponded with authorN
Birthcirca 1875MI, USA, age 55 in 1930 census1
Marriage
1930 Census1930Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., PA, USA, age 79, widower1
Widow1930
ParentsDfather born in MI, mother born in NY
Pedigree

Citations

  1. [S1233] 1930 U.S. Federal Census , Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., Pennsylvania; Roll: 2108; Enumeration District: 397; sheet 1A, page 237, line 39, dwl 205-14-20.

(?) Houghton

M, #79354, d. before 1930

Family: Mabel Houghton b. c 1875

Biography

A Contributor to Houghton Surname ProjectN
Corresponded with authorN
Birth
Marriage
Deathbefore 1930
Pedigree

Marie B. Houghton1

F, #79355, b. circa 1923

Biography

A Contributor to Houghton Surname ProjectN
Corresponded with authorN
Birthcirca 1923PA, USA, age 7 in 1930 census; age 17 & 18 in 1940 census1
Pedigree

Citations

  1. [S1233] 1930 U.S. Federal Census , Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., Pennsylvania; Roll: 2109; Enumeration District: 905; sheet 8A, page 189, line 20, dwl 3117-126-139.
  2. [S1479] 1940 U.S. Federal Census , Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Roll: T627_3737; Page: 6A; Enumeration District: 51-1616B; line 34, dwl 7112.

Harry Jonathan Haughton

M, #79356, b. circa 1903, d. 20 October 1970

Family: Alice E. Onimus b. c 1907, d. 12 May 1998

  • Marriage*: Harry Jonathan Haughton married Alice E. Onimus on circa 1929 age 26 and 22.1

Biography

Corresponded with authorN
A Contributor to Houghton Surname ProjectN
Birthcirca 1903PA, USA, age 27 in 1930 census; age 36 in 1940 census1
Marriagecirca 1929age 26 and 221
1930 Census1930Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., PA, USA, age 27, a lumber company chauffeur1
1940 Census1940Philadelpha, Philadelphia Co., PA, USA, age 36, street railway conductor2
1950 US Census1950Philadelphia, PA, USA, age 46, Philad. Transit Co., operator
DeathOct 20, 1970Philadelphia, PA, USA
ParentsSparents born in PA1
Pedigree

Citations

  1. [S1233] 1930 U.S. Federal Census , Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., Pennsylvania; Roll: 2113; Enumeration District: 685; sheet 12B, line 76, dwl 2446-187-207.
  2. [S1479] 1940 U.S. Federal Census , Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Roll: T627_3713; Page: 10A; Enumeration District: 51-854; line 15, dwl 2522.

Elizabeth Marie Lynn1

F, #79357, b. circa 1890

Family: Thomas J. Houghton Jr b. 9 Jun 1889, d. 1 May 1947

Biography

Corresponded with authorN
A Contributor to Houghton Surname ProjectN
Birthcirca 1890PA, USA, age 30 in 1920 census; age 40 in 1930 census; age 53 in 1940 census2
Marriagecirca 1911age 222
1920 Census1920Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., PA, USA, age 40, ship yard machinist, next door to mother2
1930 Census1930Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., PA, USA, age 42, contractor comp. engineer; and mother in law Elizabeth Lynn, 66, PA1
1940 Census1940Philadelphia, PA, USA, age 51, laundrey engineer3
ResidenceApr 27, 1942Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., PA, USA, occupation: Penn Treaty Overall Laundry Co.4
ParentsDElizabeth Lynn; parents born in PA2
Pedigree

Citations

  1. [S1233] 1930 U.S. Federal Census , Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Roll: 2115; Page: 5A; Enumeration District: 932; Image: 837.0; line 40, dwl 2310-52-55.
  2. [S1232] 1920 U.S. Federal Census , Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., Pennsylvania; Roll: T625_1635
    ; Enumeration District: 1005; sheet 2A, line 16, dwl 2354-27-27.
  3. [S1479] 1940 U.S. Federal Census , Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Roll: T627_3717; Page: 10A; Enumeration District: 51-964.
  4. [S1323] "WWII Draft Registration 1942", WW2_2240438.

Marion Houghton

F, #79358, b. circa 1913

Biography

Corresponded with authorN
A Contributor to Houghton Surname ProjectN
Birthcirca 1913PA, USA, age 7 in 1920 census; age 17 in 1930 census1
Pedigree

Citations

  1. [S1232] 1920 U.S. Federal Census , Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., Pennsylvania; Roll: T625_1635
    ; Enumeration District: 1005; sheet 2A, line 16, dwl 2354-27-27.

Elizabeth M. Houghton1,2

F, #79359, b. circa 1914

Family 1: (?) Cutter

  • Marriage*: Elizabeth M. Houghton married (?) Cutter.2

Family 2: Henry J. Nothnagel b. c 1898

Biography

A Contributor to Houghton Surname ProjectN
Corresponded with authorN
Birthcirca 1914Philadelphia, PA, USA, age 6 in 1920 census; age 16 in 1930 census1
Marriage2
MarriageJan 17, 1944Marshall, Calhoun Co., MI, USA2
Pedigree

Citations

  1. [S1232] 1920 U.S. Federal Census , Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., Pennsylvania; Roll: T625_1635
    ; Enumeration District: 1005; sheet 2A, line 16, dwl 2354-27-27.
  2. [S882] Ancestry.Com, online www.ancestry.com, Ancestry.com. Michigan, Marriage Records, 1867-1952 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015.

Thomas Joseph Houghton1

M, #79360, b. 27 August 1915

Family: Sarah C. McMenamin b. c 1915

Biography

Corresponded with authorN
A Contributor to Houghton Surname ProjectN
BirthAug 27, 1915Philadelphia, PA, USA, age 4 5/12 in 1920 census; age 14 in 1930 census2
Mil. Draft1940Philadelphia, PA, USA, age 25, Occupation: Henry Destons And Sons
Occupation1940saws tool maker
Marriage1941
1950 US Census1950Philadelphia, PA, USA, age 34, tool? mfg, inspector
Pedigree

Citations

  1. [S1232] 1920 U.S. Federal Census , Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., Pennsylvania; Roll: T625_1635
    ; Enumeration District: 1005; sheet 2A, line 16, dwl 2354-27-27.
  2. [S1233] 1930 U.S. Federal Census , Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Roll: 2115; Page: 5A; Enumeration District: 932; Image: 837.0; line 40, dwl 2310-52-55.

Rose Tresa Houghton1

F, #79361, b. circa 1917, d. 10 May 2011

Family: Walter Simkiss b. c 1918

  • Marriage*: Rose Tresa Houghton married Walter Simkiss on circa 1945.

Biography

A Contributor to Houghton Surname ProjectN
Corresponded with authorN
Birthcirca 1917PA, USA, age 2 10/12 in 1920 census; age 13 in 1930 census; age 23 in 1940 census1
Marriagecirca 1945
1950 US Census1950Philadelphia, PA, USA, age 32, meat packing house, meat cutter
DeathMay 10, 2011Maifaiir, PA, USA
ObituaryMay 11, 2011SIMKISS
ROSE T. (nee Houghton), formerly of Mayfair, on May 10, 2001; beloved wife of the late Walter H. Simkiss; devoted mother of Thomas J. Simkiss Sr; mother-in-law of Eileen D. Simkiss; grandmother of Colleen T. Afanassiev, Maureen, Thomas J. Jr. and Timomy J. Simkiss; aunt of many nieces and nephews.
Pedigree

Citations

  1. [S1232] 1920 U.S. Federal Census , Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., Pennsylvania; Roll: T625_1635
    ; Enumeration District: 1005; sheet 2A, line 16, dwl 2354-27-27.

Alice E. Onimus

F, #79362, b. circa 1907, d. 12 May 1998

Family: Harry Jonathan Haughton b. c 1903, d. 20 Oct 1970

Biography

Corresponded with authorN
A Contributor to Houghton Surname ProjectN
Birthcirca 1907PA, USA, age 23 in 1930 census; age 33 in 1940 census1
Marriagecirca 1929age 26 and 221
1930 Census1930Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., PA, USA, age 27, a lumber company chauffeur1
1940 Census1940Philadelpha, Philadelphia Co., PA, USA, age 36, street railway conductor2
1950 US Census1950Philadelphia, PA, USA, age 46, Philad. Transit Co., operator
DeathMay 12, 1998Somerdale, PA, USA
Pedigree

Citations

  1. [S1233] 1930 U.S. Federal Census , Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., Pennsylvania; Roll: 2113; Enumeration District: 685; sheet 12B, line 76, dwl 2446-187-207.
  2. [S1479] 1940 U.S. Federal Census , Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Roll: T627_3713; Page: 10A; Enumeration District: 51-854; line 15, dwl 2522.

Leonard H. Houghton1

M, #79363, b. circa 1880

Family: Florence (?) b. c 1885

  • Marriage*: Leonard H. Houghton married Florence (?) on circa 1908 age 28 and 23.1

Biography

A Contributor to Houghton Surname ProjectN
Corresponded with authorN
Birthcirca 1880PA, USA, age 50 in 1930 census1
Marriagecirca 1908age 28 and 231
1930 Census1930Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., PA, USA, age 50, assist. engineer1
ParentsSparents born in PA1
Pedigree

Citations

  1. [S1233] 1930 U.S. Federal Census , Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., Pennsylvania; Roll: 2113; Enumeration District: 700:ITAL]; sheet 6B, line 70, dwl 1506-131-140.

Florence (?)1

F, #79364, b. circa 1885

Family: Leonard H. Houghton b. c 1880

Biography

A Contributor to Houghton Surname ProjectN
Corresponded with authorN
Birthcirca 1885PA, USA, age 45 in 1930 census1
Marriagecirca 1908age 28 and 231
1930 Census1930Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., PA, USA, age 50, assist. engineer1
ParentsDparents born in PA1
Pedigree

Citations

  1. [S1233] 1930 U.S. Federal Census , Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., Pennsylvania; Roll: 2113; Enumeration District: 700:ITAL]; sheet 6B, line 70, dwl 1506-131-140.

Leonard A. Houghton Jr1

M, #79365, b. circa 1908

Family: Marie (?) b. c 1909

  • Marriage*: Leonard A. Houghton Jr married Marie (?) on circa 1927 age 19 and 18.

Biography

Corresponded with authorN
A Contributor to Houghton Surname ProjectN
Birthcirca 1908PA, USA, age 22 in 1930 census1
Marriagecirca 1927age 19 and 18
Occupation1930radio electrician
Pedigree

Citations

  1. [S1233] 1930 U.S. Federal Census , Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., Pennsylvania; Roll: 2113; Enumeration District: 700:ITAL]; sheet 6B, line 70, dwl 1506-131-140.

Marie (?)1

F, #79366, b. circa 1909

Family: Leonard A. Houghton Jr b. c 1908

Biography

Corresponded with authorN
A Contributor to Houghton Surname ProjectN
Birthcirca 1909PA, USA, age 21 in 1930 census1
Marriagecirca 1927age 19 and 18
Pedigree

Citations

  1. [S1233] 1930 U.S. Federal Census , Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., Pennsylvania; Roll: 2113; Enumeration District: 700:ITAL]; sheet 6B, line 70, dwl 1506-131-140.

Lawrence Houghton1

M, #79367, b. circa 1923

Biography

A Contributor to Houghton Surname ProjectN
Corresponded with authorN
Birthcirca 1923PA, USA, age 7 in 1930 census1
Pedigree

Citations

  1. [S1233] 1930 U.S. Federal Census , Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., Pennsylvania; Roll: 2113; Enumeration District: 700:ITAL]; sheet 6B, line 70, dwl 1506-131-140.

Amelia Houghton1

F, #79368, b. circa 1901

Biography

A Contributor to Houghton Surname ProjectN
Corresponded with authorN
Birthcirca 1901SC, USA, age 29 in 1930 census1
Marriagecirca 1921age 20
1930 Census1930Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., PA, USA, age 29, Negro, a private family servant1
ParentsDparents born in SC1
Pedigree

Citations

  1. [S1233] 1930 U.S. Federal Census , Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., Pennsylvania; Roll: 2114; Enumeration District: 101; sheet 2A, page 53, line 36, dwl 734-6-6.

Edith M. Smith1,2

F, #79369, b. 14 September 1904, d. 27 March 1990

Family: Carlos Polyfax Houghton Sr b. 6 May 1903, d. 11 Dec 1963

Biography

Corresponded with authorN
A Contributor to Houghton Surname ProjectN
BirthSep 14, 1904NJ, USA, age 25 in 1930 census; age 34 in 1940 census1
MarriageMar, 1922age 19 and 161
1950 US Census1950Philadelphia, PA, USA, age 46, electric factory
DeathMar 27, 1990Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., PA, USA
ObituaryMar 28, 1990HOUGHTON
EDITH M. (nee Smith), March 27,1990, of Lawndale, beloved wife of the late Carlos; dear mother of Richard and Norman; mother -in-law of Hilda Houghton; grandmother of S; great grandmother of 2.
ParentsDfather born in PA, mother born in England1
Pedigree

Citations

  1. [S1233] 1930 U.S. Federal Census , Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., Pennsylvania; Roll: 2116; Enumeration District: 736; sheet 1A, page 126, line 7, dwl 2502-2-2.
  2. [S654] Electronic Web Site, , http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/t/h/o/…
  3. [S93] Newspaper Obituary, http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/8908686/person/1556769802

Carlos Polyfax Houghton Jr1

M, #79370, b. circa 1930, d. before 2000

Biography

A Contributor to Houghton Surname ProjectN
Corresponded with authorN
Birthcirca 1930PA, USA, age 10/12 in 1930 census; age 10 in 1940 census1
Deathbefore 2000
Pedigree

Citations

  1. [S1233] 1930 U.S. Federal Census , Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., Pennsylvania; Roll: 2116; Enumeration District: 736; sheet 1A, page 126, line 7, dwl 2502-2-2.

Edith Grace Houghton1

F, #79371, b. 10 February 1912, d. 2 February 2013

Biography

A Contributor to Houghton Surname ProjectN
Corresponded with authorN
NotableY
BirthFeb 10, 1912Philadelphia, PA, USA, age 7 in 1920 census; age 18 in 1930 census; age 28 in 1940 census1,2
Graduation1930Philadelphia High School for Girls, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Occupation1940hardware stenographer
Mil. Enlscirca 1941in the women's Navy unit, the WAVES, and graduated in the first class of Storekeepers at the Naval Training School at Indiana University.
Research
Mil. Serv.1952served active duty during the Korean Conflict and Vietnam retiring as Chief Petty Officer (SKC).
Residence1964Sarasota, FL, USA
Note2012Baseball Hall of Fame:
Edith Houghton began playing professional baseball at age 10
By Lenny DiFranza
March 04, 2012
(NBHOF Library)

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. -- Edith Grace Houghton was a baseball prodigy, playing professional baseball from the age of 10 in 1922.

After her playing days were done, she worked as a scout for a major league ballclub, one of the few women to hold that job.

Trained by her father, a talented local ballplayer, Houghton loved baseball from a very young age and dazzled older players on Philadelphia’s neighborhood sandlots. In 1922, she tried out for a new women’s semi-pro ballclub, the Philadelphia Bobbies, who planned to barnstorm the area in identical bobbed haircuts. Though only 10 and the youngest on the field, she quickly became their starting shortstop and best player.

Houghton led the club in games against both women’s and men’s teams. A Lancaster, Pa., sportswriter reported, “Little Miss Houghton, 10-year-old phenom, covered the ground at shortstop for the team and made herself a favorite with fans for her splendid field work and at the bat.”

The Bobbies arranged a tour of Japan in 1925, adding two men to catch and pitch, and they attracted a great deal of publicity as they played their way across the U.S. before leaving. Once in Japan, as the host men’s college teams easily defeated the women, the tour unraveled, stranding the players.They were rescued by a generous English-Indian banker who paid for their return home.It was an amazing adventure for Houghton at 13.

While continuing in Philadelphia’s schools, Houghton was a two-time tennis champion and competed in other sports. But she also continued her baseball career, one season in New Jersey and six with arguably the top women’s team of the day, Margaret Nabel's New York Bloomer Girls. She also spent two seasons touring the southern U.S., with the Hollywood Girls.

In the mid-1930s, finding no opportunities for pro baseball, Houghton played with Philadelphia area ballclubs and turned to softball teams, playing and managing the popular New York Roverettes in 1939 and 1940.

During World War II, Houghton enlisted in the women’s Navy unit, the WAVES, and served in Washington, D.C., where she played for a variety of military teams of both women and men. Houghton led her club to the WAVE championship in 1944. She considered joining the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, but opted to stay in the military.

After the war, now in her 30s, Houghton applied for a position as scout for the Philadelphia Phillies. She got the job in 1946, making headlines that claimed she was first women scout for a major league team. As sometimes happens, this was an exaggeration. Her most prominent predecessor, Bessie Largent, scouted for the White Sox from 1925 to 1940, though she worked with her husband.

Houghton also contributed to baseball in other ways, for example, with the 1946 board of the amateur National Baseball Congress.

Still a Navy reserve, Houghton was recalled in 1951 and left the Phillies, though she revived her softball career with the WAVES. At the end of the Korean conflict, her baseball and softball careers were over.

As the years passed, occasional news accounts remembered Houghton’s exploits and reported that she continued her love of the game. After she retired to Florida in the1980s, she attended spring training games near her home.

Lenny DiFranza is the assistant curator of new media for the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
DeathFeb 2, 2013Sarasota, FL, USA, 3 days short of her 101 bd3
ObituaryFeb 7, 2013Houghton, Edith Grace
Feb. 10, 1912 - Feb. 2, 2013
Edith Grace Houghton died on February 2, 2013, just 8 days short of her 101st birthday. Edith was born and raised in Philadelphia, PA. She graduated from the prestigious Philadelphia High School for Girls 1930, and was inducted into its Court of Honor in 2007. Edith was a baseball prodigy, playing professional baseball with adults from the age of 10. As a member of the barnstorming team the "Bobbies," and Edith travelled to Japan in 1925, playing and touring with the team. As the only child on the team, who was also the starting shortstop and best player, she became well known as "The Kid". When WWII broke out, she enlisted in the women's Navy unit, the WAVES, and graduated in the first class of Storekeepers at the Naval Training School at Indiana University. She also served active duty during the Korean Conflict and Vietnam retiring as Chief Petty Officer (SKC). After WWII, Edith approached the Phillies, and was hired as a baseball scout. Her baseball uniform is displayed in the Baseball Hall of Fame citing her accomplishments and the fact that she was the first female scout in Major League baseball. She retired to Sarasota in 1964.
Edith leaves her great nieces and nephews Dorothy (Thomas) McDonnell, Robert (Arlene) Houghton, Steven (Donna) Houghton, Lisa (Ray) Perri and Eric (Debbie) Houghton.
Published in Herald Tribune from February 7 to February 8, 2013
BurialNorthwood Cemetery, Philadephia, PA, USA
NewspaperFeb 15, 2013New York Times: Edith Houghton, Rare Woman Among Baseball Scouts, Dies at 100
By PAUL VITELLO
Published: February 15, 2013

The Philadelphia Phillies were perennial cellar-dwellers in 1946 when Edith Houghton, a slim, dark-haired young woman in her 30s, walked into the team office without an appointment and talked her way into an unlikely job. She became one of the first women — and to this day one of the only women — to scout for a major league baseball team.

Houghton, who died on Feb. 2 in Sarasota, Fla., at 100, liked to say that she was the first woman hired as a major league scout on her own. Her one known predecessor, Bessie Largent, had worked for many years in tandem with her husband, Roy, as a scout for the Chicago White Sox. But as Houghton pointed out to interviewers, although she never made a fuss about it, she worked solo for the Phillies from 1946 to 1951.

There are different accounts about why Houghton got the job. Some say she bowled over the Phillies’ president, Robert Carpenter, with an uncanny grasp of the game. Others mention the scrapbook she brought along, bulging with newspaper clippings documenting her impressive career as a player in the 1920s and ’30s on the women’s national baseball circuit known as the Bloomer Girls league.

Philadelphia sportswriters, bitter at the team’s decade-long swoon at or near the bottom of the standings, said the Phillies had hired her simply because they had nothing to lose.

But that she got the job at all constitutes one of the most unusual accomplishments by any woman in American sports.

Frank Marcos, senior director of the Major League Baseball Scouting Bureau, baseball’s cooperative scouting service, said that in addition to being one of the first female scouts in baseball, Houghton was apparently also the last.

“We have been talking about this all day, making calls to clubs all over the country,” Marcos said in an interview Thursday, after news of Houghton’s death had begun to circulate widely. “And we know of no other part-time or full-time women scouts in baseball since then.”

He added: “Would I like to change that? Darn right.”

In a 1946 interview with The Sporting News, Houghton explained her scouting criteria. “First of all, I shall look for size,” she said. “Players must be big, and they must be fast. But they must be able to hit. I learned early in my baseball career that you can’t steal first base.”

She added: “It’s not hard to pick them out. You look for the natural ability. The rest comes with training.”

Edith Houghton was born on Feb. 12, 1912, in Philadelphia, the youngest of 10 children. Her father, who played semiprofessional baseball, began teaching her the game at an early age. The Web site of the National Baseball Hall of Fame describes her as “a baseball prodigy.”

Houghton was 10 years old when she became the regular starting shortstop of the Philadelphia Bobbies, a team of young women in their teens and early 20s that competed in the Bloomer Girls. (The organization predated the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, which was formed during World War II and was celebrated in the 1992 film “A League of Their Own,” a fictionalized account.)

Her age, her diminutive size, her baggy uniform — cinched with pins and string — and her skill made her a darling of local sportswriters. One account in a Lancaster, Pa., newspaper reported that “Little Miss Houghton, 10-year-old phenom, covered the ground at shortstop for the team and made herself a favorite with fans for her splendid field work and at the bat.”

Women’s baseball enjoyed its heyday during the 1920s, when the Progressive Era ended and women gained the right to vote in the United States. Houghton traveled with the Bobbies on a two-month barnstorming tour of Japan, shortly after which she signed with the New York Bloomer Girls, the top women’s team of the day.

She played for the New York team for six years and later toured with a Boston-based women’s team, the Hollywood Girls, which played against semiprofessional men’s teams. The popularity of women’s baseball waned with the advent of radio in the 1930s, as men’s professional baseball games became broadcasting staples.

At the start of World War II, Houghton joined the women’s division of the Navy, the Waves (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service), and she played on Navy-sponsored women’s baseball teams during the war, maintaining a batting average of about .800. (She also had duties as a naval supply manager.)

Houghton was working as a glassware buyer for a hardware store chain in Philadelphia after the war when she decided to become a baseball scout. During her career with the Phillies, she scouted hundreds of players and signed 16, although none reached the majors.

In an interview, she said competition among scouts was intense. “We were all scouting the same guys,” she said. She also suggested that some players were reluctant to be scouted by a woman.

Still in the Navy Reserve, she left the Phillies in 1951 after being called up to serve during the Korean War. She remained in the Navy until 1964, when she moved to Sarasota.

Little has been written about her life since then. She had no known survivors. Her death was confirmed by a funeral home outside Philadelphia.

The Philadelphia Inquirer interviewed Houghton in 1986 for an article about the discovery of a Philadelphia woman’s journal in the archives of the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Written by one of Houghton’s teammates on the Bobbies, it described a two-month tour of Japan.

“For young women in 1925 — to be playing baseball and to be going to Japan — well, that was pretty exciting,” Houghton told the interviewer. “I wish I could remember more about it. But I was so young then.”
A version of this article appeared in print on February 16, 2013, on page D8 of the New York edition with the headline: Edith Houghton, 100, Rare Woman Among Baseball Scouts.
BiographyEdith Houghton,Catcher; Philadelphia Bobbies, 1922-25; New York Bloomer Girls, 1925-31; Hollywood Girls, 1931; Philadelphia Phillies (scout), 1946-52

Edith Houghton was only ten years old when she joined the Philadelphia Bobbies, a factory team made up of women, all of whom bobbed their hair. "The Kid" was so small that she had to tighten her cap with a safety pin and use a pen knife to punch new holes in the belt of her uniform pants. But Philadelphia sports reporters consistently praised both her hitting and fielding--at one time or another she played every position on the field. In 1925, the Bobbies toured Japan, playing men's college teams for $800 a game. As a team they were less than spectacular, but the Japanese press had only good things to say about Edith. When they returned home, Edith left the Bobbies to play for a number of women¹s teams, including Margaret Nabel's New York Bloomer Girls. She played one season for the Hollywood Girls, making $35 a week playing men¹s minor league teams. In the mid-1930s, baseball opportunities for women disappeared with the demise of the Bloomer Girls teams, and Edith turned, reluctantly, to softball, playing for the Roverettes in Madison Square Garden. When World War II broke out, she enlisted in the Navy's women's auxiliary, the WAVES, and played on their baseball team as well. After the war, Edith wrote to Bob Carpenter, owner of the Philadelphia Phillies, asking for a job as a scout. Carpenter looked through her scrapbook and decided to give her a chance, making her the first female scout in the major leagues. Edith scouted for the Phillies for six years before being called up by the Navy during the Korean War. Edith Houghton eventually retired to Florida, where baseball -- at least watching spring training for the Phillies and the White Sox -- remains a big part of her life.

As a special birthday present, the Phillies sent her a pinstriped jersey, with "HOUGHTON 100" on the back.

Wikipedia:

Edith Grace Houghton (February 10, 1912 – February 2, 2013) was an American professional baseball player and scout. A former shortstop in women's baseball whose professional career began when she was ten years old,[1] Houghton became the first female scout in Major League Baseball when she joined the talent-spotting staff of the Philadelphia Phillies of the National League in 1946. She served in that role until 1952, when she returned to active service in the United States Navy.[1] She had joined the WAVES during World War II.[2]

Early life

Houghton was a native of the North Philadelphia neighborhood at 25th and Diamond Streets in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Around 1917, Edith moved with her parents and nine older brothers and sisters to their brand-new house at 25th and Diamond. Directly across Diamond Street there was a large park with a baseball diamond. When the diamond was free, the kids in the neighborhood would start a game of baseball. The first position Edith played was shortstop. Edith’s father, William L. Houghton, distributed goods for a large grocery company. He was also a skilled baseball player who taught his youngest daughter many techniques. As young as age 6, Edith posed for photos in a baseball uniform. By the time she was 8, she dressed as the mascot for the Philadelphia police’s baseball team. Family, friends, and fans dubbed Edith “The Kid.”[3]

Too young to join a factory team, in 1922 the 10-year-old Edith tried out for the Philadelphia Bobbies, a semi-pro team for non-working girls.[4] [5] Houghton quickly became the star, her fielding and batting skills drew the attention of fans and reporters, as did her youth. Edith was the youngest on a team made up of mostly teenage girls. The Bobbies practiced in Fairmount Park, where Edith was a standout athlete and baseball player.[6]

In 1925, she and the team travelled to Japan to play baseball against men, Houghton was 13-years-old.[6][1] On September 23, 1925, they boarded a train at the North Broad Street Station, several blocks from Edith’s house. Twelve Bobbies, their coach, and two men (to play pitcher and catcher) played eight games on their way to Seattle, en route to Yokohama, Japan. Once in Japan, they drew large crowds, especially at first. Edith impressed many Japanese reporters. Although they were contracted to play fifteen games for $800, their finances fell through midway through the trip. Half the team headed to Formosa and back to the United States. The other half, including Edith, stayed in Kobe and luckily found a contributor to fund their trip home by December.[7]
Education

Houghton briefly attended the new Simon Gratz High School, which had many sports that she wanted to play. After 6 months, however, she went to Philadelphia High School for Girls (Girls’ High), on Spring Garden Street.[7]
Career

Edith went on to play for semi-pro baseball teams until she started softball in the 1930s. At that point women were pushed out of baseball into softball. Houghton later played with other women's pro teams such as the Hollywood Girls and the New York Bloomer Girls. In 1942, during World War II, Edith volunteered for the WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Services). Although nominally a clerk, she was accepted into the department's baseball team.[2][8][9] The Navy newsletter wrote that "enlisted WAVE Houghton... can make any ball team in the country."[10]

After the war, she took her skills to a new level. She approached Phillies’ owner R. R. M. Carpenter, Jr. in 1946 asking for an interview. She met with Carpenter and General Manager Herb Pennock. Soon the Phillies made national news: They hired Edith Houghton as Major League Baseball’s first female scout.[1] From 1946 to 1952, Edith scouted players and signed fifteen to contracts, mostly from Philadelphia-area high schools.[2][11]
External video “Female Baseball Scout Turns 100”, SNN6

She left the team in 1952 and rejoined the Navy, where she served during the Korean[2] and Vietnam wars and retired as a chief petty officer.[8]

In 1964, Houghton left Philadelphia and moved to Sarasota, Florida, where she lived until her death on February 2, 2013, eight days before her 101st birthday.[2]
References

Clark, Vernon (February 12, 2013). "Edith G. Houghton, 100, pro baseball's first female scout". Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
Vitello, Paul (2013-02-15). "Edith Houghton, Rare Woman Among Baseball Scouts, Dies at 100". The New York Times. p. D8. Retrieved 2013-02-17.
Fernandes, Doug (February 12, 2013). "Houghton, first female scout, dies". HeraldTribune.com. Retrieved 2016-04-06.
Fernandes, Doug (February 10, 2012). "First female baseball scout Edith Houghton celebrates her 100th birthday in Sarasota". HeraldTribune.com.
"Item: Photographs of Edith Houghton". Historical Society of Pennsylvania Digital Archive. Retrieved 2016-04-06.
Fitzpatrick, Frank. "For a young girl, the trip of her life In 1925, Edith Houghton journeyed to Japan to play baseball against men". philly-archives. Retrieved 2016-04-06.
"PhilaPlace - Baseball Legend Edith Houghton — Her Home at 25th and Diamond Streets". www.philaplace.org. Retrieved 2016-04-06.
"Edith Grace Houghton Obituary". Herald Tribune. February 8, 2013. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
Selby, Shawn (2011). "Edith Houghton". In Sandoval, Jim; Nowlin, Bill. Can he play? : a look at baseball scouts and their profession. Phoenix, AZ: Society for American Baseball Research. pp. 64–65. ISBN 978-1-933599-25-0. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
Edelson, Paula (2002). A to Z of American women in sports. New York: Facts on File. pp. 115–117. ISBN 9780816045655. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
Landers, Chris (July 22, 2015). "Four remarkable women from baseball history that everyone should know about". Cut 4. Retrieved 19 April 2016.2
ResearchBreaking Into Baseball: Women And The National Pastime
By Jean Hastings Ardell; p. 107
NotableA baseball prodigy. First woman Major League baseball scout
Pedigree

Citations

  1. [S1233] 1930 U.S. Federal Census , Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., Pennsylvania; Roll: 2116; Enumeration District: 736; sheet 1A, page 126, line 7, dwl 2502-2-2.
  2. [S654] Electronic Web Site, , http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/t/h/o/…
  3. [S93] Newspaper Obituary, http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/heraldtribune/…

Josephine Camille Goddard1

F, #79372, b. 14 March 1892

Family: William Augustus Houghton b. 28 Mar 1892, d. 24 Aug 1961

Biography

A Contributor to Houghton Surname ProjectN
Corresponded with authorN
BirthMar 14, 1892PA, USA, age 27 in 1920 census; age 38 in 1930 census; age 48 in 1940 census1
Marriagecirca 1917age 25 and 251
1930 Census1930Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., PA, USA, age 38, steam railway clerk; living with father in law Eleander Goddard, 62, PA, widower1
1940 Census1940Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., PA, USA, age 48, railroad clerical work; living with father in law Claude Goddard, 72, PA, widower2
ResidenceApr 27, 1942Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., PA, USA, occupation: Reading Railroad3
1950 US Census1950Philadelphia, PA, USA, age 58, railroad co., clerk
ParentsDErnest Claud Goddard and Jane Blanche Crump; parents born in PA1
Pedigree

Citations

  1. [S1233] 1930 U.S. Federal Census , Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., Pennsylvania; Roll: 2117; Enumeration District: 743; sheet 18B, line 51, dwl 1911-259-391.
  2. [S1479] 1940 U.S. Federal Census , Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Roll: T627_3719; Page: 10B; Enumeration District: 51-1024; line 69, dwl 1911.
  3. [S1323] "WWII Draft Registration 1942", : WW2_2240438.

Ernest Goddard Houghton1

M, #79373, b. 1 January 1918, d. 15 April 1981

Family: Dorothy Marie Delaney b. 19 May 1919, d. 16 Sep 1995

Biography

Corresponded with authorN
A Contributor to Houghton Surname ProjectN
BirthJan 1, 1918Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., PA, USA, age 1 11/12 in 1920 census; age 12 in 1930 census; age 22 in 1940 census1,2
Mil. Draft1940age 22, Occupation: Pierce Phelps Inc
1940 Census1940Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., PA, USA, age 22, plant mail clerk, Pierce Phillips Distributors; living with parents in law3
Marriage4
Mil. EnlsMay 15, 1943PA, USA, Name: Ernest G Houghton Birth Year: 1918 Race: White, citizen Nativity State or Country: Pennsylvania State: Pennsylvania County or City: Philadelphia Enlistment Date: 15 May 1943 Enlistment State: Pennsylvania Enlistment City: Philadelphia Branch: No branch assignment Branch Code: No branch assignment Grade: Private Grade Education: 1 year of college Marital Status: Married Height: 30 Weight: 102
Branch 1:      ARMY
Enlistment Date 1:      15 May 1943
Release Date 1:      6 Dec 19455
ResearchMay 15, 1943
1950 US Census1950Philadelphia, PA, USA, age 32, city fireman
DeathApr 15, 1981Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., PA, USA
Pedigree

Citations

  1. [S1233] 1930 U.S. Federal Census , Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., Pennsylvania; Roll: 2117; Enumeration District: 743; sheet 18B, line 51, dwl 1911-259-391.
  2. [S93] Newspaper Obituary, http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/8908686/person/-877052817
  3. [S1479] 1940 U.S. Federal Census , Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Roll: T627_3718; Page: 2B; Enumeration District: 51-987; line 43.
  4. [S93] Newspaper Obituary, http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/8908686/person/-877051924
  5. [S882] Ancestry.Com, online www.ancestry.com, U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946 Record.
  6. [S93] Newspaper Obituary, http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/8908686/person/-877053938

Peggy Houghton1

F, #79374, b. circa 1921, d. 1989

Biography

Corresponded with authorN
A Contributor to Houghton Surname ProjectN
Birthcirca 1921PA, USA, age 9 in 1930 census1
Death1989Warrington, PA, USA2
Pedigree

Citations

  1. [S1233] 1930 U.S. Federal Census , Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., Pennsylvania; Roll: 2117; Enumeration District: 743; sheet 18B, line 51, dwl 1911-259-391.
  2. [S93] Newspaper Obituary, http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/8908686/person/-832590053

Grace M. Lane1,2

F, #79375, b. circa 1898, d. 14 July 1981

Family: James Joseph Houghton Jr b. 27 Jun 1895, d. b 1980

Biography

A Contributor to Houghton Surname ProjectN
Corresponded with authorN
Birthcirca 1898PA, USA, age 22 in 1920 census; age 32 in 1930 census1
Marriagecirca 1918age 23 and 201
1920 Census1920Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., PA, USA, age 24, machine shop machinist2
1930 Census1930Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., PA, USA, age 34, tool and dye maker1
1940 Census1940Philadelphia, PA, USA, age 44, auto manuf. co. tool and die maker; next door to sister Mary3
ResidenceApr 27, 1942Philadelphia, PA, USA, occupation: Schlosser Manuf. Co.
1950 US Census1950Philadelphia, PA, USA, age 19, meat company garage truck mechanic
DeathJul 14, 1981Philadelphia, PA, USA
ParentsDparents born in PA1
Pedigree

Citations

  1. [S1233] 1930 U.S. Federal Census , Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., Pennsylvania; Roll: 2117; Enumeration District: 954; sheet 15B, line 57, dwl 953-286-292.
  2. [S1232] 1920 U.S. Federal Census , Philadelphia Ward 31, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Roll: T625_1635; Page: 3B; Enumeration District: 1044; line 59, dwl 2309-59-59.
  3. [S1479] 1940 U.S. Federal Census , Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Roll: m-t0627-03696; Page: 1B; Enumeration District: 51-295.

Grace Mary Houghton1

F, #79376, b. 1 July 1920, d. 3 September 2004

Family: Frank Dietsch

Biography

Corresponded with authorN
A Contributor to Houghton Surname ProjectN
BirthJul 1, 1920Philadelphia, PA, USA, age 9 in 1930 census2
Marriage1
DeathSep 3, 2004Levittown, PA, USA
Duplicate
Pedigree

Citations

  1. [S654] Electronic Web Site, , http://www.genealogybank.com/gbnk/obituaries; Houghton Surname.
  2. [S1233] 1930 U.S. Federal Census , Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., Pennsylvania; Roll: 2117; Enumeration District: 954; sheet 15B, line 57, dwl 953-286-292.

Julia C. Houghton1

F, #79377, b. circa 1925

Family: Robert C Snyder b. c 1927

Biography

Corresponded with authorN
A Contributor to Houghton Surname ProjectN
Birthcirca 1925PA, USA, age 5 in 1930 census1
Marriage
Living1981
Pedigree

Citations

  1. [S1233] 1930 U.S. Federal Census , Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., Pennsylvania; Roll: 2117; Enumeration District: 954; sheet 15B, line 57, dwl 953-286-292.

William Thomas Houghton Jr1

M, #79378, b. 28 November 1916, d. 24 August 1989

Biography

Corresponded with authorN
A Contributor to Houghton Surname ProjectN
BirthNov 28, 1916Johnstown, PA, USA, age 3 in 1920 census; age 23 in 1940 census; age 13 in 1930 census2
1930 Census1930Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., PA, USA, age 13, a nephew of Charles C. and Mary E. Harned, 58 & 56, PA3
Mil. Draft1940Philadelphia, PA, USA, age 24, Occupation: William Sellers And Company
1940 Census1940Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., PA, USA, age 46, widow, none4
Mil. EnlsMay 22, 1945Philadelpia, PA, USA, Branch 1:      ARMY
Enlistment Date 1:      22 May 1945
Release Date 1:      14 Mar 1947; Name: William T Houghton Jr Birth Year: 1916 Race: White, citizen Nativity State or Country: Pennsylvania State: Alaska Enlistment Date: 22 May 1945 Enlistment State: Pennsylvania Enlistment City: Philadelphia Branch: No branch assignment Branch Code: No branch assignment Grade Code: Private Education: 1 year of high school Civil Occupation: Pipe Fitter or Steam Fitter* (Pipe fitter, railway. ) or Plumber Marital Status: Single, without dependents1
1950 US Census1950Philadelphia, PA, USA, age 33, electrical maintenance pipe fitter
DeathAug 24, 1989Johnstown, PA, USA
Pedigree

Citations

  1. [S882] Ancestry.Com, online www.ancestry.com, U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946 Record.
  2. [S1232] 1920 U.S. Federal Census , Philadelphia Ward 34, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Roll: T625_1630; Page: 3A; Enumeration District: 1175; line 38, dwl 366-50-52.
  3. [S1233] 1930 U.S. Federal Census , Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., Pennsylvania; Roll: 2121; Enumeration District: 1001; shee 39A, page 67, line 17, dwl 993-128-672.
  4. [S1479] 1940 U.S. Federal Census , Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Roll: 2137; Page: 3B; Enumeration District: 479; Image: 1072.0; FHL microfilm: 2341871; line 47, dwl 540.

Peter James Edward Haughton1

M, #79379

Biography

A Contributor to Houghton Surname ProjectY
Corresponded with authorY
DNA ProjectJan 20, 2005I-M253; Joseph Haughton of Ireland
ResidenceJan 20, 2005Australia1
AddressFeb, 2005"Heather and Peter Haughton"
ResearchAustralia
Pedigree

Citations

  1. [S415] E-mail from Jeffrey L. Haughton, Jan. 20 2005.

Bernard Houghton1

M, #79380, b. circa 1877

Biography

Corresponded with authorN
A Contributor to Houghton Surname ProjectN
Birthcirca 1877Ireland (Irish Free State), age 53 in 1930 census; WWI Draft: England1
Immigration1900
Relative1918Mrs. Anna McGonagle2
Mil. DraftSep 12, 1918Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., PA, USA, age 42, laborer, MacArthur Brothers2
1930 Census1930Friends Home, Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., PA, USA, age 53, hospital attendant1
ParentsSparents born in Irish Free State1
Pedigree

Citations

  1. [S1233] 1930 U.S. Federal Census , Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., Pennsylvania; Roll: 2123; Enumeration District: 1002; shee 2A, page 154, line 11.
  2. [S1308] World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918, online http://content.ancestry.com, Roll: 1907958.