Spouse: Margery Josephine Caldwell (1888–1959).

Children: Margery Christie Houston (1917-2004), Nancy Evans Houston (1918-2003), Mary E. Houston (1919– ), Carol Caldwell Houston (1929–1923).

Kinship: Husband of second cousin once removed of the post–World War II Smith generation.

Early Life and Education Livingston Waddell Houston was born on January 18, 1891, in Wyoming, Ohio. He entered Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1909 and was an exceptionally active undergraduate, serving as captain of the varsity basketball and tennis teams, managing the baseball team, and joining Delta Phi fraternity. He graduated in 1913 with a degree in mechanical engineering and was elected to Tau Beta Pi, the engineering honor society.

Early Career and Military Service After graduation, Houston worked as an assistant engineer with the Mobil Gas Company and later as assistant manager of inspection for the Griffin Wheel Company. During World War I he served with the First Illinois Field Artillery on the Mexican border and later in France as a captain in the U.S. Ordnance Department.

Industrial Career In 1919 Houston joined the Ludlow Valve Company of Troy, New York, a major manufacturer of fire hydrants and valves. Over a forty-year career he rose through the ranks, becoming president of the company in 1932. In 1941 he became chairman of the board, a position he held until 1960.

Service to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Houston’s association with Rensselaer extended over sixty-eight years. In 1925 he was elected a life trustee, the youngest individual to receive that honor. He became secretary-treasurer of the Board of Trustees in 1932 and served in that role until 1943.

In 1944 he was elected the eleventh president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. His presidency coincided with the post–World War II expansion of American higher education. Enrollment increased dramatically as returning veterans studied under the GI Bill, more than doubling during his fourteen-year tenure. Temporary surplus military barracks were acquired in 1946 to house students; these were formally known as the Rendael dormitories and informally as “Tin Town.” By 1953 they were replaced by four permanent dormitories and a dining hall forming what became known as Freshman Hill.

Houston oversaw major physical and institutional growth. The campus expanded from 93 to 220 acres. Faculty strength tripled, enrollment grew from approximately 1,200 to 4,000 students, and institutional assets rose from $17 million to more than $50 million. He encouraged a broader curriculum for engineers, expanding liberal arts offerings, extracurricular activities, athletics, and student cultural organizations.

During his presidency Rensselaer established the Cooperative Education Program, the Affiliated College Program, an Evening Division, a Graduate Division, and a Research Division. New degree programs were created in geology, mathematics, and mechanics. In 1955 Rensselaer, in cooperation with United Aircraft Corporation, founded the Hartford Graduate Center in Connecticut to support advanced engineering education related to defense industries.

In 1948–1949 the Institute acquired a surplus Navy warehouse that was remodeled into the R.P.I. Fieldhouse. This facility became a central venue for athletics, concerts, political rallies, and community events. After Houston’s death it was renamed the Houston Field House.

Houston retired as president in 1958 and was elected chairman emeritus of the board, remaining active in the Institute’s affairs until his death.

Civic and Professional Activities Houston was active in civic life, serving as a trustee of the Troy Public Library and Albany Academy, and as a director of the Troy Savings Bank, Marine Midland Bank, United Traction Company of Albany, and Albany Insurance Company. He received honorary doctorates from numerous institutions, including Rensselaer, the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, Stevens Institute of Technology, Trinity College, Union College, Middlebury College, Syracuse University, and St. Lawrence University.

Death Livingston Waddell Houston died suddenly at Samaritan Hospital in Troy, New York, on November 22, 1977, at the age of eighty-six. He was survived by his three daughters. His wife, Margery Josephine Caldwell Houston, had predeceased him in 1959.