Bio of Martin Houshal

Birth, Parentage, Death

Parents

The mention of Martin Houshal in the WILL of his father^[1] indicates that he was the youngest son of Jacob Houshal and his wife Catherina. His baptismal record at the Readington Church^[2] again lists his father Jacob, and his mother Catherine. With these two resources, we can have no doubt that Martin's parents were Jacob and Catherine.

Birth Date

In his father's WILL, which was written in March 1761, the paragraph devoted to Martin is concluded with the following information, "..but if my son Martin should depart this life before he arrives to the age of twenty one years.." clearly showing that he is not yet 21 years old. The text of the WILL also demands that each son, and one son-in-law, pay unto daughter Marey, various amounts of 'prock money' when she reaches 18. However in the case of Martin, that payment to Marey is delayed until she reaches the age of 20. Because of the two year delay for Martin, we believe that he is still two years shy of his twenty-first birthday, placing him at 19 years of age in March 1761. Given this information, this writer believes that the birth year of Martin is not the same as his year of baptism, but is actually about 1742.

Date of Death

John Blair Linn in his book 'Annuls of Buffalo Valley'^[3] has made this easy for us by listing the deaths in 1805 West Buffalo and counting Martin among those (and listing the names of those in his family). A WILL for Martin Houshal does exist which gives the dates the WILL was written (18 October 1804) and when it was executed (2 September 1805 at West Buffalo). No burial has yet been located for Martin or his wife.

Sale of New Jersey Land

Although Martin received through his father's WILL, 1/2 of the Farm plus the buildings and the apple orchard, it appears that he was unable to keep it. The book History of East Amwell says that by 1767^[6] he sold his half of the farm to his brother Mathias and moved to Essex County, New Jersey before the birth of his son Joshua in 1777^[7]. It should be noted that the ambush and subsequent death of Cornet Francis Geary occurred on December 14, 1776, and the sale of Martin's share of his father's land to brother Matthias certainly happened before this. Unclear is if Cornet Geary was buried in the apple orchard mentioned in the WILL, or in some other 'woods' that were on properly that his brother Matthias owned.

Move to Pennsylvania

Martin and his son Jacob first appear in Pennsylvania at West Buffalo in 1796 as referenced in the book "Annuls of Buffalo Valley". Both are listed as farmers. By the 1800 census, Martin and son Jacob, are joined by Martin's son Joshua at West Buffalo. Martin's time in the Buffalo Valley was limited. As stated earlier, he died in 1805.

Children

Martin's children are all named in his WILL where he specifically lists sons Jacob and Joshua, as well as daughters Catherine, Mary, Elizabeth, and Sarah. Unfortunately, we know nothing about his daughters. We know nothing about Martin's daughters except that they are named in his WILL, and three of them are listed by John Blair Linn when he notes in Annuls of Buffalo Valley that Martin was among the deaths in 1805. At this time, we only have a Census record for 1800. Within that census record, are a male and a female over 45 years of age and also a female who is 10 to 15 years of age. It is believed that this female is not a daughter of Martin Housel or of Jacob or Joshua.

1. ↑ The WILL and Inventory of Jacob Houshall (1761).

   Martin is named in his father's WILL:
   
   "Item I give and bequeath unto my dearly beloved son Martin HOUSHAL the remaining part of my plantation whereon I now dwell and not heretofor devised with all the buildings and orchard and appurtenances theirunto belonging to him his heirs and assigns for ever. My son Martin paying never the less and it is my will and order that he pays for the out of the above estate to his sister Marey the sum of one hundred pound prock money when she arives to the age of tweny years and to pay to his brother Mathias the sum of eighty pounds procklemation money five years after my decease and to grant him the privelidge of the orchards to get as many apples out of it as he requires for his own hous use for the term of ten years - farther I will my son Martin the sum of twenty pounds Prock money to be paid to him out of my monebel estate by my Executors hereafter named four years after my decease but if my son Martin should depart this life before he arrives to the age of twenty one years then it is my will and order that the shear and part belonging to him shall be equally divided between his serviving brothers and sisters."

2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} Somerset County Historical Quarterly. (Somerville, New Jersey: Somerset County Historical Society)
   Vol IV, 1915.

   - p302; 1744 Nov 25;
   V: der Zaal, Hendrick and Maria -- Maria.
   Bullisvelt, Willem and Catherina -- Johannis
   Houselt, Jacob and Catherina -- Martein.
   V:Sickelen, Andries and Lea Krom -- Jan.
   

3. ↑ ^3.0 3.1 Linn, John Blair. Annals of Buffalo Valley, 1755-1855. (Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: Lane S. Hart, Printer and Binder., 1877)
   p303, P 353, 1877.

   1796 - p 303, Inhabitants of West Buffalo and a description of their dwellings:
   Housel,Jacob, farmer,log cabin; Housel, Martin, farmer, chip log house and stable.
   
   1805 Deaths p.353 Martin Housel, West Buffalo. Children:
   Jacob, Joshua, Catherine, Mary and Elizabeth. (Note that Sarah is not listed here).

4.   Citation to a WILL for Martin Housel, in Nortumberland County Book of WILLS
   #1, Page 354.

   Found in the William M. Mervine Genealogical Notes (Housel, Born and Stackhouse .... paper 1137, (Call # Gen Me 75), at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
   >
   Citation to a will for Martin --
   Northumberland County Will Book # 1, page 354.
   18 Oct 1804; 2 Sept 1805; West Buffalo Township.
   Wife Aulcha and children Jacob, Joshua, Catherine, Mary, Elizabeth; Sarah.
   Friend Christopher Johnston, Exr.

5.   1800 Census for 'Housel' living in West Buffalo, Northumberland, Pennsylvania.

   1800 Federal Census for West Buffalo Township, Union County, PA, Page 851
   Click link for others. Martin listed below:
   
   HOUSEL, Martin
   1 Male 45 & Over
   1 Female 45 & Over
   1 Female 10-15

6. ↑ East Amwell Bicentennial Committee (New Jersey). A History of East Amwell, 1700-1800. (Flemington, New Jersey: Hunterdon County Historical Society, 1979)
   p. 42.

   "He (Jacob) left his plantation to be divided between his sons Mathias and Martin, Mathias eventually buying out his brother in 1767."

7. ↑ Birth of Joshua Housel.

   All records for Joshua point toward his being born in Essex County, New Jersey. Unfortunately we have been unable to discover the source of this information even though we believe that it is apparently true.

8.   Martin Housel. WILL of Martin Housel of West Buffalo. (State of Pennsylvania).
   
9.   In a handwritten copy of the Baptismal record, the term "Lyn Vrov" or "Lyn Vrau" is used in each entry after the given name of the mother. Some have assigned a maiden name to Catherine, wife of Jacob because of this information. It should be noted that when typing wife into google translator and clicking on Dutch, one gets the response "Vrouw". Wife in German is "Ehefrau". So we believe 'Lyn Vrou' to be a term calling the female 'his wife'.