Houstoun, William, c. 1755-1813

William Houstoun (c. 1755 – March 17, 1813), was an American planter, lawyer and statesman. He served the Province of Georgia as a delegate to the Continental Congress and later the State of Georgia to the United States Constitutional Convention in 1787.

Born in Savannah in the Province of Georgia, Houstoun received a liberal education which included legal training at Inner Temple in London, training cut short by the American Revolution. With the onset of war, Houstoun returned to Georgia and was among the first to counsel resistance to British aggression. He represented Georgia in the Continental Congress from 1783 through 1786. He was chosen as one of Georgia's agents to settle a boundary dispute with South Carolina in 1785 and was one of the original trustees of the University of Georgia at Athens. When the Constitutional Convention convened in 1787, Houstoun presented his credentials as one of Georgia's delegates. He stayed for only a short time, from June 1 until about July 23, but he was present during the debate on the representation question. Houstoun split Georgia's vote on equal representation in the Senate, voting "nay" against Abraham Baldwin's "aye."

Houstoun died in Savannah on March 17, 1813, and was interred in St. Paul's Chapel in New York City.