The First Commander of American Legion Fred Hancock Post 19, Paul W. Houser Sr., was born January 12, 1879, in Lincoln, Illinois. He graduated from the High School of Lincoln and from Wesleyan Law School of Bloomington, Illinois. He enlisted at age 18 in the Fifth Illinois Volunteer Infantry and served with it during the Spanish-American War. He married Mathilda Leinon of Keota, Iowa on September 9,
1909 in Keota and then brought his bride out to Seattle for the Alaska-Yukon Exposition. The couple decided to settle in nearby Renton, were Paul was to establish a successful law practice. He was elected to the State House of Representatives and served 1913-1914, 1917-1918, and 1921-1922. In World War I Paul served in the Army Air Corps as a First Lieutenant. After the war he returned to his law practice in Renton. He and twelve other veterans formed the Fred Hancock American Legion Post 19 in Renton and he served as its first Commander, 1919-1922. He had two sons, John 0. and Paul W. Jr. Paul Jr. served in the Army in WW II in the Pacific in the Counterintelligence Corps and was a member of this Post after the war.
Paul Sr. was elected to the State Senate, where he served 1923-1934. Houser was Floor Leader for many years and sponsored numerous measures, including a mortgage moratorium. And he led the fight to repeal the state “bone dry” law. He ran for Lieutenant Governor in 1928, coming in second in a field of nine, and ran again unsuccessfully in 1932. From 1938 to 1942 he was the Renton City Attorney. As City Attorney Mr. Houser was one of the city's real builders, sponsoring the Springbrook water system and organizing and sponsoring various road and other improvements, including the Third Avenue crossing over the Cedar River, which was later renamed Houser Way in his honor. During WWII he served on the Renton Draft Board until 1942, when he passed away, June 17, at the age of 63. Paul W. Houser Sr. was buried at Mt Olivet Cemetery in Renton, the final resting place of the Post’s namesake Fred Hancock. His grandson John Houser, an Air Force veteran, has been an active member of the Post for decades. John is also a past Commander of the Post and is currently its Service Officer.
