Born in San Francisco, California, he was the son of United States Navy Rear Admiral Edwin Samuel Houston and Caroline Poor Kahikiola Brickwood, who was part Native Hawaiian.

[1][2] Houston attended Real Schule in Dresden, Saxony then at the Cantonal College in Lausanne, Switzerland.

He retired from active service in the armed forces in 1926 with the rank of commander.

With the attack of Honolulu on December 7, 1941, Houston was recalled up to duty as a naval officer, and remained in the Navy until March 1, 1945.

He died in Honolulu, Hawaii on July 31, 1959, just three weeks before statehood, and was buried in Oahu Cemetery.