after the war, he returned to kansas. he was manager of the houston-doughty lumber co. (the firm his father co-owned) from 1917 to 1935. during his tenure as manager of the firm, he also served a term as president of the kansas lumbermen's association and as a member of the board of directors of the kansas state chamber of commerce. he married charlotte stellhorn of st. louis, missouri, on may 28, 1919 (some sources say 1920). the couple had two children, patricia (1922) and robert (1925). houston was elected mayor of newton, kansas, in 1927, serving two two-year terms. he was elected secretary of the kansas democratic state central committee in 1934, serving for a year. houston was also active in the american legion and in freemasonry.