Person:John Huston (14)

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Overview

The following is taken from a discussion of the children of Person:John Huston (9) in Source:Ellis and Evans, 1883 "History of Lancaster County". The article is somewhat disjointed, and has been reorganized and reformatted to improve its readability.^[2]

Dr. John Houston, the second son [of Person:John Huston (9)], was born at Pequea in 1743. Dr. John Houston was a man of mark and belonged to a fighting family. He was born in Salisbury township, in this county, in 1742. His father sent him to Edinburgh, Scotland, to be educated for the ministry. He finished his studies at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, graduating in 1766...Not liking that profession he chose that of medicine [and] studied medicine with Dr. Shippen, of Philadelphia. [He] commenced the practice of medicine at York, Pa., then a frontier town, [marrying] Susannah Wright, of Columbia, June 17, 1773. On the 6th day of May, 1773, he married Susanna Wright, daughter of John Wright, Jr., who owned the ferry and lived on the west side of the river at Wrightsville... Gen. James Ewing married Patience Wright, Mrs. Dr. Houston's sister. They were the only children of John Wright, the holder of large properties on both sides of the Susquehanna River, at Columbia and Wrightsville.
[During the Revolution] He entered the army as a surgeon.... After the war, Dr. Houston spent the remainder of his life at his winter home in Columbia or on his farm, on the west side of the Susquehanna, in York County, now a part of Wrightsville. His wife, Susanna Houston, survived him many years, and died in 1829.... In 1775, when hostilities broke out between England and America, he was appointed a surgeon in the Continental army, and remained in it for seven years. After the war he removed with his family to York borough, where he practiced medicine. A few years thereafter he removed to Columbia. Governor Mifflin appointed him one of the justices of the peace for this district about the year 1793 or 1794, an office which he held until his death, June 9, 1809. He was an accomplished gentleman, and was considered in his time the best educated and read physician in the county. His widow died in August, 1829.

The doctor left a large family. ^[3][His children were]

• [James Houston],
• Mrs. [Martha] Mifflin,
• [John Houston]
• Dr. William F. Houston,
• Robert [W.] Houston,
• Samuel N[elson]. Houston,

and the 

• Misses Houston

James married Nancy Wright. He erected the flouring-mill and first saw-mills near the mouth of Kreitz Creek, at Wrightsville. Their children were Susan E. and John W. Susan married James E. Mifflin. James E. Mifflin, now of Columbia, is their son. John W. married Mary B. Martin, of Lycoming County, Pa. They had sons and daughters,--George, now living in Missouri, and William, at Cincinnati, Ohio. His daughter Annie married Col. Lewis Merrill, of the United States army; Emily married Col. Alexander, of the United States army; and Eliza married Capt. Warner, United States army.
Martha married Joseph Mifflin, a prominent scholar, and for a part of his life a bank-officer in Philadelphia. Their children were Deby Ann, John Houston, James H., and Joseph. Deby Ann died in Columbia in 1829. James H. died at Eatonton, Ga., in 1838. J. Houston married Elizabeth B. Heise, of Columbia. He is still with us, a hale, hearty artist-poet-farmer. Though past the allotted space of threescore and ten, long may he live to enjoy the comfort and companionship of his four bright sons! Joseph married Julia Duncan Stewart, and is living on his farm in Cumberland County, enjoying the comfort of a well-spent life.

John...studied medicine, [but] ....died just after graduating.
William F., studied medicine but ....abandoned the practice...for the pulpit. [He] lived for many years a devoted minister of the Presbyterian Church. He married in early life Amy McCorkle, of Philadelphia. They had two children,--Christiana M. and John Frederick. Christiana married Rev. James L. Scott, of the Presbyterian Church, in 1837, and immediately sailed for India. After remaining ten years there, Mrs. Scott's health became impaired and she was ordered home. She died on shipboard just after passing the Cape of Good Hope. They had three children,--two (Amy and Edward H.) died after reaching man and womanhood. Anna E., the surviving daughter, is now and has been for many years in the mission-field in India. John Frederick married Catharine J. Fisher, of Pine Ford, Dauphin Co., Pa. He was one of the brightest young men of our country. He was born in Columbia, and lived there all his life. He graduated at an early age at Amherst College with high honor; adopted the profession of a civil engineer; was engaged on the construction of the Baltimore and Susquehanna Railroad, Gettysburg Railroad, the State works of Pennsylvania, in progress between 1834 and 1839. He abandoned the engineer service and studied law with his brother-in-law, Judge Robert J. Fisher, of York, Pa. He commenced the practice of law in the counties of York and Lancaster, continuing his home in Columbia, and was fast gaining prominence, when at the early age of thirty-five he was stricken with paralysis, after which he lived nearly thirty years, respected by all who knew him. He has three surviving children,--Georgianna F., at Harrisburg; Dr. William F. Houston, in San Francisco, Cal.^[4] and Harry, at Denver, Col.

The daughters, Eleanor W. and Anna S., who lived respectively eighty-two and eighty-four years, remained unmarried, during all those years living together and keeping house that was always a home for their nephews and nieces and their children. All their means and all their personal attention devoted to hospitality to their relatives and to their friends,--long lives of unselfishness and affectlonate care. Of Anna S., but for the constraint of this duty of her heart, her fondness for reading and her talents as a poetess would have distinguished her in literature. Both were zealous members of the Presbyterian Church. Even in her age, until physical infirmity forbade it, Eleanor especially visited the poor and the needy in their humble homes, prescribing food and medicine and Christian comfort, "going about doing good."
Robert W. lived in Columbia all his life. He was an enterprising and highly respected citizen. For many years a merchant, and afterwards a contractor in the Columbia and Philadelphia Railroad and Pennsylvania Canal. He married Sarah Ann Jones, of Great Valley, Chester Co. She died in Columbia in 1834. They had two daughters,--Mary and Susan W. Mary died young. Susan married the Rev. Robert Gamble, of the Presbyterian Church; they are now living in Chanceford, York Co., Pa.
Samuel Nelson was born in 1791; finished his education at Burlington College, New Jersey; studied medicine and pharmacy in Philadelphia in 1811 and 1812; returned to Columbia on account of ill health; spent his time in the field and saddle for two or three years (we cannot refer to the exercise which restored the health of Mr. Samuel N. Houston without remarking that he was that he was of uncommonly handsome personal appearance; that in those days before fox-hunting was one of the lost arts, while he was distinguished for all manly and athletic exercises, he was especially noted as a magnificent rider); was an active member of Capt. Shippen's troop of horse of Lancaster County, in the war of 1812; entirely regained his health, and in 1816 married Susan Strickler, daughter of Col. Jacob Strickler; they had five children,--John, James, Henry Howard, Emily Strickler, Eleanor Wright, Martha Mifflin. He died November, 1878, aged eighty-seven years.

John James married Ann Blakiston, of Philadelphia. He was for many years engaged in transportation in Pennsylvania and Western States; lived the most of his life in Columbia, a few years in Pittsburgh, and died in Philadelphia in 1869. His wife survives him. They had no children. He was a wonderful man, and though with a slight frame and delicate constitution, he by determination and pure grit accomplished great results, and of him we can say he died as he always lived,--ready.

Henry H., the second son of Samuel N. Houston, was early at work in a mercantile house, and soon left it for that of transportation.

Emily Strickler died in Columbia, aged seven years.

Eleanor W. died at fifty-five years of age, in 1881.

Martha Mifflen, the youngest daughter, married Stephen Greene, in Columbia, in 1855. They went to Philadelphia in 1860, where they now reside with a family of six children.

Notes

Sadsbury Monthly MeetingMarriages Pg. 193, p. 125, Joseph MIFFLIN of Little Britain Twp., Lancaster Co., Pa.,
son if Jo ? MIFFLIN and Deborah his wife, late of the City of Philadelphia, deceased
& Martha HOUSTON of the Town of Columbia in Hempstead Twp., Lancaster Co., Pa.,
daughter of Doctor John HOUSTON and Susannah his wife of the town of Columbia,

8th d 5th mo 1806 at Columbia.

1. ↑ .

   Source:Everts and Peck, 1883

2. ↑ Many older articles require are written in a style that to modern eyes seems disjointed. I often do some minor rewriting and reorganization some reorganization to improve readability, striving to retain the fullest sense of the original authors meaning and intent. In this case, the re-organization required is more extensive than I normally find necessary. I believe Everts and Peck's original sense is retained, but those interested in this line may wish to review the original. ~~~~
3. ↑ The following list was taken from later in the article, and does not agree exactly with the original discussion of the children that appeared in this location. I've attempted to meld the two together, but caution is warranted in using this list. Q 19:36, 18 March 2010 (EDT)
4. ↑ IN the authors text the following comment is inserted: "[He] practiced medicine in Columbia, kept a drug-store, and published a newspaper. In 1826 he abandoned a large practice and entered the ministry. It was, however, the spoiling of a good doctor to make a poor preacher."