Purnell Houston was born on February 1, 1755 in Somerset County, Maryland to Robert H. Houston and Mary Purnell. Mary died one year after Purnell's birth leaving her two children, Mary and Purnell, in her husband's care. Robert Houston moved from Maryland to Sussex County, Delaware where he met Priscilla Laws and married her in 1757. Purnell was raised in Sussex County, Delaware along with his sister and 13 step brothers and sisters.
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| January 1, 1791 Marriage |
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| 1775 Marriage |
Purnell married Mary Tumlinson (Tomlinson). A record of this marriage was found in a book of Delaware marriages in 1791; however, there is a DAR source that lists Mary's name as Mary Carey and the marriage solemnized in 1775. The maiden name of Purnell's wife has been a question for many. Was he married to two different women named Mary? The year of his first child's birth has been listed as 1777.
Purnell traveled to Philadelphia to be an apprentice to Master Young, a saddle maker. About the first of February, 1776 Purnell finished his apprenticeship and returned home to Sussex County, Delaware.
In March, 1776 at the age of 21, he volunteered for service as a private in the Revolutionary War under Captain John Hazzard. He spent two months in a troop of about 30 soldiers that guarded the Capes of Delaware watching for British ships that were in the waters near the Capes.
Purnell was discharged from this service and in November, 1776 he volunteered in Philadelphia in a company of Pennsylvania militia commanded by Captain Chambers which was attached to General Cadwallader's brigade. These troops were raised to guard against the enemy who was over running New Jersey.
In the later part of November or early December, Purnell's troop was encamped near Trenton, New Jersey on the opposite side of the River. The enemy was in possession of Trenton and on Christmas Eve, Purnell fought in the famous Battle of Trenton in which the American soldiers crossed over to Trenton and defeated 900 Hessian soldiers. The General in charge of this attack was George Washington.
Following this battle, Purnell marched to a place called Blackbird which was located in New Jersey. In early January, 1777 the troops marched back to Trenton where they held a bridge against the British soldiers. Purnell left at night with his troops, under the leadership of General George Washington, for Princeton and attacked the British.
From Princeton his troop marched to Somerset Courthouse, to Pluckemin and finally to Morristown which was the winter quarters for the American soldiers. About the last of March, 1777, Purnell's troop marched back to Philadelphia where he was discharged.
In April, 1777 an agent of Colonel Bland of the Virginia Cavalry contacted Master Young to attend to the saddles and bridles of the cavalry's horses. Master Young asked Purnell to serve with him for two months in the service of the army from Virginia.
After this term, Purnell joined Master Young as a hand on a ship that was going to Boston from Philadelphia by way of Egg Harbor. On the return to Philadelphia, around Rhode Island, the ship was captured by The Unicorn, a hostile vessel. Purnell was held prisoner for eight or nine weeks.
After his release, he went to New London and once again joined the Revolution in service on a brig called the Privateer. Purnell never sailed, he became sick with prison ship fever and was left in New London until the ship returned from duty. In September, 1778 he sailed back to Philadelphia, ending his time of service in the American Revolution.
Purnell returned home to Sussex County, Delaware and began to build a life with his wife, Mary. Purnell has a land assessment listing in 1785 and 1787 in Cedar Creek Hundred, Sussex County, Delaware. (Miller and Sweet)
On the 1790 Reconstructed Census of Delaware, Purnell is enumerated in Mispillion Hundred in Kent County. I have been told that Purnell was willed land by his grandfather John Houston, but to date I have not located the legal documentation. (Miller)
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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Monongalia County and District Court Records
Volume 1
1776-1799 |
Although I have seen that the Houston family removed to Monongalia County, (West) Virginia as early as 1790, the first record is dated 1797.
In Monongalia County, Purnell was one of the local saddle makers. He and Mary also operated a dry goods store and in 1801 he obtained a license to "keep an ordinary (tavern) at the house formerly occupied by Thomas Pindell, deceased, at the forks of the road."
The Houston family has many listings in the early 1800 Monongalia district and county court records. Purnell must not have been a very successful financial manager as he was in debt to a good many people. He owed a number of men saddles for which he had received payment and a doctor for small pox shots given to his family.
There are entries of debt to Mary (Polly) for goods bought in the store. Polly was not a quiet, retiring woman. A peace bond was taken out against her for threats that she had made to a man who owed her money!
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1801 Monongalia County, Virginia
Personal Property Taxes
Joseph Trickett, Commissioner
One male over 18 years old
 | 1802 Monongalia County Virginia
Personal Property Taxes
John Evans, Clerk
April 27, 1802
1 male over 18
 | 1805 Monongalia County Virginia
Personal Property Taxes
Rawley Martin's District
1 male over 18
1 horse, colt, mule |
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1810 Virginia Census
Monongalia County
August 6, 1810
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Purnel Houston
Free White Males under age 10--2--Unknown children, perhaps grandchildren
Free White Males age 10-15--1 Purnell Houston (son)
Free White Males over age 45--1 Purnell Houston
Free White Females under age 10--1 Elizabeth Houston
Free White Females age 10-15--2--Sarah Houston and Rhoda Houston
Free White Females age 26-45--1 Mary Houston
1813 List of Tithables, Monongalia County, (West)
Virginia
Purnell Houston--2 males over the age of 18 and 3 horses
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1820 Virginia Census
Eastern Division, Monongalia County
August 20, 1820
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Purnell Houston
Free White Males age 16 thru 25--2 Unknown
Free White Males age 26-44--1 Purnell Houston (son)
Free White Males age 45 and over--1 Purnell Houston
Free White Females age 16-25--1 Elizabeth Houston
Free White Females age 45 and over--1 Mary Houston
Number of Persons Engaged in Agriculture--3
Mary died at age seventy in Monongalia County on January 31, 1830. She was buried in the Old Hill Cemetery. Robert and Rebecca Caldwell Hill were friends of the Houston's and my paternal great great great great grandparents. The Hill Cemetery was dismantled in 1928 and the bodies of the Houston's and Hill's were moved to Mount Union Cemetery, Monongalia County, West Virginia.
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1830 Virginia Census
Eastern District Monongalia County |
Pernel Houston
Free White Males age 5 thru 9--1
Free White Males age 30 thru 39--2--Purnell Houston (son)
Free White Males age 70 thru 79--Purnell Houston
Free White Females age 10 thru 14--1
After Mary's death, Purnell went to live with one of his daughters, Sarah Houston Hill and her family. Purnell had no income or resources of his own and was 75 years of age.
In 1832, he applied for a pension due him from his service in the Revolutionary War. His pension was approved and he received $93.25 in two years.
In 1834, an attorney for the United States, Washington G. Singleton, traveled to Monongalia County to interview Purnell regarding his service in the revolution. Singleton determined that Purnell had not served a sufficient amount of time to receive a pension. Singleton not only canceled the pension, but threatened to prosecute Purnell to obtain the $93.25 that he had received from the government.
Purnell was 80 years old, infirmed and afflicted with palsy at the time of the threat. Joseph D. Hill, Purnell's son-in-law, was persuaded to become his security. Joseph signed the note which was due in 1836 to diffuse what had become an intolerable situation for his father-in-law. Unfortunately for Joseph, assisting his father-in-law, would be a "thorn in his side" for the next 16 years, almost until his own death.
Before payment of the note became due, Purnell Houston died on March 9, 1835 in Monongalia County, (West) Virginia at the age of 80. He is buried beside his wife Mary at Mount Union Cemetery in Monongalia County, West Virginia. Children of Purnell and Mary Houston:
- Susanna Houston born 1777 in Sussex County, Delaware married 1800 in Monongalia County, (West) Virginia William Hollefield.
- James Houston born 1780 in Sussex County, Delaware died 1858 in Monroe County, Indiana married Jane Eckles December 1, 1807.
- Robert Houston born July 6, 1781 in Sussex County, Delaware died January 24, 1873 in Monongalia County, West Virginia married Rose Ann Baer.
- William Houston born 1782 in Sussex County, Delaware died June 8, 1861 married Ellis Abigail Baker.
- Sophia Houston born about 1793 in Sussex County, Delaware died after 1822 married William Issac Dean.
- Sarah Houston born 1791 in Kent County, Delaware died 1878 in Monongalia County, West Virginia married Joseph Davidson Hill. My paternal great great great grandparents
- Rhoda Houston born 1793in Kent County, Delaware died July 22 1870 in Tyler county, West Virginia married William J. Hill.
- Purnell Houston born 1794 in Kent County, Delaware died June 4, 1881 in Monongalia County, West Virginia married Sarah McVicker.
- Elizabeth Houston born December 23, 1802 in Monongalia County, (West) Virginia died January 30, 1859 in Maidsville, Virginia married John Sanders II.
Sources
Miller, Peggy, Research shared with me.
Sweet, R.R., Genealogies of West Virginian Families From the West Virginia Historical Quarterly 1901-1905, "The Houstons of Monongalia", Clearfield Publishing, pages 99-102.
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