Notebook:James Houston (14)

Contents 1 Taxes 2 Neighbors 3 Maps 4 Land 5 Histories 6 Note 7 Note 1 8 Note 2 9 Note 3 10 Note 4 11 Note 5 12 Note 6 13 Note 7 14 Footnotes

Return to Old Chester|Explanation The Tapestry Families| Old Chester| Old Augusta| Germanna| New River| SWVP| Cumberland| Carolina Cradle|

Houston Tapestry Register Analysis Notebooks Data Graphics Bibliography Issues YDNA Index

__________________________

Taxes

A James Houston appears in Delaware Tax records for several years 1787, 1789, 1800. One of these appears in Brandywine Hundred See Delaware tax transcription Project

Neighbors

land records (below) have been used to create a list of neighbors for James Houston on Shillpot Creek. We may be able to pinpoint James property by locating the property of these individuals.

Maps

A very approximate map of places of interest in Houston genealogy related to James Houston, Samuel Houston, and Christopher Houston of Delaware-Maryland.

• *Open red circle--Presbyterian Nottingham MH in Rising Sun
• *Open purple circle--Quaker Nottingham MH in Calvert Maryland
• Solid pink Circle, approximate area of most likely location of Samuel Houston's Property on the eastern fork of NE Creek
• Solid purple circle--approximate area of Christopher Houston's Property in Mill Creek Hundred
• Solid orange circle--approximate location of James Houston's property on Shilpot Creek in Brandywine Hundred
• Open green circle--Approximate location of Lower Brandywine Presbyterian MH in Birmingham, nominally in Brandywine Hundred.

All locations are very approximate. The asterisk bove indicates that the approximation is because of vagarities of the base map; in other cases, its because we don't know the exact location.

http://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~23918~860084:Delaware,-from-the-best-Authorities

Land

from:Rootsweb Delaware New Castle Archives

The following are described as the only property records in "Chester county land record abstract books 1681-1765" that mention "Gorby" These transcactions seem generally related to the property purchased by James Houston from the Gorby's

Letter of Attorney. On 03 Sep 1764 George GORBEY of New Castle cnty, yeoman, has appointed Archibald DICK of Chichester, his lawful attorney to recover and receive of Edward LINVILL of Chichester, one of the executors named in the will of Jeremiah COLLETT, late of Chichester, yeoman, dec'd, the sum of £12 with interest due me the sd Joseph GORBEY by a certain account proved against the estate of Jeremiah COLLETT, dec'd. Signed: Joseph GORBEY. Delivered in the presence of John POWER & Sarah POWER. Rec: 05 Sep 1764. (N13:427)

NEW CASTLE CNTY, DE LAND RECORDS 1755-1762, Carol J Garrett, 1999, WillowBend Books, Westminster, MD

Deed. 17 Nov 1755. Joseph GORBY of Brandywine Hundred in cnty of Newcastle upon Delaware, and Mary his wife, for the sum of £52 sold unto William FORWOOD the Elder of same place, two tracts of land situate in sd place containing 200 acres and bounded by the lands of Jasper POLSON on Shilpot creek, William HOUSTON and John JAACKS. Whereas in 1699 100 acres of land was granted unto Adam SHARPLY and his son William did convey same unto Timothy STEDHAM in 1717, and sd STEDHAM did convey same unto Israel PETERSON in 1720, and sd PETERSON did convey same unto Hance PETERSON in 1722, who did convey same unto Erasmus STEDHAM also and sd 200 acres were sold by sd STEDHAM's children unto sd Joseph GORBY. Signed: Joseph GORBY, Mary GORBY. Wit: Joseph WEST, Joseph FOLWELL. Ack: Nov term 1755. Rec: 19 Feb 1756. S1:79)

Deed. 17 Aug 1757. Joseph GORBY of Brandywine Hundred in cnty of Newcastle upon Delalware and Mary his wife for the sume of £62.8s.9p sold unto James HOUSTON Jr of sd Hundred & cnty, a tract of land situate in sd Hundred & cnty containing 60 acres, together with houses and improvements thereon. This is part of a larger tract that Israel PETERSON was granted, containing 100 acres in 1689, and it was surveyed by George DAKEYNE. And whereas sd PETERSON in 1722 did convey the same to Hance PETERSON who did convey the same unto Erasmus STEDHAM. and whereas sd STEDHAM in his Last Will and Testament in 1732 granted unto his wife Mary to have whatever was left after his bills were paid. And whereas sd Mary has since intermarried w/afsd Joseph GORBEY and whereas sd STEDHAM did leave two dtrs to survive him (vis) Mary who has since intermarried with Jeremiah COLLET and Catherine who hath since intermarried with James ADAIR, and whereas they did receive a share of the land. Signed: Joseph GORBEY, Mary GORBEY. Wit: David ENOD, John CRAMPTON, Joseph FOLWELL. Ack: Aug term 1757. Rec: 27 Oct 1761. (T1:331)

NEW CASTLE CNTY, DE LAND RECORDS 1762-1765, Carol J Garrett, 2000, WillowBend Books, Westminster, MD. ISBN 1-58549-577-8

Deed. 31 May 1762. Joseph GORBY of Brandywine Hundred in cnty of Newcastle upon Delaware, yeoman, and Mary his wife, for the sum of £80, sold unto James HUSTON of the same place, yeoman, the remainder of a certain tract of land and plantation situate in sd Hundred and cnty. It is bounded on the SW by Shelpot creek, to the SE by land late of Nathaniel CARTMILL, to the NE and NW by vacant land. It contained 200 acres when seized by sd GORBY but he sold 60 acres of same unto James HUSTON previously, now he is granting the remainder. Signed: Joseph GORBY, Mary GORBY. Wit: William WEST, Elizabeth ALFORD, John STAPLER. Ack: Aug term 1762. Rec: 07 Dec 1762. (U1:210)

Deed. 25 Sep 1762. John STAPLER of the Borrough of Wilmington in cnty of Newcastle upon Delaware, cooper and Rachel his wife, for the sum of £40.10s sold unto Joseph GORBEY of Brandywine Hundred in sd cnty, yeoman, one full equal and undivided moiety in a tract of land and plantation lying in sd Hundred and cnty. The whole tract bounded to the SW by Shelpot Creek, to the SE by land formerly of Nathaniel CARMILL, to the NE and NW by vacant land, containing 200 acres. This land was purchased by sd STAPLER by virtue of a Deed dated 15 Sep 1758 from JOhn McKINLY, Esq, late HIgh Seriff of sd cnty. Signed: John STAPLER, Rachel STAPLER. Wit: James HUSTON, William WEST. Ack: Aug term 1762. Rec: 22 Aug 1763. (U1:544)

Deed. 14 day 5th mo 1764. Joseph GORBY of Brandywine Hundred in cnty of New Castle, yeoman, and Mary his wife, for the sum of £165, sold unto James HOUSTON of same place, yeoman, a tract of land and plantation containing 100 acres, situate in sd Hundred and cnty. It bounds the land of Justa POULSON (formerly of Nathaniel CARTMILL), William TALLY and sd HOUSTON. Signed: Joseph GORBY, Mary GORBY. Wit: Thomas McKIM, James LOAN, John STAPLEY. Ack: Alexander HARVY Aug term 1764. Rec: 02 Oct 1764. (W1:585)

Histories

Identified as a one of the early members of the Lower Brandywine Presbyterian Church, Delaware in 1720 Scharf, John Thomas. History of Delaware. LBPC is described as being originally located near Birmingham. Birmingham is today located within Pennsylvania. Shellpot Creek, where the James Houston of interest held lands, is wholly within Delaware. That does not mean he couldn't have been a member of LBPC, since its a relatively short distance from the northern portions of Shellpot Creek.

Note

This item was originally posted by Dan Welch to the Wigton Walker mailing list, or privately to Q and is presented by permission. These postings are collected as part of Project Notes for Families related to the Wigton Walkers in Old Chester County
___________________________________________________________

Note 1

1 november 2008

In the early 1760s ^[1] Joseph Gorby and his wife Mary sold James Huston 60 acres in Brandywine Hundred. Mary Gorby's first husband was Erasmus Stedham who originally obtained the 100 acres from which the 60 acres was divided. James Adair, neighbor of this James Huston, married Catherine Stedham, daughter of Erasmus Stedham. Catherine Stedham's sister (given name unknown) married Jeremiah Collett. After Jeremiah Collett's death, Joseph Gorby attempted to recover a loan to Jeremiah. The attorney's loan recovery letter survives and records a John Power and Sarah Power as witnesses.^[2]

Please note that this places the Power surname in close assocation with James Huston of Brandywine as well as Jeanette Houston, apparent daughter of Samuel Houston of the 1739 Will, of East Nottingham. ^[3] However, one researcher reports that Sarah Power was disowned by John Power in 1747 and that she died in the mid 1790s intestate and without issue. It is a puzzle how a wife would appear on a 1760s attorney letter together with her husband if she had been disowned.

Sarah Power has been identified as Sarah Dutton, daughter of John Dutton of Chichester. Dutton is known to have lived in the neighborhood of James Huston.

Please recall that Patrick Power married Jeanette Houston, apparently the 2nd marriage for both. To date, no researcher has connected Patrick Power to his family. However, there is a contemporary John Power that appears alongside Patrick Power's name in several early Chester County, Pennsylvania records.

Note 2

Data for the area around Brandywine Creek is pretty sketchy. It is known that a James Huston operated a corn mill as early as 1719. A James Huston appears on a list of persons purchasing land for what became known as the Lower Presbyterian Church in 1720. Other Hustons appear nearby. The surname Grasford (Gresford) is uncommon in Chester County but does appear over several generations in Bucks County where the Huston surname is relatively common as well.

Virtually all the lands mentioned that can be connected to a "Brandywine" Huston via either family or neighbor are very near Delaware Bay north of present Wilmington. In fact, the Lower Presbyterian Church was originally built (1720) on the east side of the Brandywine. Thus the Church was on the opposite side of the Brandywine as Wilmington. The main route to Rising Sun from this area passes over Mill Creek on its way - probably no more than 10 miles from where we find Hugh Linn and James Huston as near neighbors.

Descendants of this James Huston removed to Nelson County, KY circa 1790s. The Nelson County seat is Bardstown. The given name of Thomas is common among their descendants. As the family was relatively large it might be possible to find a Houston for DNA tests.

Note 3

27 Oct 2008

It may be possible to better locate James Huston's lands on Shellpot Creek that he bought from a Mr. Gorby about 1762 but it would take considerable effort to tie his lands to a neighbor and thus develop a better geography than located upon Shellpot Creek. Once that geography has been developed a similar geography for Hugh Linn could tell us just how close neighbors they were.

Apparently descendents of this James Huston later removed to Nelson County, KY and still later into Missouri. I do not know if they left any family stories detailing thier family's travels to America.

Some information is available about the Glassfords, but since I previously had no connection I did not read any detail. As I recall the Glassfords (Gresford) originially settled in Bucks County which brings up the notion that the Houstons might be found there as well. I was quite surprised to discover a 1721 marriage date for the elder James Huston. This is well earlier than any expectaion I had to find a potential American connection for Christopher Houston of the 1729 Will.

The Notebook. Margaret Lightfoot connection to the Huston's is a total puzzle. I can not recall the exact connection of her first husband, John Blunston, to Samuel Blunston (of Blunston License fame) but do recall that they were closely related. Margaret's Will has a quite odd spelling of Huston, so maybe more Hustons can be found with the odd spelling.

Note 4

Somehave speculated that James Huston of Shellpot Creek was brother of Samuel Houston of the 1739 Will [ See The Digital Library for an extract of this will. ] Probably not.

New information shows that James Huston of Shellpot Creek married first Jane Elliot, daughter of his neighbor, 3 Dec 1754.

[This is probably a reference to James Huston son of James son of Christopher. James son of Christopher is not mentioned in Christopher's will of 1726, and so (if he really is Christopher's son, would have most likely predeceased him.---so this is the younger James marrying in 1754---or perhaps someone else alltoether. The Younger James would have been born no later than 1726, and so, at a minimum, would have been 28 at this marriage. Which seems not unreasonable. But at the other extreme he could have been perhaps as old as 33; also not particularly unreasonable.]

Descendants report that this James Huston married second Abigail Brown. It is important to understand that Shellpot Creek joins the Brandywine only a few yards before it enters Delaware Bay and that the general area was often called Brandywine. A Margaret Lightfoot onetime widow of John Blunston, left a Will that mentions James Huston of Brandywine and further identifies his father as James Huston. Margaret Lightfoot goes on to identify an Elizabeth Huston as cousin. It is believed Margaret's maiden name was Pulford.

Family stories hold that father James Huston of the Brandywine married Mary Grasford. This marriage can be confirmed as occuring on 27 May 1721 at the First Presbyterian Church of Philadelphia. ^[4]

If we examine Samuel Houston's 1739 Will we discover that a Henry and Esther Glesford filled the Will. The modern spelling of Glesford is Glassford. A Henry Glassford can be discovered as Captain of Chester County militia in the 1740s ^[5]

Thus we have reason to believe that it was NOT James Huston of Shellpot Creek, that married Jane Elliot, was brother of Samuel Houston of the 1739 Will but INSTEAD his father James Huston that married Mary Glasford in 1721. ^[6]

Note 5

, 30 October 2008

See to see a Chester Survey 1683 map] which shows a Mill Creek flowing into Darby Creek near the Delaware River. The area between Darby Creek on the north and Brandywine Creek on the south was originally heavily settled by both the Scotch-Irish and the Quakers.

Christopher Houston of Mill Creek ^[7]may have written about this creek rather than the modern Mill Creek found in north central Delaware. This would make some sense as Hugh Linn is known to have lived fairly closely to Darby and our newly discovered James Huston is fairly well documented in the area as early as 1718. However, Christopher's Will is reportedly a Delaware Will.

I do wish I could read the map better as it shows many names - the sole one I can make out is Simcock - the same surname that appears in Margaret Lightfoot's 1732 Will.

Note 6

1 November 2008

A contemporary William Huston appears in the same neighborhood as James Huston of Shellpot Creek. Some researchers have speculated that this is William Huston of New Castle, Delaware. Prominent William Huston, of New Castle is usually identified as the agent who managed the 100 acre New Castle Commons which still exists in modified form today.

Having now seen the 1687 map of the environs on the Delaware River I am puzzled. In the neighborhood between New Castle and the Brandywine was a major tract identified as the Manor of Rockland. Supposedly, this manor was saved and given to William Penn's daughter as an endowment. Therefore, land sales were delayed. Most of the surrounding lands were settled when Manor of Rockland lands first came upon the market. A William Huston, again usually identified as the prominent William Huston speculated in Manor of Rockland lands. I do not understand if the Manor of Rockland is now what is understood as the New Castle Commons.

At any rate these lands are vary close, if not overlapping, to Shellpot Creek lands. There is growing evidence that James Huston was son of Christopher Houston of the 1729 Will and that the family settled near Shellpot Creek beside the Delaware River. A new question now arrises as to whether prominent William Houston of New Castle, Delaware was closely related. This notion of a close relationship was entertained some years ago and some evidence posted.

Note 7

From user:Dan Welch Feb 5, 2009, at 2:34 PM

On 02 Jun 1759

John ALLMOND of Brandywine Hd New Castle Co. on Delaware, and his wife Barbary, William CARTMILL of the same place and his wife Elizabeth, and Ann McMULLEN, sold unto John HUESTON (Houston), of the same place 100a. The warrent of 1689 of Lawrence HENDRICKSON (Hindricksson) was for a tract on land being on the west side of the Delaware River in the Manor of Rockland, on the east side of Shilpot (Now Shellpot) Creek. HENDRICKSON died leaving to two dau, Elizabeth and Rebecca, who by their Deed Poll sold to Micheal MYERS and Ann his wifeby their Deed Poll 1733 to David McMULLEN and his wife Margaret. McMULLEN's will 1740 to son John McMULLEN who d without issue and the land fell to his sisters, Barbary ALLMOND, Elizabeth CARTMILL and Ann, and Mary wife of sd John HUESTON.

Wit Watkins CRAMPTON, John STAPLER, David BUSH (New Castle Co. DE Land Records W1:67)

Footnotes

1. ↑ note date is 1757
2. ↑ This land sale is given in NEW CASTLE COUNTY, DELAWARE, LAND RECORDS 1755-1762, Carol J Garrett, 1999, WillowBend Books, Westminster, MD, an extract from which is given at GenForum:

   Deed. 17 Aug 1757. Joseph GORBY of Brandywine Hundred in cnty of Newcastle upon Delalware and Mary his wife for the sume of £62.8s.9p sold unto James HOUSTON Jr of sd Hundred & cnty, a tract of land situate in sd Hundred & cnty containing 60 acres, together with houses and improvements thereon. This is part of a larger tract that Israel PETERSON was granted, containing 100 acres in 1689, and it was surveyed by George DAKEYNE. And whereas sd PETERSON in 1722 did convey the same to Hance PETERSON who did convey the same unto Erasmus STEDHAM. and whereas sd STEDHAM in his Last Will and Testament in 1732 granted unto his wife Mary to have whatever was left after his bills were paid. And whereas sd Mary has since intermarried w/afsd Joseph GORBEY and whereas sd STEDHAM did leave two dtrs to survive him (vis) Mary who has since intermarried with Jeremiah COLLET and Catherine who hath since intermarried with James ADAIR, and whereas they did receive a share of the land. Signed: Joseph GORBEY, Mary GORBEY. Wit: David ENOD, John CRAMPTON, Joseph FOLWELL. Ack: Aug term 1757. Rec: 27. Oct 1761. (T1:331)

3. ↑ Samuel, son of Christopher Houston, died without issue. He left his estate to his wife and brothers and sisters. This item probably refers to Jeanette Houston, wife of Hugh Linn, daughter of Christopher Houston and sister of Samuel Houston and Ann Houston wife of John Walker III. See The Digital Library for an extract of this will User:Quolla6
4. ↑ See marriage Lynn and Eagle, 1880; This work gives a marriage record on this date for James Huston and Mary Crasford. "Crasford" may be a mistranscription of "Grasford".
5. ↑ See Militia, Chester County, PA, 1747-48.
6. ↑ An important point here is that the will of Samuel Houston son of Christopher, and brother of Ann Houston who married John Walker III, was apparently administered by Henry and Esther Glesford. The presumption is that Henry Glesford was closely related to Mary Grasford wife of the first James Huston. This implies that there is in fact a relationship between Samuel Houston and James Houston of Brandywine. [Need to look at Christpher Houston's will to see if this James could be the son of Christopher, or if the connection (if there is one) is might be more complex.
7. ↑ "Mill Creek" is an extremely common stream name, and it is not at all uncommon to find more than one stream in a relatively small area, bearing this name. In anycase, I don't recall Christopher's will (his only written record I know of) mentioning "Mill Creek", per se. I think the reference to "Mill Creek", is based on the fact that the will was recorded for "Mill Creek Hundred", but that's off the top of my head at the moment.