George Smith Houston (January 17, 1811 – December 31, 1879) was an American Democratic politician who was the 24th Governor of Alabama from 1874 to 1878.

The paternal grandson of Scots-Irish immigrants, Houston and his family moved near Florence, Alabama, at age 16.

There, Houston worked on the family farm and read law at Judge George Coalter's office.

In 1834, Governor John Gayle appointed Houston to be district solicitor,[2] but he was defeated in the subsequent election to that office.

[1] Houston presented his credentials as a senator-elect from Alabama during Reconstruction, but the Republican Party refused to seat him.

[3] Houston attended President Andrew Johnson's 1866 National Union Convention to oppose the Radical Republicans.

In 1874, Houston ran a successful campaign for governor, garnering 53% of the vote and ousting incumbent David P. Lewis.

Houston served as a Bourbon Democrat, advocating conservatism, limited government, and white supremacy.

Houston created a three-person commission, headed by himself, to study the debt issue and to recommend a program to retire it.

[1] Houston was finally elected to the United States Senate in 1878 but died at his home in Athens on December 31, 1879.