Born into slavery in Mississippi, William House emerged from the Civil War a free man and eventually made his way to Topeka, Kansas. In 1889, seeking land and opportunity for his family, William journeyed into Oklahoma Territory, where he staked a claim to 160 acres of land.

What he found was not the thriving town he had been promised, but open land and the opportunity to build something of his own. So he did.

With determination and hard work, William established a homestead, brought his family to Oklahoma, and created a foundation that would extend far beyond those original 160 acres. His son Teter House would continue the family story, eventually marrying Nellie Williams, the daughter of another formerly enslaved homesteader, Frank Williams.

More than a century later, William’s greatest legacy isn’t simply the land he claimed—it is the family that grew from it.

Today, generations of House descendants carry forward the strength, sacrifice, love, and resilience of those who came before us. When we gather, we celebrate not only who we are, but who made it possible for us to be here.

We are their legacy. We are the House family. And the House is built on a strong foundation.

Our House Is Built on a Strong Foundation.