McNAIRY COUNTY, TN - BIOGRAPHIES - The Houston Family ============================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping, with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic Pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Douglas H. Prather douglas-memphis@worldnet.att.net =============================================================== McNairy County Independent Feb. 29, 1924 The Houston Family (By J. C. Houston) Archiabald Houston came from Pennsylvania to Tennessee about the time the latter state was admitted to the union, settling in Giles county. He served as a soldier in the Revolutionary war, and also in the war of 1812. His wife was Rebecca Cunningham, who as an orphan, came with relatives to this country from England. With his family he came to what is now the south part of this county (McNairy ) in 1821, residing first, half mile north of where Guys is now, and later moving a mile and a half south of that point, where he died in the early 30's and where he is buried. His children living to maturity were two daughters, Rebecca Houston and Cynthia Houston, and five sons, James Houston, Andrew Houston, David Houston, Arch Houston, and Robert C. Houston. Rebecca married John Chambers ( which event was the beginning of the Houston and Chambers relationship.) Cynthia married Henry Kirkland, a brickmason, that line of work being then considered an art. He had a prominent part in the building of the courthouse and college at Purdy. He was much esteemed by his wife's people as indicated by the occasional appearance of the initial "K" in the names of the younger generations. The Three sons, James Houston, Andrew Houston and David Houston, moved on west at an early date, settling probably in Texas. Little or nothing has been known of them there since. Arch Houston remained here until toward the Civil war, when he also moved to Texas. He once owned and occupied the land where Selmer is. His house stood on the hill where the school building is now. His son, John, who died there, is buried somewhere on the Bell Graham lot just north of W. H. Stone's garden. Robert C. Houston remained in this county near where he first settled until his death. He was married in 1822 to Rebecca Chambers, daughter of Samuel Chambers (thereby augmenting the Houston and Chambers relationship). This Samuel Chambers was a brother of "White House" John Chambers, who lived a little north of where Acton is now. He was so called because his house was painted white, and to distinguish him from a kinsman and contemporary of the same name. The place is known as the old "White House" place to this day. These older Chamber's also came here from Giles county, and before the Houston's came. Their first occupation in this country was trading with the Indians. The Samuel Chambers mentioned above had two daughters, one of whom Married Henry R. Sharp, and other married John N. Barnhill. Hence the Houston-Sharp-Barnhill relationship. He had also two sons, John Chambers and Sam Chambers, the latter being the father of the family of which the late S. T. Chambers of Ramer was a member. Upon his marriage Robert C. Houston proceeded to construct as his first home, a one-room log hut near where Mt Vernon church now stands, which was then in the midst of a dense wilderness of wide area. For want of tools and material with which to make a shutter for a door of this rude habitation was for a time closed only by means of quilts or blankets insecurely fastened over it. Here his young wife, with a courage and fortitude born of her time, lived and "keep house," much of time alone by night as well as by day, braving the dangers and enduring the hardships imposed by her primeval surroundings, many times literally fighting the wolves away from her little stock of pigs and poultry, while her husband cultivated their first crop on land several miles away. Later he established his permanent home a little way south of that point at what is now known as the George Houston place, where he spent the remainder of his life, and where he is buried. He was one of the original members of the Mt. Vernon Cumberland Presbyterian church. This was the first church of that faith, if not the first of any faith organized in this section of the country, and through all of the intervening years it has carried upon its rolls large numbers of the strongest and best men and women of the community. He was a Whig in politics, as were his sons before the Civil war. Henry Clay was their political idol. He was modest and retiring in disposition and never sought public office. By exceptional industry and thrift he acquired considerable property, principally in land and Negro slaves, the latter all being lost by the Civil war. His is the first name appearing in the "H" column of the index books in the Register's office Selmer. He died in 1866, aged 67. He had two daughters, Elizabeth Houston, now deceased, who was married to John M. Hamm in 1843, and Cynthia Ann Houston, now living at the age of 88, who was married to James M. Hamm in 1852. They remained in the neighborhood of their father and reared families the most of whom survive and now reside in that section of the county. He had also three sons, Arch Houston, Robert S. Houston, and James T. Houston Arch Houston, the eldest, became a lawyer and resided at Purdy. He was quaint with respect to some of the lighter things of life, especially in the matter of dress. He could never be drawn away from his homespun and home-tailored brown jeans apparel. Whether engaged in court or participating in the social functions of his time he adhered strictly to clothing of that homely material. Though strongly opposed to the Civil war, when the break come he cast his fortunes with the South. Owing to frail health he did not enter the army service at the first. However, being on a visit to his brother and others in the army at Belmont when the battle at that place come on in the early part of the war, he went voluntarily into the battle by the side of his relatives and friends and fought it through in a manner which called forth the highest praise from the witnesses of his conduct. In January 1863 he joined the army permantly at Little Rock, Ark., and remained in the service in that State until July 1864, when he sickened and died. He was cared for in his illness at the home of a former West Tennesseean named Agee in (probably) Ashley County, Ark., and was given an orderly burial under religious auspices at Macedonia church near by. His people here knew little of him after he went to Arkansas, and knew nothing of his death for a long while after it occurred. For these reasons and good account afterwards given of him by others is prized the more highly I have before me a letter written on March 16, 1865, by Finley G. Duke, a former McNairian, and at that time an officer in the Confederate service in Arkansas, in which, among other references to Arch Houston, these statements appear: "He was the best soldier that ever shouldered a gun. I have heard officers from Orderly Sergeant to Colonel say he was the best soldier they ever saw." These words were written by a generous comrade to bereaved parents, and due allowance should be made. But I have other letters not written to his own people which thoroughly attest the enviable record which he sustain there both as a soldier and as a man. He was never married. The other two sons, Robert S. Houston, and James T. Houston were well known by many now living, and less will therefore will be said of them here. Robert S. Houston was born in 1840, and was attending school at Purdy when the Civil war came on. He served in the Confederate army under Forrest and was severely wounded in the battle of Brice"s Cross Roads. He was Married in 1862 to Irene Michie, second daughter of the late G. G. Michie, Sr., and spent his life after the war on a farm originally settled by his grand-father Chambers. He was a member of the first Legislature of Tennessee after the adoption of the constitution of 1870. He was not again a candidate for that office or any other, except that he served as a Justice of the Peace continuously for more than 20 years, having been elected each time without opposition. He was a constant reader and took pains to inform himself upon public men and measures, and the deference with which his views were regarded generally by this neighbors has impressed me as being one of the highest compliments that could be paid to a man. He died on May 17, 1910. His surviving children are J. S. Houston, R. M. Houston and Mrs. Mattie Beck, all of Guys, and J. C. Houston, of Selmer. James T. Houston was but a lad when the Civil war opened and he went at once into the conflict and continued to the end. Although he fought through many of the hardest engagements he never received even the slightest wound and was scarcely ever sick.. He was married in 1866 to Margaret Meeks, eldest daughter of Gen. John H. Meeks. She lived but a few years after the marriage. His second wife was Josephine Michie, who died in January, 1898. He spent his life up to the death of his second wife at the old home place of his father. After that he lived among his children and for a short time at the hotel in Selmer. His geniality and friendliness won and held for him the friendship of all who knew him. The surviving children of his first marriage are Mrs. Ellen R. Meeks, of Guys, and Mrs. Maggie Mitchell, of Ramer. Of his second marriage, J. A. Houston of Ramer, and George R. Houston, of Rienzi Miss. He died in November, 1910. Reminiscences of the Early Settlement and Early Settlers of McNairy County by Gen. Marcus J. Wright, published in 1882 by Author. Pages 46 and 47 The Houston Family Arch. Houston was born in the State of Pennsylvania, served through the Revolutionary War, and married Rosanna Cunningham, and at an early day moved to Kentucky, and two of children were born in a fort. He moved to Middle Tennessee ,lived there a few years and moved to McNairy County in 1822,lived in said county until his death, which occurred in the year 1837. The following are the names of his children: James, Nancy, Jane, John, Archibald, Rebecca, Robert C., Cyntha, David, and Andrew. They married as follows: James Houston married in La. (name not known).;Archibald married Stephenson; R.C. Houston married Rebecca Chambers;David Houston married Harriet Eleander; Andrew Houston married Emily Barnhill; Nancy Houston married (unknown);Jane Houston married John Chambers; Cynthia married Henry Kirkland. Archibald Houston's family are all dead but Andrew, who lives in, Texas. R. C. Houston was born in Kentucky in 1799, moved to this county in 1822. Soon after married Bebecca Chambers before this county was organized; he had to go to Savannah to have the rights of matrimony solemnized. He with a number of other honest men knew what it was to contend with horse thieves as well as wild beasts. His Children's names are as follows: Nancy, who died 6 years old ; John who died in infancy; Elizabeth J.; Archibald K.; Lucretia,died in infancy; Cyntha A; Rosannah, who died in infancy. Robert S., James T., all married as follows: Elizabeth J. married John M. Hamm; Cyntha A. married James M. Hamm; Robert S. married Syrena Michel; James T. married first Margaret Meeks, lived with her until they had three children and she died; he married Josephine Michel.(Michie) Robert C. Houston lived in this county 44 years, and in the year 1866 departed this life.