Individual Details
Dr. William Houston Sr.
(Abt 1710 - 1795)
When the stamp act was passed in 1765, Dr. William Houston was appointed stamp master for the province of Grenville. He had long been one of McCulloh's agents in North Carolina. (Sellers, 1951)
William Houston is a nephew of old Henry McCulloh Esq. Supporting this contention is an April 1780 petition of William Houston to the North Carolina Council in which he states "Henry McCulloh who was Uncle to your Petitioner" and later says "your Petitioner as his Nephew."
In 1738 William Houston came to America with his uncle's (Henry McCulloch / McCullough / McCulloh) family, landing in Charleston, SC in May of that year.
William Houston dc. 1800 and is buried near his home on a high bluff overlooking the Cape Fear River.
Excerpts from Duplin Deeds, Book 1A
(p 1)
p. 1 William Houston, Senr. of Duplin Co. to Edward Houston, 13 May 1784, for $1, a tract of 360A on th ES of the Northeast River of Cape Fear, being part of 840A granted to Henry McCulloh, ESQR. 3 Mar 1745, & later granted to William Houston, Esqr. May 1780, beg. at a stake on the river Griffeth Houston's lower corner & runs with his line S & N to a water oak & gum in Bridle Branch. William Houston & his wife to have lifetime rights on sd. land. Wit: Charles Ward, Joseph Bray, Sen. July Ct. 1784.
(p 2)
p. 20 William Houston, Sen. of Duplin Co., to William Hubbard, 13 May 1784, for $1 a tract of 325A on the ES of the Northeast River, being part of a tract of 840A granted to Henry McCulloh 3 Mar 1745 & granted to William Houston, Esqr. May 1780, beg. at a gum on the East Branch of the Cape Fear River. Wit: W. Dickson, Saml. Houston. July Ct. 1784.
p. 21 William Houston, Senr. of Duplin Co. to Griffeth Houston, 13 May 1784, for $1 a tract of 256A on th ES of the Northeast River of Cape Fear, being part of 840A granted to HENRY McCULLOH, ESQR. 3 Mar 1745, later granted to William Houston, Esqr. May 1780, beg. at a maple & ash on the branch of Cpae Fear River, William Hubbard's lower corner. William Houston & wife to have use of wood on sd. land for their planta. Wit: Charles Ward, Joseph Bray, Senr. July Ct. 1784.
Excerpts from Duplin Deeds, Book 3A
(p 57)
p. 35 Daniel Glisson, Shff., to Stephen Miller, both of Duplin Co., 25 Dec 1793, for 32 pds. current money 100A formerly the property of Eilliam Hubbard & part of the Sarecta survey granted to HENRY McCULLOCH by patent dated 3 Mar 1745 & afterwards granted to William Houston May 1780 & which sd. Houston granted to Griffith Houston who deeded to William Hubbard, beg. at a stake on the river bank at Edward Houston's upper corner to the New River Pond. The Court awarded 30 pds. 10 shill., plus cost of 4 pds. 17 shill. & 4 pence to Henry Goodman & Harry Goodman, exrs. of Timothy Goodman dec'd lately of Lenoir Co., for damages in a suit against sd. Hubbard, owner of the sd. 100A, which was purchased by sd. Miller for 32 pds. at public auction 8 Oct 1793. Winston Caswell, Clerk of the Ct. of Lenoir Co. Wit: Edwd. Pearsall, James Carr. Apr. Ct. 1795.
Noted events in his life were:
• Arrived in Colonies: from County Antrim, Ireland, Abt 1733, Georgia.
• Arrived in New Hanover County, Province of North Carolina: as Land Agent for King George II, 1736.
• Establsihed the first Settlement in Duplin County: Sarecta, by 1750, New Hanover Co., now Duplin
Co., Province of North Carolina.
• Appointed Stamp Master: This appointment was unsolicited and unwanted per Dr. William Houston,
1765, Duplin Co., Province of North Carolina.
• Appointed to Office: Served as Justice of the Peace, 1765, Duplin Co., Province of North Carolina.
• Appointed to Office: Served as Justice of the Peace, 1771, Duplin Co., Province of North Carolina.
• Appointed to Office: Chairman of the Court Martial, 1777, Duplin Co., North Carolina. The courts
duties included hunting down Tories and deserters and bringing them to justice.
• Profession: Served as Physician, Apothocary and Surgeon, 1736-1795, Duplin Co., North Carolina.
(Schart)
William Houston is a nephew of old Henry McCulloh Esq. Supporting this contention is an April 1780 petition of William Houston to the North Carolina Council in which he states "Henry McCulloh who was Uncle to your Petitioner" and later says "your Petitioner as his Nephew."
In 1738 William Houston came to America with his uncle's (Henry McCulloch / McCullough / McCulloh) family, landing in Charleston, SC in May of that year.
William Houston dc. 1800 and is buried near his home on a high bluff overlooking the Cape Fear River.
Excerpts from Duplin Deeds, Book 1A
(p 1)
p. 1 William Houston, Senr. of Duplin Co. to Edward Houston, 13 May 1784, for $1, a tract of 360A on th ES of the Northeast River of Cape Fear, being part of 840A granted to Henry McCulloh, ESQR. 3 Mar 1745, & later granted to William Houston, Esqr. May 1780, beg. at a stake on the river Griffeth Houston's lower corner & runs with his line S & N to a water oak & gum in Bridle Branch. William Houston & his wife to have lifetime rights on sd. land. Wit: Charles Ward, Joseph Bray, Sen. July Ct. 1784.
(p 2)
p. 20 William Houston, Sen. of Duplin Co., to William Hubbard, 13 May 1784, for $1 a tract of 325A on the ES of the Northeast River, being part of a tract of 840A granted to Henry McCulloh 3 Mar 1745 & granted to William Houston, Esqr. May 1780, beg. at a gum on the East Branch of the Cape Fear River. Wit: W. Dickson, Saml. Houston. July Ct. 1784.
p. 21 William Houston, Senr. of Duplin Co. to Griffeth Houston, 13 May 1784, for $1 a tract of 256A on th ES of the Northeast River of Cape Fear, being part of 840A granted to HENRY McCULLOH, ESQR. 3 Mar 1745, later granted to William Houston, Esqr. May 1780, beg. at a maple & ash on the branch of Cpae Fear River, William Hubbard's lower corner. William Houston & wife to have use of wood on sd. land for their planta. Wit: Charles Ward, Joseph Bray, Senr. July Ct. 1784.
Excerpts from Duplin Deeds, Book 3A
(p 57)
p. 35 Daniel Glisson, Shff., to Stephen Miller, both of Duplin Co., 25 Dec 1793, for 32 pds. current money 100A formerly the property of Eilliam Hubbard & part of the Sarecta survey granted to HENRY McCULLOCH by patent dated 3 Mar 1745 & afterwards granted to William Houston May 1780 & which sd. Houston granted to Griffith Houston who deeded to William Hubbard, beg. at a stake on the river bank at Edward Houston's upper corner to the New River Pond. The Court awarded 30 pds. 10 shill., plus cost of 4 pds. 17 shill. & 4 pence to Henry Goodman & Harry Goodman, exrs. of Timothy Goodman dec'd lately of Lenoir Co., for damages in a suit against sd. Hubbard, owner of the sd. 100A, which was purchased by sd. Miller for 32 pds. at public auction 8 Oct 1793. Winston Caswell, Clerk of the Ct. of Lenoir Co. Wit: Edwd. Pearsall, James Carr. Apr. Ct. 1795.
Noted events in his life were:
• Arrived in Colonies: from County Antrim, Ireland, Abt 1733, Georgia.
• Arrived in New Hanover County, Province of North Carolina: as Land Agent for King George II, 1736.
• Establsihed the first Settlement in Duplin County: Sarecta, by 1750, New Hanover Co., now Duplin
Co., Province of North Carolina.
• Appointed Stamp Master: This appointment was unsolicited and unwanted per Dr. William Houston,
1765, Duplin Co., Province of North Carolina.
• Appointed to Office: Served as Justice of the Peace, 1765, Duplin Co., Province of North Carolina.
• Appointed to Office: Served as Justice of the Peace, 1771, Duplin Co., Province of North Carolina.
• Appointed to Office: Chairman of the Court Martial, 1777, Duplin Co., North Carolina. The courts
duties included hunting down Tories and deserters and bringing them to justice.
• Profession: Served as Physician, Apothocary and Surgeon, 1736-1795, Duplin Co., North Carolina.
(Schart)
Events
| Birth | Abt 1710 | County Antrim, Northern Ireland |  |  | |
| Marriage | Abt 1735 | North Carolina, United States - Anna Jones | | ||
| Death | 1795 | Sarecta, Duplin, North Carolina, United States | | ||
| Burial | Houston Family Cemetery, Sarecta, Duplin, North Carolina, United States | |
Families
| Spouse | Anna Jones (1715 - 1805) |
| Child | Samuel Houston (1735 - 1801) |
| Child | William Houston Jr. (1740 - 1760) |
| Child | Griffith Houston (1741 - 1801) |
| Child | Henry Houston (1746 - 1836) |
| Child | Helen Houston (1750 - ) |
| Child | William Ann Houston (1755 - 1813) |
| Child | Edward Houston (1755 - 1824) |
| Father | Houston ( - ) |
Notes
Birth
Dr. William Houston bc. 1711-1715 possibly at Castle Craig, Co Antrim, Ireland,(son of William Houston, High Sheriff of Co. Antrim ?) d. 1795 Duplin Co, NC.
mc.1735 Anna Jones b.1715, (dau of Griffith Jones) d. in Duplin Co, NC.
Burial
Inscription:WILLIAM HOUSTON -Stamp master of North Carolina, 1765, resigned during demonstration in Wilmington against the Stamp Act; a physician at Sarecta, four mi. E.
Endnotes
1. Bob Epperson, compiler, Descendants of William Houston (repperson@kermantel.net:, 2006).
2. Schart, Sherri, "Houston and McCullough families," e-mail messages from
3. Bob Epperson, compiler, Descendants of William Houston (repperson@kermantel.net:, 2006).
4. Schart, Sherri, "Houston and McCullough families," e-mail messages from
5. Bob Epperson, compiler, Descendants of William Houston (repperson@kermantel.net:, 2006), had d. 1792 in New Hanover Co., North Carolina.
6. Schart, Sherri, "Houston and McCullough families," e-mail messages from