Houston Surname – Access Genealogy

Biography of Captain James Houston

Captain James Houston was born in 1747, and was an early and devoted friend of liberty. In the battle of Ramsour’s Mill, near the present town of Lincolnton, he took an active part, and by his undaunted courage greatly contributed to the defeat of the Tories on that occasion. During the engagement Captain Houston was severely wounded in the thigh, from the effects of which he never fully recovered. Seeing the man who inflicted the severe and painful wound he shot him in the back and killed him as he ran. When it was ascertained that Cornwallis had crossed the … Read more

History of Ontario County, New York, part 2

The History of Ontario County, New York genealogical section provides an extensive array of surnames, indicating the comprehensive nature of the section in Part 2. These genealogies not only serves as a reference for individuals researching family histories but also reflects the diverse settler and immigrant populations that have contributed to the fabric of Ontario County. Each surname represents a family’s journey, struggles, and contributions to the county’s development over centuries.

Genealogy of the descendants of John Walker of Wigton, Scotland

Genealogy of the descendants of John Walker of Wigton, Scotland, with records of a few allied families : also war records and some fragmentary notes pertaining to the history of Virginia, 1600-1902

Governor Houston at His Trading Post on the Verdigris

In February, 1828, the vanguard of Creek immigrants arrived at the Creek Agency on the Verdigris, in charge of Colonel Brearley, and they and the following members of the McIntosh party were located on a section of land that the Government promised in the treaty of 1826 to purchase for them. By the treaty of May 6, 1828, the Government assigned the Cherokee a great tract of land, to which they at once began to remove from their homes in Arkansas. The movement had been under way for some months when there appeared among the Indians the remarkable figure of Samuel Houston. The biographers of Houston have told the world next to nothing of his sojourn of three or four years in the Indian country, an interesting period when he was changing the entire course of his life and preparing for the part he was to play in the drama of Texas.

Biography of Robert Houston

Robert Houston, son of Robert and — (Melvin) Houston, was born in 1821, in Glasgow, Scotland, and died in 1856, in Farmington, New York. His father and mother lived and died in Scotland. His brother James was a merchant in England, and afterward in California. Robert Houston was educated in the common schools of his native land and learned the trade of shoemaker, which he followed until 1845, when he came to this country. He stayed for a short time in New York City, and then made his home in Canandaigua, New York. where he was employed first by See … Read more

Establishment of Fort Smith in 1817

The white population in Arkansas in 1817 had increased to several thousand, whose protection, as well as that of the Cherokee people living in that territory, from the continued hostilities of the Osage, required the establishment of a military post at the western border dividing the white settlements from the Osage. From Saint Louis came further news of threatened hostilities by the Osage near Clermont’s Town, and a report that Major William Bradford with a detachment of United States riflemen, and accompanied by Major Long, topographical engineer, had left that city for the purpose of establishing a military post on … Read more

History of Long Beach, California

The “Long Beach Community Book,” authored by Walter H. Case and published in 1948 by A.H. Cawston, is an extensive exploration of the history and development of Long Beach, California. The book is divided into two main sections: a historical narrative and biographical sketches. The first part of the book offers a detailed account of Long Beach’s evolution from its early beginnings to a thriving city. It covers various aspects of the city’s growth, including its geographical advantages, municipal governance, public facilities, educational institutions, and notable events such as epochal oil discoveries and the impact of wartime activities. The narrative also addresses challenges faced by the city, such as land subsidence and the major issue of tideland rights. The second part of the book comprises biographical sketches of significant Long Beach citizens, both past and present, highlighting their contributions to the community.

Biographies of the Cherokee Indians

1830 Map of Cherokee Territory in Georgia

Whatever may be their origins in antiquity, the Cherokees are generally thought to be a Southeastern tribe, with roots in Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee, among other states, though many Cherokees are identified today with Oklahoma, to which they had been forcibly removed by treaty in the 1830s, or with the lands of the Eastern Band of Cherokees in western North Carolina. The largest of the so-called Five Civilized Tribes, which also included Choctaws, Chickasaws, Creeks, and Seminoles, the Cherokees were the first tribe to have a written language, and by 1820 they had even adopted a form of government … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Mrs. Lee Houston

(See Ward) Stella Lenora, daughter of Lovell Peabody and Johnanna (Powell) Ballard, born in Delaware District, August 23, 1900. Educated at Ketchum. Married at Siloam Springs, Arkansas, September 2, 1916, Lee, son of A. P. and Mary Houston, born July 26, 1892 in Berry County, Missouri. They are the parents of: Lillie May, born July 15, 1917 and Mary Ann Houston, born March 31, 1920. Mr. Houston is a farmer near Ketchum. Nancy, daughter of James and Sidney (Redding) Ward was born Jan. 29, 1830. Married Sept. 21, t845, Cal Dean Gunter, born March 30, 1818. He died March 27, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Dr. C. M. Houston

The C. M. Houston family is an old pioneer family, only three of this large family are living in the county at this time: Columbus, Julia and Mary. They are all married and are doing well, and are good citizens of Hopkins County. Miss Julia married Mark Fuqua; Miss Mary married John Longino.

Governor Stokes’s Uncompleted Plans

Governor Montfort Stokes, appointed Cherokee sub-agent in 1836, faced significant challenges at Fort Gibson, including inadequate office space and limited authority. Despite his complaints, he worked to protect Native American land rights, particularly for the Osage mixed-blood descendants of Auguste P. Chouteau. During his tenure, he mediated Cherokee factional disputes and safeguarded vital legal documents. Replaced in 1841, he later served as sub-agent for the Seneca, Shawnee, and Quapaw. Stokes died in 1842 at Fort Gibson, honored with a military funeral. A Revolutionary War veteran and former North Carolina governor, his dedication to public service spanned decades.

The San Antonio Story

San Antonio Texas in 1854 looking west from La Villita

“The San Antonio Story” by Sam Woolford, with contributions from his wife Bess Carroll Woolford, is a history of San Antonio, Texas. Published in 1950 by Joske’s of Texas, the book was conceived as a remedy for the lack of historical knowledge among San Antonio’s school children, a concern identified by Herbert U. Rhodius, chairman of the Municipal Advertising Commission of San Antonio in 1948-49. Rhodius and his colleagues believed that a readable and authentic history could address this educational gap, making it suitable supplementary reading for public junior high schools.

Index to Testimony of Mississippi Choctaw Applications

Mississippi Choctaw group wearing traditional garb, c. 1908

Index to Testimony of Mississippi Choctaw Applications, taken in Mississippi in January and February, 1899

Brown Genealogy

In 1895, Cyrus Henry Brown began collecting family records of the Brown family, initially with the intention of only going back to his great-grandfathers. As others became interested in the project, they decided to trace the family lineage back to Thomas Brown and his wife Mary Newhall, both born in the early 1600s in Lynn, Massachusetts. Thomas, John, and Eleazer, three of their sons, later moved to Stonington, Connecticut around 1688. When North Stonington was established in 1807, the three brothers were living in the southern part of the town. Wheeler’s “History of Stonington” contains 400 records of early descendants of the Brown family, taken from the town records of Stonington. However, many others remain unidentified, as they are not recorded in the Stonington town records. For around a century, the descendants of the three brothers lived in Stonington before eventually migrating to other towns in Connecticut and New York State, which was then mostly undeveloped. He would eventually write this second volume of his Brown Genealogy adding to and correcting the previous edition. This book is free to search, read, and/or download.

List 3, Cherokees

List of Cherokees and Cherokee Freedmen whose names were omitted from final rolls because no application was made or by reason of mistake or oversight. Shows the names of 125 Cherokees by blood and 2 Cherokee freedmen all except 5 being minors, and most of them less than 4 years of age March 4, 1906.

Biographical Sketches of Distingushed Officers of the Army and Navy

The following seventy-five biographies feature distinguished officers from the Army and Navy during the last half of the 19th century. Included with each biography is a photograph, which we have included as a gallery at the bottom of this page. These particular men were chosen by the editor for their patriotism to the flag.

Slave Narrative of Luke Towns

Interviewer: Rachel A. Austin Person Interviewed: Luke Towns Location: Jacksonville, Florida Age: 100+(?) A Centenarian Luke Towns, a centenarian, now residing at 1335 West Eighth Street, Jacksonville, Florida, was the ninth child born to Maria and Like Towns, slaves, December 34, 1835, in a village in Tolberton County, Georgia. Mr. Town’s parents were owned by Governor Towns, whose name was taken by all the children born on the plantation; he states that he was placed on the public blocks for sale, and was purchased by a Mr. Mormon. At the marriage of Mr. Mormon’s daughter, Sarah, according to custom, he … Read more

Earliest Known Traders on Arkansas River

With the help of contemporary records it is possible to identify some of the early traders at the Mouth of the Verdigris. Even before the Louisiana Purchase, hardy French adventurers ascended the Arkansas in their little boats, hunting, trapping, and trading with the Indians, and recorded their presence if not their identity in the nomenclature of the adjacent country and streams, now sadly corrupted by their English-speaking successors. French Influence in Arkansas One of the first of the French traders up the Arkansas whose name has been recorded was Joseph Bogy, an early resident of the old French town, Arkansas … Read more

Biography of Samuel Dexter Houston

Samuel Dexter Houston. One of the very first settlers in Riley County, Kansas, was Samuel Dexter Houston, who located a claim on Wildcat Creek and built a cabin there, in December, 1853. He was one of the county’s foremost citizens for more than a half century and his name is linked with some of the most important events in its early history and with those of other representative men of his time. He was conspicuous in the councils that worked on the construction of the Kansas State Constitution. Samuel Dexter Houston was born at Columbus, Ohio, June 11, 1818, and … Read more

Washington Irving at Fort Gibson, 1832

The McIntosh Creeks had been located along Arkansas River near the Verdigris on fertile timbered land which they began at once to clear, cultivate, and transform into productive farms. The treaty of 1828 with the Cherokee gave the latter a great tract of land on both sides of Arkansas River embracing that on which the Creeks were located. This was accomplished by a blunder of the Government officials, in the language of the Secretary of War, “when we had not a correct knowledge of the location of the Creek Indians nor of the features of the country.” This situation produced … Read more