Henry Oscar Houghton

Henry Oscar Houghton (April 30, 1823 - August 25, 1895) was an American publisher, co-founder of Houghton Mifflin, and a mayor of Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Houghton was born poor in Sutton, Vermont, and at 13 started work as apprentice at the Burlington Free Press where he became a typesetter. After graduation from the University of Vermont, he moved to Boston to work first as a reporter, then proofreader. He then joined a small Cambridge firm, Freeman & Bolles, that typeset and printed books for Little, Brown and Company. At age 25 he became a partner, and after Bolles left, he took on full responsibility. In 1852 Houghton moved the business to beside the Charles River, renaming it the Riverside Press.

Before the Riverside Press, American books had generally been printed with poor ink on cheap paper. Houghton insisted on much higher quality; his motto was "Do it well or not at all." The result was very successful. He became the main printer for publishers Ticknor & Fields, and in 1863 was engaged by G. & C. Merriam Company to print and bind their new dictionary.

In 1864 Houghton formed a partnership with Melancthon Hurd, a New York publisher. Hurd & Houghton was a quick success, and within three years the company increased its workforce from 90 to 300 employees. George Harrison Mifflin became partner in 1872, and when Houghton became mayor of Cambridge, Mifflin succeeded him as lead partner. In 1880 the firm was renamed Houghton, Mifflin and Company.

References

* Scudder, Horace E., "Henry Oscar Houghton, A Biographical Outline", Riverside Press, Cambridge, 1897.