Flipside: October 2025

Find A Grave photograph
by Nicholas Laraway 2023

Mary and Purnell Houston
Tombstones back to back
My photograph

Mary
Houston
Born 18--
Departed this life
January 31, 1830 ?

Mary Houston and her husband Purnell Houston were originally buried in the Old Hill Family Cemetery. In 1928 their caskets along with the caskets of Robert and Rebecca Caldwell Hill were removed from the Old Hill Family Cemetery to Mt. Union Cemetery.

There is a controversy surrounding Mary's maiden name. Tomlinson/Tumlinson and Carey are both shown in various documents. Was she married to someone else before Purnell? Did Purnell marry two separate women with the name of Mary?

One of the clues in determining her possible maiden name is the will of Cary Tumlinson of Kent County, Delaware dated November 18, 1790. He bequeath one half part of his estate to Mary Houston to be paid annually in the sum of pounds until her amount of the estate is reached. If she should die before the amount is reached, then the annual amount is to be divided among her living children until then reach the age of twenty-one.

"and whereas it is the wish of Purnel Houston and the said Mary Houston his wife--that the said Mary Houston should relinquish her claim of twenty pounds per year and that the said bequest should be received in one sum and laid out in lands in the counties of Monongalia or Harrison Commonwealth of Virginia for the benefit of said Mary Houston and that such lands when purchases shall be made the surity to William Candy who was left executor of the will afordsaid. Provided he should be willing to pay the aforesaid bequest in one sum. Therefore we Purnel Houston and Mary Houston wife of said Purnel, do by these present constitute and appoint Benjamin Reeder of Morgan Town in the county of Monongalia in the Commonwealth of Virginia our true and lawful attorney"

Benjamin Reeder was to facilitate the above portion of the will for Mary and Purnell. The above was signed by both Mary and Purnell on October 3, 1796.

Mary and Purnell's daughter, Sarah Houston Hill, named a son Alexander Carey Hill, perhaps for her maternal uncle Cary Tumlinson?

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© 2025, copyright Linda Hughes Hiser

The Lanham family dates back to 1678 in Prince Georges County when John Lanham first arrived on the Ship Dover from London along with 33 other passengers. John Lanham was indentured to Benjamin Rorer. According to county documents, John was born circa 1660 and died in 1751. He had two wives, Dorothy and Elizabeth. A son, William born circa 1700 to John and Dorothy Lanham. He married Alice Tolburt and they were probably the parents of John Lanham and the grandparents of William. The only other known sibling of William Lanham is his sister Drusilla.

William Lanham, my paternal great great great great great grandfather, was born on February 4, 1753 to John and Catherine Lanham. The Lanham family lived in Prince Georges County, Maryland and there are records to indicate that William was born in Piscataway Parish.

My paternal great great great great grandmother, Catherine Ferguson has two different records of birth. Only years are given--1756 and 1757. She was the daughter of John Ferguson and Bathsheba Griffith. Prince Georges County, Maryland is the location given for Catherine's birth.

In 1772, at age nineteen, William purchased 400 acres of land in Monongalia County, (West) Virginia (Core, 204)

At this point in the story there surfaces a discrepancy in dates. There are records that William Lanham and Catherine Ferguson were married as early as 1774 and a Maryland record for August 29, 1777.

There is a record on August 29, 1777 that twenty-four year old William Lanham married Catherine Ferguson the 21/22 year old daughter of John Ferguson and Bathsheba Griffith also of Prince Georges County.

This is the first discrepancy I found of the marriage date of 1777. On June 28, 1774 a deed was recorded from Catherine Ferguson, widow, of Prince Georges County, Maryland to her granddaughter, Catherine Lanham of Prince Georges County, Maryland, wife of William Lanham, a Deed of Gift, for "one negro girl named Lucy about two years old."

1776 Parish Census Record

There is a Prince George Parish of Prince Georges County, Maryland record in 1776 that shows William and Catherine as married. There is one male white age 15 to 50 and 2 female whites. William is listed as age 26 and Catherine age 2? and an 18 year old. Catherine's age is difficult to read. No slaves are listed. The 18 year old could be a sibling of either William or Catherine or live in house help that is white. Note that Catherine's parents, John and Bathsheba Ferguson are also enumerated on the same page.

There is a listing in the Muster Rolls of Maryland for William Lanham enrolled in Frederick County, Maryland on July 13, 1776 for service in The American Revolution.(Maryland Historical Society, 43) There are Lanham's all throughout Maryland at this time and I have not determined whether or not this William Lanham is my paternal great great great great great grandfather.

There are records of only three children born to the Lanham's. Sometime before 1790, William and Catherine headed west, moving their family to Monongalia County, Virginia which today is Morgantown, West Virginia. Catherine's parents, the Ferguson's also moved to Morgantown and were property owners by 1786. There seems to be some question as to whether Vilender Lanham (my paternal great great great great grandmother) was born in Maryland or Virginia. Perhaps this is due to the fact that the Lanham's were in the process of moving west during her birth.

William Lanham owned property and slaves in Monongalia County. He was a saddler by trade and also farmed. The first record of the family in Morgantown is dated July 25, 1790. Bishop Francis Asbury, the great Methodist circuit rider, paid his third visit to Morgantown and spent the night at the home of "William Lenham sadlor." (Core, 183)

In 1799, William served as a jailer for 50 cents a day in Morgantown. During the early 1800's, William served on a variety of grand juries in Monongalia County and was asked to testify for many court cases. He was also asked to help survey some of the early roads that were laid from Morgantown.

From 1800-1807 there are annual court documents regarding the Ferguson estate, for which William Lanham was an executor.

Catherine Lanham also has some records in the county court. In 1803 she had a peace bond sworn out against her by George R. Tingle and in 1806 Catherine was asked to testify that she delivered of Sarah Foster, widow, a male bastard child and in 1811, listed as “Cathy Lanham” she was summoned to testify at court.

1801 Tax Record
Monongalia County, (West) Virginia

There are numerous records of William and Catherine Lanham in Monongalia County beginning in 1800. William is part of the early tax records dating 1801, 1802, 1804 and 1805.

1810 (West) Virginia Census
Monongalia County
August 6, 1810

Wm Lanham

Males age 45 and over--1 William Lanham

Females under 10 years old--1 Mary Lanham

Females age 10 through 15--1 Vilender Lanham

Females age 45 and over--1 Catherine Ferguson Lanham

Enslaved Persons--3

It is interesting to note one paternal great great great great great grandfather, William Lanham sold 134 acres on October 27, 1817 to another paternal great great great great great William Frum for $269.00. In 1818 these two families were not united. On May 14, 1839 William Lanham Pool married Anna Louise Frum, my paternal great great great grandparents.

1820 (West) Virginia Census
Eastern Division, Monongalia County
August 7, 1820

William Landan (Lanham)

Males age 45 and over--1 William Lanham

Female age 16 thru 25--1 Mary Lanham

Female age 45 and over--1 Catherine Ferguson Lanham

Male Slave under age 14--1

Male Slave age 26 thru 45--1

Male Slave age 45 and over--1

Female Slave age 14 thru 25--1

Persons engaged in agriculture--1

I can find no 1830 census enumeration for William or Catherine Lanham. Her only living child, Mary Lanham Morgan does not have seniors enumerated in her family.

There are two Lanham's enumerated in Monongalia County, Benjamin W. Lanham and Thomas Lanham. I have no knowledge if these two men are members of my Lanham family or how they connect. Benjamin does have a white woman in Catherine's age group enumerated and he is living in the Eastern District where William and Catherine lived. Thomas Lanham, also living in the Eastern District does not have a white woman Catherine's age enumerated with the family.

Of interest are the other Lanham families (Clement, Archibald, Thomas) living in Monongalia County in the late 1790's and early 1800's. There are no records indicating that they are related. Both Benjamin W. Lanham and Thomas Lanham mentioned above are sons of Archibald Lanham and both were born in Prince Georges County, Maryland. There is a widow, Lucy Ann Lanham, born in Maryland in 1767. In the 1850 Eastern District, Monongalia County census she is enumerated with Rebecca Lanham.

William Lanham died in 1830. His will is dated August 31, 1830 and probated November, 1830. The will only covers the property of his deceased son, Alexander Ferguson Lanham that was willed to William and is in the chancellery court. He desired Charles S. Morgan to prosecute and recover those lands. His son-in-law, Asby Pool also received a parcel of land in the South Park area of Morgantown.

Charles Stephen Morgan was at the time of the will, residing in Monongalia County and a member of the Virginia State Senate. Charles was the brother of Henry Somerville Morgan, William Lanham's son-in-law.

The exact date of Catherine Ferguson Lanham's death is unknown. She signed the Will of her husband in November 1830 but she is not part of the 1840 federal census.

It is unknown where both William and Catherine Lanham are buried.

Known children of William Lanham and Catherine Ferguson:

Alexander Ferguson Lanham born 1773? died in (West) Virginia prior to 1830. County records show that Alexander purchased 100 acres in Dunkard Creek in Monongalia County in 1794. There are a few court records for him in 1807. Alexander F. Lanham has delinquent tax records for property owned in Alexander Brandon’s District in 1809 and 1810. His estate was in the Court of Chancery at Clarksburg, (West) Virginia in 1830 and he willed his property to Charles Morgan, the brother of Henry Somerville Morgan, his sister, Mary’s, husband.
Vilender Lanham born 1785 died circa 1830 in Monongalia County married Reverend Asby Pool. (my paternal great great great great grandparents)
Mary Lanham born August 23, 1803 in Monongalia County, (West) Virginia died June 23, 1889 married Henry Somerville Morgan about 1824. Henry Somerville Morgan was the grandson of David Morgan the celebrated Indian fighter. He was a tanner and the family lived in the Paw Paw District of Marion County in Rivesville. Henry and Mary raised eight children: Louise M. Morgan born about 1825 married John C. Gallahue and had one son, Harry; Charles R. born in October 23, 1823 married Harriet Fairfax and had one child, May who married C.W. Wolfe; William Lanham Morgan born January 6, 1831 a physician; Edward Livingston Morgan born about 1833 married Susan Ellen Barnes and Eliza Weltz; Stephen A. Morgan born about 1835 married Louise Huffman and had Stephana and Otilla; Sarah K. Morgan born about 1839; and Henry H. B. Morgan, a minister, born July 3, 1847 married Myrtle Merrill and had Lily Sarah who married W. W. Davis and Eva Myrtle who married R.A. Watts.

Henry died September 26, 1873 and Mary died on June 23, 1886.

Sources

Core, Earl. The Monongalia Story. Prelude, McClain Publishing, date?, page 204.

Core, Earl. The Monongalia Story. I. The Pioneers, McClain Publishing, 1976, page 183.

Maryland Historical Society, Muster Rolls and Other Records of Service in the American Revolution 1775-1783, Genealogical Publishing Company, Baltimore, Maryland, 1900.

I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. All comments are welcome; however, if they are inappropriate, they will not be published. PLEASE post your e-mail in the comment section if you would like to network about a particular surname or topic. I will capture it for my use only and not include it when I publish your comment.