Daniel Houston

Biography

Hannah Johnson (1756-1836), daughter of Thomas Johnson, 2nd (1730-1758) and Mary Patton (1729 -1804).

She married Daniel Stewart Houston (1748-1826) in 1775 at Pequea, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

Daniel Houston 1st died in 1837 and is buried in Mt. Hope church yard near West Middletown, Pa. This was, no doubt, the place where he worshipped.

They had 8 children,

1. III. John
2. III. Hannah
3. III. Daniel
4. III. Nancy
5. III. Nancy (again)
6. III. Lydia
7. III. Polly
8. III. Martha

   ---

   
   

History of Daniel Houston
Contributed By Alan L. Clark
https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/memories/LHZS-5GR
Margaret E. Houston. The Houstons of Pequea. [Place Unknown]: Margaret E. Houston, [1923]. pages 60-64.

Daniel Houston, second son of John Houston, the immigrant, was born in Pequea, Lancaster county, Pa., in 1754. His name is found among the “Associators”—men, who, as early as 1775, banded together “in order to make ourselves perfect in the art of military,” and continued in military service during the Revolutionary War. The men were divided into small companies called “Classes,” and were called on for a “tour of duty” when needed. Later they became the regular Militia of Lancaster County.

Daniel Houston was 2nd Lieutenant in Captain Slaymaker’s company, 7th Battalion, Lancaster county Militia, Penna. Volunteers, John Boyd, Col. from 1777 to the close of the war. His name is on the pension list “July 3rd, 1834, aged 80 years.” He was then living in Washington county.

By his father’s will Daniel is left “All that tract of land known by the name of ‘London Land’ with the one half of what I have on Octorara Hill to the south of his place, which is about thirty acres, for which he must pay Isaac Taylor for part of said land and likewise pay seven hundred pounds to Christian Bomberger and the Trustees of Philadelphia College, which I Owe them.”

Some old tax lists of Lancaster county show that he was paying taxes in Strasburg Township in the years 1772, -73, -79, -82. Soon after this he moved to the neighborhood of Greencastle, Franklin county, where some of his children were born. After a few years there he moved on to Washington county, settling in Cross Creek township, near Cross Creek village, where he bought a farm, built a substantial log house on it and spent the remainder of his life as a farmer.

This home he left to his daughter, Nancy, who cared for him in his old age. It was built with regard to danger from Indians, the door being made of double planks thickly studded with nails. This house stood until a few years ago and was a landmark in the county, known as the “Nancy Houston place.”

In … , Daniel Houston married Hannah Johnston, a member of an old and prominent family of Lancaster Co. (Her brother Thomas Johnston, married Anne Houston, a sister of Daniel.)

They had a large family of children and they lived the pioneer life. The horrible massacres, suffering and hindrances inflicted by the Indians had, at times, made the early settlers of Western Pennsylvania almost despair of a permanent settlement there, but they were not only stout-hearted, but discreet. Calling on “The Commandant of the Western Waters” for help against the savages, they set forth, “At the risk of our lives and fortunes, with the assistance of almighty God, we are determined to make a stop here, we look upon it prudent to use the means as well as prayers.” Indian atrocities were at their worst during the Revolutionary War, and though the peace of 1783, which severed them from British influence, and the vigorous measures taken by the Military, subdued them in a measure, they continued hostile for many years. Squads of soldiers from the forts were often sent to protect the people while they gathered in their harvest, and crops were lost and work hindered by fear of the Indians.

In 1782 a petition was sent to Pittsburgh (Fort Pitt) from Cross Creek Settlement, Washington County, for “A guard of eight or ten men to be stationed at the mill of Alexander Wells, to relieve the distressed situation of the frontier inhabitants by the incursions of savages as there are ten forts depending on this mill for their grinding.”

In addition to the military forts where soldiers were stationed the country was dotted over with smaller forts for the safety of the settlers in times of danger. They had outside walls ten or twelve feet high, sometimes with cabins inside, with roof sloping inward so the Indians could not climb them. These were surrounded by a stockade made of heavy logs set on end in the ground and at the corners block houses were built projecting over the wall a foot or two, this space being left open so the besieged could look down on the enemy when they came too near the wall.

The whole of this work was made without the aid of a single nail or spike of iron. There were some twenty forts or block houses in the neighborhood of Cross Creek, many of which can still be traced, and are an interesting study for investigation. Doddridge’s Fort, built by John Doddridge in 17[?], near the present village of West Middletown, on the waters of Buffalo Creek, afterwards came into the hands of Daniel Houston’s son, Daniel, Jr., who bought the farm from Doddridge, secured by patent from the government, it being a part of a tract of land called “Extravagance.”

All patented land was named before sold. The present dwelling house stands on the site of the old fort, and includes a part of the original fort. The spring which supplied water for the fort is yet in use. The farm is still in possession of the Houston heirs.

In 1783, Pittsburgh is described as “A town inhabited almost entirely by Scots and Irish. There are in town four attorneys, two doctors, and not a priest of any persuasion, nor church, nor chapel, so they are likely to be damned without benefit of clergy.” At this time freight by wagon from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia cost from five to ten dollars per hundred weight. Salt sold for five dollars a bushel, iron and steel from fifteen to twenty cents a pound. Grain was abundant but there was no market—Spain owned the mouth of the Mississippi, and railroads had not been invented. Hence the “Whiskey Insurrection.”

Such was the condition of the country when Daniel Houston brought his young family to this environment; but it must be added he brought also his ancestral religion, and his deep, abiding faith that enabled him to look above the forts built by men and sing “A mighty fortess is our God.”¹ In this faith he brough[t] up his two sons and five daughters and lived to see most of them married and settled in comfort around him and prominently identified with the progress and best interests of the community.

One daughter, Nancy, remained single and ministered to his old age. He lived to see the peace and liberty for which he had battled established in the land and the church standing on firm foundations throughout the whole frontier. A few years later, Western Pennsylvania became the stronghold of the denomination of his choice, and in which he had been reared, the Associate Presbyterian, commonly called Seceder, now incorporated in the United Presbyterian Church.

Daniel Houston 1st died in 1837 and is buried in Mt. Hope church yard near West Middletown, Pa. This was, no doubt, the place where he worshipped.

One of his descendants says, “There are several of his family buried there, and also a relative named Johnston from Mercersburg, who died while on a visit in Washington county.” Leaving no will, Daniel’s estate was administered upon by his son, Daniel 2nd, papers being taken out January 3, 1837.

Hannah Johnston, wife of Daniel Houston, b. 1756, d. in Washington county, Pa., Dec. 23, 1826, and is buried beside him in Mt. Hope church yard.

Origins

Robert Houston is often referred to as John Robert Houston. The addition of the name John is an error. No record has been found that lists his name as John or John Robert. There is another male Houston who married a Martha Stewart that has been confused with our Robert Houston. This other man, John Houston, was born abt. 1705, migrated from North Ireland, and married Martha Stewart in 1737. John Houston left a will dated 1 Aug 1769 that was proven on 6 Dec 1769 in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. John Houston and Martha Stewart had nine children. DNA evidence shows that this John Houston was a cousin to our Robert Houston.

---

References

1. https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/K8VT-DB5
2. "History of Daniel Houston" https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/memories/LHZS-5GR
3. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/89842378/hannah-houston
4. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/14858807/mary_johnston
5. https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/LHZS-5GR (shows wrong parents)
6. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/89842415/daniel-houston
7. Note: Rev. War: 2nd Lt., 5th Co.,Capt. Slaymaker., 7th Battalion, Lanc. Co. Militia, Penn's Volunteers, John Boyd, Col. 1777 to close of War. (Question re birth. Gravestone gives death date and age 80. MEH says 1754.)