Huston Watchmakers in Philadelphia in the 18th Century

Contents 1 Documentation 2 Discussion

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Documentation

James Huston of Rockbridge County

Register:Houston's in Philadelphia County and City

Data:Houston Tax Records, Philadelphia, 1769, 1774, 1779

Discussion

Tax records show at least two "Huston's" working as clockmakers/watchmakers in Philadelhia in the second half of the 18th Century. James Huston who appears in the 1774 tax list as a "watchmaker", and William Huston who also appears in the 1774 list as a "clockmaker". We know relatively little about either, other than that William apparently died about 1776, since he's listed in the 1777, and 1779 tax record with the notation "estate". Possibly James and William are closely related, but currently we have no data to show that. Since Williams died in Philadelphia his will may be available perhaps can be retrieved; if so we may gain insight into his family relations, and perhaps identify other Houston's in the area from this.

It is worth noting that there are two other known James Huston's "clockmaker" during this time period. A James Huston was a member of the Whiteside Clockmaking group in Rockbridge county from 1770 to 1810. ^[1] Another James Huston is identified as being working in the shop of John Probasco in Trenton New Jersey, said to have been the town's first clockmaker.

While there's no reason to believe that these later huston's passed through Philadlephia, it seems peculiar that there should be so many Huston's involved in the clock making business during the later 18th Century in this general (broadly speaking) area. Perhaps there's a family connection at work.