Family:Robert Houston and Martha Work (1)

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Note

The child list given here (as of May 13 2010) is speculative. It matches the child list given by Source:Huston, 1912 for John Houston = Martha Walker

A branch of the family located in Tennessee. It is stated their progenitor was a John Houston, who located in Lancaster county, where he married a Martha Walker about 1735, and had issue:

Robert Houston, born about 1736

Samuel Houston

James Houston

John Houston

Christopher Houston

Prudence Houston

Rebecca Houston

Mary Houston

The attribution of these children to John Houston=Martha Walker may be a confusion related to a widespread belief that this family was related to General Sam Houston. In making that connection some genealogists may have merged data for a John Houston and Robert Houston, and assumed that the differences in the respective given names was because a single person sometimes went by "John" and sometimes by "Robert". Hence his full name "must have been" John Robert Houston. Despite the fact that middle names were not in common usage among the Scot Irish until somewhat later than this, this confusion persists, and is commonly seen on the internet. Ancestry, for example, includes many lineages for "John Robert Houston = Martha Work" citing these same children. A more complete discussion of this can be found at FamilyPedia

Despite this confusion it is possible that this is a correct child list for "Robert Houston=Martha Work". The will of a James Houston, believed to be the son of this Robert Houston, shows that he died without children, and left bequests to his

father Robert,

brothers Christopher, Samuel, and John.

This tends to partially confirm the child list given here

Will of James HOUSTON, Rowan Co., NC Will Book C, p. 220; 2 Aug. 1776, pr. 1782. Father, Robert. Oldest bro. Samuel to have my interest in the tract where he lives. Brother Robert to have the clothes I left and [sic "at"] Robert Edmondstands [sic Edmondsons]. Brother Christopher. Brother Samuel's children: James, Peter (oldest son), Martha (eldest dau., to have horse bought from William Sharp now in the care of Patrick Porter). Brother Robert's two sons, not named, to have the land bought from John Lowry. Brother Christopher to have my negro boy James.

1. ↑ Marriage records of Philadelphia's First Presbyterian Church (see Notebook:Houston's of Philadelphia include a marriage for Robert Huston and Martha Work. This is commonly accepted as the marriage of the parents of Person:Christopher Houston (1) of Iredell County. Family correspondance clearly identifies Christopher's father as Robert Huston, and his mother as Martha. Direct evidence that Martha's last name was "Work" or "Worke" as some genealogists give it, is currently lacking. From Marriage Records of First Presbyterian Church of Philadelphia: 5, 27, 1721, Houston, James, and Mary Crasford; 10, 31, 1734, Houston, Robert, and Martha Work, L..