Hello, Richard,

James Van Houten (or VanHouten) was born in Michigan ca. 1842. The 1860 census shows him living with his father Albert (b.ca. 1799 in New Jersey), his mother Rachel (born ca. 1800 in New Jersey), his sister Mariah (b. ca. 1824 in New Jersey), and his sister Agnes (b. ca. 1835 in Michigan). Albert was a farmer living in Newport, Monroe Co., Michigan.

James was married sometime before 1870; that census shows him living with his wife Mattie (b. ca. 1848 in Ohio) in Monroe Co.; he was a farmer.

The 1890 Civil War Veterans' census indicates that James transferred from Co.K 24th Michigan to Co.C 16th Regiment of the Reserve Corps on 30 Sept 1863, and he served in that unit until his discharge.

The last I can trace him is in the 1920 census where he is living with his daughter Mary Betz and her husband Philip Betz in Carelton, Michigan.

Hope this is useful.