FRANCIS HOUPT, the postmaster at Dreshertown, is a son of Henry, jr., and Sarah (Leightkep) Houpt, and was born in Upper Dublin Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, October 19, 1839.

The Houpt family in Montgomery county is of German descent, and has produced many very successful business men. The name was originally spelled Haupt, and the earliest progenitor of the family, Samuel Houpt, came to this country long before the Revolutionary war, and in 1776 he owned a farm of ninety-six acres hear Jarrettown. Henry Houpt, Sr., was the grandfather of Francis Houpt, and he also was a farmer and resided near Jarrettown. His son, Henry Houpt, the younger, was a life-long resident of Upper Dublin township, in which lie was born June 11, 1807, and died November 1, 1885. He received his education in the old subscription schools and learned the trade of stonemason, which he followed for several years. He worked on bridges and other county work and the hotel at Jarrettown, which he built and conducted for several years. He was a Lutheran, and a Democrat in politics, and a member of Upper Dublin Lodge No. 458, Independent Order of Odd. Fellows. He married Sarah Leightkep(Lightkep, Lightcap), and their family consisted of nine children, six sons and three daughters : Anna, George, Levi, Hannah, Charles, Francis, Sarah, Henry and Samuel. The children Anna and Sarah both died in childhood, and Hannah is the widow of John Shay.

       Francis Houpt was reared in his native township, received his education in the schools, and then learned the trade of mason, which lie followed continuously for ten years in different parts of the county. In 1867 he quit his trade to purchase property at Dreshertown, where he opened his present general. store. In politics he was formerly a Democrat, and while supporting that party he served as township auditor and school director. He is now a Prohibitionist, and advocates the principles of that party as necessary for good government and national prosperity. He was appointed by President Cleveland, February 6, 1885, as the first postmaster in Dreshertown, and has continued position ever since, under Harrison and Cleveland’s administrations. Mr. Houpt was president for some years of th town Building and Loan Association and is a member of Jarrettown Lodge No. 458, Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He has been a member for thirty years of the Methodist Episcopal church, in which he is now serving as steward and trustee.

       On October 10, 1867, Francis Houpt married Anna DePrefontaine, of Jarrettown. To Mr. and Mrs. Houpt have be born thirteen children John, Harry (deceased) Irvin, Jennie, Mary, William (deceased) Albert, Edward, Carrie, Francis, jr. Oliver, Anna, amid one child that, died in early infancy.

From the Biographical Portrait Cyclopedia of Montgomery County Pa. By Henry Wilson