TIMOTHY K FITZGERALD
GENEALOGY HOUSTON HUSTON LETTERS 1
Houston, Huston Family Records
Houston, Huston: names and addresses of living persons are withheld for privacy. Information on ancestors is welcome.
Dear Tim
Great grandmother Henrietta Houston was born 1852 or 1853, marrying Richard Hammons in Springfield IL 1870 or 1871. Her older sister Marion Houston married a man named Yocom. The Houston girls moved in with family in the same neighborhood as the Hammons family. Illinois' 1860 census shows these Houston sisters as born in Kilmarmock, Scotland, maybe living in New York before Illinois. Adam Houston may be their father. They're related to Sam Houston, cousin to Texas' Sam Houston. Do you have information tying these lines together? We note the different name spellings.
Dear -
My source for our family origins, a genealogy book The Huston Legacy my uncle gave my mother Bernice Huston, traces the first Hustons including my forefather Peter Huston who fought at the Battle of Kings Mountain in Virgina in the Revolutionary war, and Sam Houston's roots from a different branch. The family was founded near Glasgow by a knight with William the Conqueror. The village surrounding the Huston/Houston Castle, originally named House Town, gave the Houstons their name. We're presumed related by marriage. Sam Houston's branch arrived here about 1740. His grandfather, a Revolutionary War general, appears in most encyclopedias. Connecting our branches, both families left for the frontier soon after the Revolution. Adopting the Constitution the bitter Federalist/ Anti-Federalist dispute ran through much of early American politics and was the root of much early migration West.
One of Peter Huston's daughters married a Boone. They crossed the Cumberland Gap with Daniel Boone into Kentucky. One of his sons pressed further into the Ohio Valley to be one of Indiana's first Ohio River settlers. The Lincoln family's equally interesting origins on that frontier are better known, their hardships typical of Kentucky and Tennessee settlers of that period. Sam Houston's connections were not only namesakes but cousins. My great grandfather turning 20 during the Mexican War, one of the first divisive issues between West and South (as opposed to North and South) most likely rode the range with cousins after Texas was a State though possibly he was there when Texas was still independent. Spelling variations since the revolution claim origins from Glasgow beginning when my ancestors settled in Jamestown and the 2 brothers spelled their names differently (Houston, Huston) Sam Houston's relations, arriving 150 years after the first family members, connected later on the frontier.
Most of my great-grandfather's descendants stayed in Kansas City and Missouri. Grandfather Ollie Huston is not the only one coming West around 1900. His wife's family mosly followed their sister to California prior to World War I, living in the Bay Area most of the 1900s. Many Houstons and Hustons arriving later in Colonial settling were called carpetbaggers, considered by colonists as Scotch-Irish participating in British subjugation of Northern Ireland after 1600 to escape persecution of Catholic highlanders. Many issues back then are still muddy as any account of Belfast and Irish independence testifies. Grandfather Ollie Huston insisted the family were Damn Yankees with Scottish-Irish origins. This was family tradition for generations on the frontier until my mother and I looked into it. If you establish actual connection with the Sam Houstons please write.
Tim
Dear Tim
I'm Sean Houston, descended from William Houston of Union County ILL. Do you know his middle name? He married Mrs Shy of Chicago and settled in Union County. Working on a cattle ranch as a boy brought him to Chicago. He was born in 1860 and died in the 1920s. It's a question of spellings Houston or Huston. Our family dating back to the 1900s strongly resembles that of General Sam Houston. We may be descendants of Sam Houston's uncle John Houston.
Dear Tim
My webpage is about men who fought the Battle of Kings Mountain. Do you have information on Peter Houston? I need to contact descendants of those fighting that battle to post correct information. Historic volumes have numerous mistakes.
Dear Tim
Do you know of any Houstons arriving in New York to have a son, David, born 1859?
Dear Tim
Mary Houston of Houston Scotland married James Dears there in the 1850s and went with her son James to Liverpool. This may be an ancestor. Information on this family around 1820-1870 would be appreciated.
Dear Tim
I trace my line to Jacob Huston born Nov 13, 1788 in Virginia, marrying Katharine Kingery. Their son James lived in Indiana as have most of my Hustons since. When did they come to America? My family must have been here during revolutionary times too! I so far find no distant Huston cousins.
Dear Tim
Seeking connection with Andrew Houston, who married Elizabeth Green in Lancaster Ohio in 1803. Census shows Andrew born in Virginia, Elizabeth in Kentucky. Elizabeth is known to have been born in Virginia. Perhaps information was inverted as it was recorded. Andrew's DOB and DOD are unknown, as well as place of death and burial. Elizabeth died in 1844 and was buried in Johnstown Ohio. Andrew later purchased land in Jackson County, Iowa. From there it's unknown. With succeeding generations continuing names is Andrew in your book of the Houston family?
Dear -
Strong possibility your Andrew Huston and my Peter Huston were relatives if not blood kin. Peter, born 1762, was 19 when he fought at Kings Mountain. We know he traveled with Daniel Boone to Kentucky over the Cumberland Gap. One of his offspring married a Boone. I don't know. It's possible your Andrew was one of his offspring or a relative. I say this because of coincidence of the Kentucky / Virginia connection in Andrew's marriage. Our branch moved to Indiana and settled at Rising Sun, a boat landing when my great-grandfather James C was born there in 1824 two generations removed from Peter Huston. Timing seems right that Andrew may have been in the same family.
Dear Tim
Little is known about my mother's parents. I found my grandmother's and a younger sibling's births in Santa Clara County. My great grandfather lived in Nome Alaska in 1906. My great grandmother was a San Francisco resident according to records when they were married in San Jose. My grandmother walked to school in Campbell. What books, publications, etc fill in gaps? I'll try the family history center in San Jose and some museums.
Subject: Huston/Houston Genealogy
My ggg grandfather is Andrew Jackson Houston, born March 16, 1809 in Kentucky. His parents were from Virginia, names unknown. Andrew moved to Illinois and was married to Nancy Logsdon in Morgan County IL in 1832. They migrated to Arkansas and Missouri, settling in Adair County MO for the rest of their lives.
I'm looking for Andrew's parents for the last 4 years. None of the leads I followed verified their names. Family lore like every other Houston/Huston family is they were cousins of Gen. Sam. Andrew's father and Gen. Sam's father were siblings - doubt it's true but would like to fill in the family tree.
Family ties along the border were through extended families. Sam Houston's family arrived much later than mine but also settled first in Virginia whose colony was the fountainhead of Houston/ Huston prodigy. I'm not related to Gen Sam H but our family and theirs knew one another and rode the Texas range together. Their bonds were more as Scotchmen than as cousins. Family ties were claimed in 1800 when the frontier was young. People adopted relations they liked.
I just received this email from my Dad's cousin who still lives in Missouri where my family is originally from. I was born and live in Houston TX. Can you verify if this is true or not. If it is, then Sam Houston is my (I don't know how many Greats) Grandfather.
Here's the email:
Did you see the list I sent your dad on the Weaver's showing genealogy on them back to 1543. For info on the Morrows (your great grandmother's maiden name) go to the Houston public library and ask for a book by J T MORROW called "THE MORROWS AND RELATED FAMILIES" copyright 1979. Your dad would be suprised to see Sam Houston listed with the Morrows. 2 of the Morrow boys married 2 of Sam's daughters. This book goes back to 1734 to a Robert Morrow in Scotland. It also says the line goes all the way back to the 500s or before.
Was there a Knight who fought for William the Conqueror in 1066 called KINGSTON or similar? Specifically the Dalziel (or Delzell) Clan and mother's maiden name Croxton as in Croxton Castle in England
Related to Nancy Fitzgerald living in Maryland near Washington DC in the 1960s?
Only 2 branches of my grandfather Fitzgerald's family ever immigrated to America. Both settled in the Bay Area, Ned Fitzgerald and Grandfather George Fitzgerald. 2 sisters and a brother of Grandfather Fitzgerald remained in Wales. One branch of the 3 lives in Scotland. One of my father's cousins from those 3 branches lives in Arizona. I don't know anything else.
My mother Bernice mentioned Uncle Platt. Ollie did marry Hilda. They moved to a small town south of San Jose to grow grapes. Ollie (Jack) moved to 22nd St where the family maintained a homestead for over 80 years My uncle OS HUstoon (named after Ollie) having passed away about 6 years ago, and the last of Ollie's 4 children. One 1st cousin Joyce Barber lived in Campbell, in her late 60s. Im turing 60 myself this winter. A large branch of Ollies family, a 1st cousin named Ruth Biehl (married name) dropped out of sight about the time my mother passed on 7 years ago, the entire family went in a period of 3 or 4 years in the late 90s all in their late 80s. Ruth Biehl had 6 or 7 children. Joyce has 2 surviving daughters and maybe a son. I have no children. My brother Michael has 2 step children in college from a prior marraige of my sister in law. What a thrill to locate family roots. My mother used to correspond with a cousin, I think Platt daughter Bobbie in Kansas CIty. Do you know anything? Would like to contact that branch to tell them what happened? Ruth's family all seven 2nd counsins all left California when my monther passed on if they had not alread left. No knowledge of that branch anymore. My brother may know. Don't have his e-mail address. We seldom talk.
There was quite a dispute over dispostion of my grandmother's house on 22nd St when she passed on and bad blood between her descendants as a result. My uncle Sidney, crippled since birth, had the house pass down to him. We lost it in my uncles will when he passed on, and my brother is still blaming me for it. Could be the source for a story. My website is www.i-sor.org which you may have found to locate me. It has the most up to date drafts of a Memoir now being planned for publication by New York Publishers. Glad to find you. Please Write back. Tim Fitzgerald, San Jose, Ca
Hi Cousin Tim,
I think we've made a connection! If Ollie is your Grandpa you would be my Dad - Don Huston's (son of Floyd) 2nd cousin. We have Ollie's barbershop card from Kansas City that I've attached. James Charles Huston and Katherine Huston had these children I know of: Carrie Huston Blanchard Smith (married Blanchard) they had Mabel and Kate (Mabel married Birmingham and had Joe and Grace) Platt Huston - born 1864 (married Ida May Belle Bundy) they had Roy, Bessie, Floyd, Velma, Lester, Loren. John Huston - born 1872 or 1873 (married Clara) they had Lettie, Mildred, Verne, Irene (Lettie and Irene married Whites) Ollie Huston - born March 22, 1877 (married Hilda) We think there was one more sibling named Albert - possibly with a wife named Caroline that survived but we don't know for sure. In Grandpa James' obituary it doesn't list the other sibling so he must have been dead by then. Grandpa James' obituary reads as follows:
"James C. Huston an old resident of Leavenworth died at Burtonsville, Canada July 3. Leaves 1 daughter Carrie Smith, Kansas City MO, 3 sons Platt, Burtonsville; John W. Nume, OK; Ollie, San Jose CA, 10 Grandchildren, 4 great grandchildren. Funeral Monday at Leavenworth." We think Grandpa James died around 1922. He is buried in a military cemetary at Leavenworth. We also have a telegram dated June 5, 1908 from Leavenworth KS to Platt Huston: Your mother died last night come immediately - Mabel Birmingham. I guess that's when Katherine died. I also attached a picture of James C and Katherine. In the picture is: Front Row: J.C. Huston, Katherine Huston, Joe Birmingham, Mable Birmingham. Back Row: Mr. Smith (Carrie's husband), Grace Birmingham, Mr. Birmingham, Carrie (Huston) Smith. I'm excited to find found you! We had no idea what happened to Ollie. I was almost led astray on your site when you called your Grandpa Jack. When you talked about J.C. and Rising Sun, that's when I knew there had to be a connection! Tell me all you know about our Huston background. Welcome back to the family!!!!!
Karen
Appartently you're a long lost branch of the bamily that split after James C passed away. If it's the same family, James C fought in the Civil War and lived to be over 90. Ollie Huston went by the name of 'Jack' out here in San Jose CA, the last of about 10 kids. The family had lived in Kansas City since the CIvil War. My brother Michael may know of another branch of Ollie Huston's family. The only direct decendent I know of was from Ollie's son Harold whose daughter of one is Joyce Barber. As you can see by the letter he was a kind and loving Grandpa in 1922. I sent your info to my Uncle who researched the family. I'm hoping to fill in some gaps and try to connect JC with the right family. Did you ever hear the name Maxfield Huston? Possibly my Uncle is working on for JC's Dad - Christopher Huston is Maxfield's Dad. My mother thought James C's mother was Native American. Registration and records may be very imperfect living on the frontier.
The Hustors/ or Houstons (they spell their name both ways) a noble famliy with Willaim the Conquerer in 1054 settled near Glasglow Scotland. Our branch of the family likely came over during the Prebyterian persecution about 1612 to settle in Jamestown VA. A decendent of the 2 brothers, (they spelled their names differently) was Peter Huston who fought with his father at Kings Mountain in the American Revoltuion and later came west with Daniel Boone over Cumberland Gap to the Ohio Valley and Kentucky. This is both in the "Huston Legacy" and in family lore from Ollie through my mother. My mother corresponded with James C when she was in Grammar school, though I would place James C death more likely about 1917 as he was born in 1824 and lived almost to 100 by your account. My mother says they lived on a thoroughbred horse ranch in Rising Sun IN across the river from Kentucky. James C rode Riverboats on the Mississippi. Mom said he was a notorious gambler and lost the family fortune after the Civil War except for a house he bought in Kansas City his wife made him buy or build. He was supposed to have earned his living thereafter as a carpenter. He fought for the North in the Civil War. I assume the connection between Peter Huston and James C. as Peer should have been his grandfather, but never checked. Library in Rising Sun what my mother wrote has James C as a Private in Grant's army. Probably saw action at Shilo. Military records would be interesting. He wrote my mother and claimed to ride the range with Sam Huston's sons when Texas was a Repbulic. The claim they were cousins seems according to the Huston Legacy to be false. They may well have thought they were cousins, the frontier then being unsettled. When James C fought the Civil War his brothers and family left for Canada. I'm surprised to see the rest of you there now.
My youngest brother has Down's Syndrome. My brother Michael takes care of him. Michael is now a successful San Jose landlord and Real Estate Investor. I'm a scholar in US History and economics with my 4th and latest book "StateCraft and War" on my web page. I think it's my breakout book. Agent Barbara Bauer of Matawan NJ. Hopes are to be a puslished author in the next 3 or 4 years Been writing as you may note in my Memoir on my web page. Your detailed history is very helpful. I'll pass it along to my brother. Hope the background story is enlightening, if true. I have no way of knowing. Perhaps Matt could shed some light with his friend in the Mormon Church.
Subject: Huston family tree on rootsweb I think you about got it. But I was unhappy not to see a link to Peter Huston. That would have cinched the relations with James Town. May still tie back there but it would be quite a job to go further. Maxwell seems to be the key. In any case they old legend they knew the Boones or had married into their family may still be true.
The tree my uncle thinks is ours is on www.rootsweb.com. Search under family trees then search family trees and then type in Christopher Huston born 1770. Christopher begat Maxfield who begat James C who begat your Grandpa Ollie. See what you think. If Maxfield is our ancestor this is what the history would look like:
- Christopher Huston b 1770 in PA died June 1, 1845 Rising Sun IN Married Mary Connell May 10, 1802 in Newport, Campbell Co KY (Christopher had up to 9 children)
- Maxfield Huston was one of their children, born in Indiana in 1803, died Aug 1, 1873 in Rising Sun IL
- his wife Electa Fisher born April 15, 1804 and died 1866 in Rising Sun IL
- James Charles Huston born 1835 in Rising Sun IN married Cassandra in 1857
- JC and Cassandra "Kate" had Carrie 1858, Emma 1861, Platt 1864
- Civil War ended in 1865
- 1865 Maxfield, Electa and their whole family of sons and daughters (including James C) moved to Illinois and named the new town Rising Sun IL
- 1866 Electa dies
- 1870 census in White County IL shows JC, Kate, Carrie 12, Emma 9, Platt 5
- 1873 Maxfield dies
- 1873 James C and his brother Dave and their families move to Hutchinson KS
- 1880 census in Walnut KS shows: James 45, Kate 38, Platt 17, John W. 7, Ollie S. 3
Yes, I too remember something about their being a father of James C. named James. Two James C.?? What do we do about the photo in the Rising Sun Indianca Library of a James C. Hustorn in the Military for Grant on the side of the north.
Your account would place James C. In 'Dogtown' at the time of the Civil War. Yet I remember my mother saying he was a proud vetran of the CIvil War. A check on his militatry record... They have them in Washignton... wouold clear this matter up.
But yes, I could see a Maxwell, being a rich horse rancehr like the legend says. ANd James C. traveling on the Mississippi for his father. The story of the break up of the family farm also jives. AS I remeber James C. sold off his sahre before moving to Kansas. DO yo have a lead ono him becoming a Carpenter in Walnut. Wher is Walnut in relation to Kansas City. Wher I have them.
Your businsess card of my Grandfather Ollie is very true to form. He was a barber in Downtown aSan Jose most of his life while he lived here after giving up farming in Morgan Hill (on the outskirts of San Jose) His brother in Lw, Charles Larson, was a restraunt owner in San Jose, he came out here with his wife, Hidla's family, and Chalrles ran for City Council, much as I did in 1982.
Am confused abouit what you donwloaded oon me. DCan not get it to duplicate. But Back to Maxwell, perhaps it was he, not James C. thqat came from a family of 10. ANd Christorper may be realated to Peter Hustor further back.a s the family origins may still stem from the brothers landing in James Twon a century earlier.
I'm satisfied this ties up many of the losse ends , but opens some questrions about James C. service in the Civil War, as the story yo have indicates he may have bought a substittue, they did that then, to explain two children born at the begining and end of the War. But again a check onhis miliatary record, if there is one, would clear that up.
Tim Fitzgerald, San JOSe, Ca.
PS the Memoir I had posted on my web site was three volumes of three hundred pages each. Unlikely you have seen the entire work. It just finished this summer. A snail mail address would allow me to send a copy free gratis to you should you be intersted. My agent is Barbara Bauer, of 179 Washington AVe. Matawan, New Jersey, (accros the Hudson river from Manhatten)
Tim
From: "Karen Richardson"