William Huston (abt. 1757 - abt. 1792)

Born about 1757 in East Pennsboro Township, Cumberland, Province of Pennsylvania

Ancestors

Died about Jun 1792 at about age 35 in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Jeff Jones [send private message]

Biography

William Huston was a son of Samuel Huston and Isabella (Sharron) Huston. He was born in East Pennsboro Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania.

William was not on the tax lists in 1778, but was taxed in 1779^[1], listed on an entry just after his father for no land, 2 horses and 2 cattle. As this is his first time on the tax list, he likely turned 21 between 1778 and 1779, making his birth year around 1757. The fact that he is not listed under “freemen” indicates he was probably already married.

William's wife was named Agnes and they had five children^[2]:

• Samuel Huston
• Isabel Huston
• John Huston
• Mary Huston
• James Huston

William continued to be on the tax lists in East Pennsboro Township in 1780^[3], 1781^[4] and 1782^[5].

In 1784, William is named in his father's will^[6], indicating that sons John and Jonathan, who inherited the real estate, should pay William 28 pounds.

By 1790, William had moved and settled in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania^[7].

On 19 Dec 1791, William Huston of Barree Township, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania, a farmer, being of weak body and sound mind, wrote a will naming his wife, Agnes, and his children^[2]. The will named his brother John Huston and Thomas Creigh as executors and was witnessed by James Huston, likely his brother who had moved to Centre County, PA, in 1785.

William Huston died prior to 23 Jul 1792, when his will was probated, likely in late June or early July 1792.

The probate records include a renunciation by named executors John Huston and Thomas Creigh, witnessed and signed in Carlisle, Cumberland County, for reasons related to how far away they lived from the estate^[2].

Research

I've just recently (Apr 2023) adopted this profile because I'm actively researching the Samuel Huston (& Isabella Sharon) family and will have new information to add, with citations.

For those visiting this profile, there were several errors conflating at least four different William Hustons of Cumberland County. The original biography has been maintained, for now, below.

William Huston birth year

There are two scenarios for William's birth year.

Based upon tax records, his birth year would be around 1757. William was not on the East Pennsboro tax record in 1778 as a landholder^[8] or under freemen^[9], but was taxed in 1779^[1].

Another alternative is that William is older and had lived away for a while and came back to live near his father between 1778 and 1779, though I consider this less likely.

William Huston marriage year

Though History of the Huston Families^[10] say "There is nothing to show that William or John ever married," that is not correct.

The above mentioned tax listing^[1] does not list William under freemen in 1779, which indicates that he was married.

William's oldest son Samuel was born in 1775, so it is likely that he was married around 1774. He would have been about 17 if born in 1757, which is relatively young for a son to be married, so the pregnancy might have been a forcing function.

Captain William Huston in the Revolution

There was a Captain William Huston in Cumberland County Associators (the militia) that is recorded as fighting in the Revolutionary War.

However, as documented by the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission, Captain William Huston led a company of militia men from 1777 through at least 1780, based in Peters Township, Cumberland County^[11]. Peters Township was located in what is now Franklin County, Pennsylvania, and nowhere near East Pennsboro.

Note that the Rocky Spring Presbyterian Church, referenced in the original biography below, is in Letterkenny Township, Franklin County, Pennsylvania.

Captain William Huston was born in 1755 and died in Franklin County, PA, in 1823, and was married to Margaret Nelson.

William Huston, son of Christopher Huston

There was an additional WIlliam Huston in East Pennsboro Township who was the son of Christopher Huston around 1743.

When Christopher Huston died, he split his land between sons William and John. One distinguishing characteristic for this William is that he is listed on tax records next to his brother John with both being taxed for about the same amount of acres, as they are in 1778^[12] and 1781^[13]. Note that both both Williams are on that 1781 tax list - Samuel's son is taxed for no land and some livestock, while Christopher's son is taxed for 134.5 acres, the same as his brother John.

Similarly, the William Huston in the 1793 census cited in the original biography is this son of Christopher. He is #95 and his brother is #96 on the list. Samuel's sons John and Jonathan Huston are #99 and #100, respectively.

Christopher's son William and his wife Janet sold the property in East Pennsboro to John Obers on 15 Apr 1795^[14] and moved westward, possibly to Kentucky.

William Huston of Washington County

This original biography listed William's death as 1803, citing a probate record from Washington County, Pennsylvania^[15].

This yet another William Huston, who was already living in Washington County, PA, in 1790 and married Ann Agnes "Nancy" Lermond.

This William is described as the "first white settler at Catfish Camp," when discussing the history of the County Seat, in History of Washington County, Pennsylvania^[16].

Previous Biography

William HUSTON was born in 1730 to Isabella SHARON, age 20, and Samuel HUSTON, age 26. He was eldest the son of Samuel Huston and Isabella Sharron.

William HUSTON married Mary BURK on November 1, 1775, when he was about 45 years old.^[17]

(1776 Sticker removed) (DAR Sticker removed)

William HUSTON was in the Revolutionary War. He was a Captain in a regiment of Cumberland County Militia called into service in August 1776.^[18]

In 1790, William HUSTON is enumerated in Hopewell, Newton, Tyborn, and Westpensboro, Cumberland, Pennsylvania. He has 5 males under 16, 2 males over 16, and 4 females in his household.^[19]

William HUSTON lives near his father Samuel HUSTON, brothers John HUSTON and Jonathon HUSTON, sister Ann HUSTON and her husband James GIBSON, and other relatives including Samuel CLENDENIN, Martha WAUGH, Christopher HUSTON, John McCORMICK, and James McCORMICK.

In 1793, William HUSTON is listed as a FARMER in East Pennsboro. He is on the same page as John HUSTON, Jonathon HUSTON, John CREIGH, Joseph RANKIN, John CLENDENIN, Samuel CLENDENIN, and Adam CALHOUN.^[20]

He passed away in 1803.^[21]

Acknowledgements

Some research and sources originally published in Samuel Huston and Esther Waugh: Pioneers of Columbiana County, Ohio^[22].

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} “1779; East Pennsboro Twp; Image 21, Page 72; Pennsylvania, U.S., Tax and Exoneration, 1768-1801,” 1779. https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2497/images/33020_254647-00783?pId=1061749.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} “Vol 1, Page 38-40, Image 63-64; William Huston Probate; Huntingdon Wills 1787-1822 Vol 1-2; Pennsylvania Probate Records, 1683-199,” December 19, 1791. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L991-MZ3K.
3. ↑ “1780; East Pennsboro Twp; Image 37, Page 80; Pennsylvania, U.S., Tax and Exoneration, 1768-1801,” 1780. https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2497/images/33020_254647-01147.
4. ↑ “1781; East Pennsboro Twp; Image 58, Page 95; Pennsylvania, U.S., Tax and Exoneration, 1768-1801,” 1781. https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2497/images/33020_254648-00102?pId=1838515.
5. ↑ “1782; East Pennsboro Twp; Image 78, Page 56; Pennsylvania, U.S., Tax and Exoneration, 1768-1801,” 1782. https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2497/images/33020_254648-00482.
6. ↑ “Vol D, Page 224; Samuel Huston, East Pennsboro; Cumberland Wills 1779-1803 Vol D-F; Pennsylvania Probate Records, 1683-1994,” 1784. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L99B-JHG4?i=123.
7. ↑ “William Huston, ‘United States Census, 1790’ • FamilySearch.” Accessed March 1, 2024. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHKJ-ZRX.
8. ↑ “1778; East Pennsboro Twp; Image 7, Page 76; Pennsylvania, U.S., Tax and Exoneration, 1768-1801,” 1778. https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2497/images/33020_254647-00489?pId=1057121.
9. ↑ “1778; East Pennsboro Twp; Freemen; Image 16, Page 85; Pennsylvania, U.S., Tax and Exoneration, 1768-1801.” Accessed August 29, 2022. https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2497/images/33020_254647-00498.
10. ↑ Huston, E. Rankin. Page 40, Chapter V, Court Records; History of the Huston Families and Their Descendants, 1450-1912 : With a Genealogical Records. Carlisle, PA: Carlisle Printing Company, 1912. http://www.familysearch.org/library/books/idurl/1/48775.
11. ↑ Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission. “Cumberland County Revolutionary War Militia.” Accessed November 4, 2022. https://www.phmc.pa.gov:443/Archives/Research-Online/Pages/Revolutionary-War-Militia-Cumberland.aspx.
12. ↑ “1778; East Pennsboro Twp; Image 7, Page 76; Pennsylvania, U.S., Tax and Exoneration, 1768-1801,” 1778. https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2497/images/33020_254647-00489?pId=1057121.
13. ↑ “1781; East Pennsboro Twp; Image 58, Page 95; Pennsylvania, U.S., Tax and Exoneration, 1768-1801,” 1781. https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2497/images/33020_254648-00102?pId=1838515.
14. ↑ Deed: William Huston & John Obers; Deeds v. Q-R 1804-1807; Deeds and miscellaneous records, 1750-1866 ; Indexes to deeds and miscellaneous records, 1750-1954;https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSXB-X99Z-7
15. ↑ Name: William Huston; Probate Date: 24 Jan 1803; Probate Place: Washington, Pennsylvania, USA; Inferred Death Year: Abt. 1803; Inferred Death Place: Pennsylvania, USA; Will Books, 1781-1872; Index to Wills, 1781-1935; Author: Washington County (Pennsylvania). Register of Wills; Probate Place: Washington, Pennsylvania
16. ↑ Page 827, Chapter LXXXVlll. History of the county seat; History of Washington County, Pennsylvania, Volume l, Part lll. https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/24875/images/dvm_LocHist009996-00419-1?pId=660
17. ↑ Pennsylvania, Marriage Records, 1700-1821; Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2011.Original data - Pennsylvania Marriage Records. Harrisburg, PA: Pennsylvania Archives Printed Series, 1876. Series 2, Series 6.Original data: Pennsylvania Marriage Records. Ancestry
18. ↑ History of the Rocky Spring Church, page 28
19. ↑ Year: 1790; Census Place: Hopewell, Newton, Tyborn, and Westpensboro, Cumberland, Pennsylvania; Series: M637; Roll: 8; Page: 36; Image: 553; Family History Library Film: 0568148
20. ↑ Pennsylvania, Septennial Census, 1779-1863 for William Huston; 1793; Lines 47-110.
21. ↑ Name: William Huston; Probate Date: 24 Jan 1803; Probate Place: Washington, Pennsylvania, USA; Inferred Death Year: Abt. 1803; Inferred Death Place: Pennsylvania, USA; Will Books, 1781-1872; Index to Wills, 1781-1935; Author: Washington County (Pennsylvania). Register of Wills; Probate Place: Washington, Pennsylvania
22. ↑ Jones, Jeffrey R. Samuel Huston and Esther Waugh, Pioneers of Columbiana County, Ohio. 1st ed. Snoqualmie, WA: Independent, 2024. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CTBRKLMZ.