The Project Gutenberg eBook of Horton Genealogy, by George F. Horton.

He married 2. the widow Martha Cook, daughter of James Lemon and Rachel Fishing, and born in Point Township, Northumberland Co., Pa., 25 Feb., 1796.

By her first husband Mrs. Horton had Elizabeth and Edward, both died in infancy, and William Lemon Cook, who married —— Horton, and is now a clerk in the Pension Office, Washington, D. C.

Jesse Horton was a soldier in the war of 1812; came out unharmed. He was a member of the Assembly in 1841, and a member of the Senate in 1843–4–5. In early life he was engaged in the staging business, and afterwards was Captain of a packet-boat on the Penn'a Canal. But for many years past he has been a farmer and dealer in cattle, grain and flour. He died quite suddenly in Feb., 1874.

VIII. Lewis Mullison, son of Lieut. John Horton and Mary De La Montanye, born in Wyoming Valley, near Forty Fort, in May, 1799; married in Wyoming, 1827, to Priscilla Crisman, and removed to Rushville, in 1836. In 1842, he moved to the Littleton Prairie, Ill., and settled on the northeast of Section 21, and here he remained until the day of his death, which occurred on the 10 Sept., 1874. In early life he was interested in several stage lines, and in boating on the Penn'a Canal. After he went West he followed farming.

I. Jesse, son of John Horton and Elizabeth Thomas (Richard, Caleb, Barnabas, Caleb I.), born in Newtown, Chester Co., Pa., in 1786; was married about 1819, to Mary Steel, daughter of Andrew Steel and Susanna ——. He died in Newtown in 1825. The date of his wife's death is not given. Children, all born in Newtown:

1. Christiana, born in 1829; unmarried; lives in Newtown. 2. John Andrews, born in 1831; lives in Newtown. 3. Jane, born in 1833. 4. Harry Thomas, born in 1835; married Mary Dwalf; resides in Philadelphia. 5. Bernard N., born in 1838; married Hannah Green, daughter of Lewis Green; has two children; lives in Radnor. 6. Elizabeth, was born 17 Feb., 1840; married George Davis, son of Samuel Davis; had three children; lives in Haverford, Delaware Co., Pa. 7. Mary Ann, was born about 1842; married Walter Thompson; has two children; resides in Haverford, Delaware Co., Pa. 8. Samuel Black, was born in 1844; married Mary ——; lives in Marple, Delaware Co., Pa.

IV. Elizabeth, daughter of John Horton and Elizabeth Thomas, born in Newtown, 27 Nov., 1800; married in Radnor, 20 March, 1828, by the Rev. Samuel C. Brinkley, an Episcopal clergyman, to Samuel Black, son of Samuel Black and Catharine Vanleer, and born in Marple, Delaware Co., Pa., in 1799, and died there in 1851.

Mrs. Black now resides there, and to her the compiler is indebted for nearly all the information he has in relation to the Hortons of Radnor. She is intelligent and retains her memory remarkably well.

1. John Horton, born 17 Feb., 1829. 2. Catharine Ann, born 8 May, 1831; was married in Philadelphia, 25 Dec., 1854, by the Rev. Mr. Channy, to Lewis Morris Lewis, son of James Lewis and Mary Fawkes, and born in Marple, in 1831. He is an Elder in the Presbyterian Church at Marple, is Superintendent of the Sabbath School, and both he and his wife are intelligent, active, and faithful members of the church. They have Harry M. Lewis, and James B. Lewis. 3. William Vanleer, born in Marple, 29 June, 1833. 4. Samuel Vanleer, born in Marple, 10 May, 1836; unmarried. 5. Harry Harrison, born in Marple, 23 Dec., 1837; married Helen Lawrence. 6. George Fell, born 20 July, 1839. 7. Elizabeth Jane, was born in Marple, 17 Feb., 1842; married by the Rev. Dr. Hodgkin, to Charles Johnson Essey. 8. Bernard Vanleer, born 22 May, 1844. He lives in Philadelphia, Pa.

Benjamin, son of Barnabas Horton and Rachael Bostwick (Barnabas, Barnabas, Barnabas, Caleb I.), born at Grey Court, Orange Co., N. Y., 12 April, 1788; was married 1. 31 Dec., 1810, by Rev. Dr. Lansing, to Sarah Rose, born 6 Jan., 1790; 2. 23 Dec., 1816, to Almira Osborn, born 4 July, 1798; 3. in Marseilles, N. Y., by Rev. Mr. Williams, 17 Dec., 1845, to Polly Brooks; 4. in Liverpool, N. Y., by the Rev. Silas Ball, 24. Jan., 1865, to Eliza Griffis, daughter of John Griffis, of Syracuse.

Mr. Horton is still in good health. He moved to Syracuse in early life, where he has now a fine property. He is able to get up his horse and carriage himself, and drive wherever his business calls him.

II. Henry, son of Nathan Horton and Rebecca Priest (Richard, Caleb, Barnabas, Caleb I.), born in Radnor, Delaware Co., Pa., 25 Jan., 1791; married in Broadtop, Pa., 22 Sept., 1812, to Elizabeth White, daughter of Thomas White and Elizabeth Jones.

1. Thomas, born 12 June, 1813; married 1. Barbara Barrett; 2. Widow Elizabeth Garrett. 2. Nathan, born 3 May, 1815; married 1. Rosanna Miller; 2. Widow Susanna Reddy. 3. William, born 4 July, 1817; married Ann Cerathers. 4. Hannah, born 21 March, 1819; married Amos Figart; resides at Broadtop, Pa. 5. Jesse, born 12 June, 1822; married Catherine Wightman; resides at Bellville, Pa. 6. George, born 31 August, 1824; died 16 June, 1868; married Catherine Hamilton. 7. Alexander, born 5 Jan., 1828; died, from disease contracted in the war, in 1868; married Naomi Duval. 8. Mary, born 21 August, 1832; married Eli Alloway; she is a widow, and resides at Broadtop, Pa.

Hon. Elijah, son of Elijah Horton and Mehitabel R. Coleman (Elijah, Caleb, Barnabas, Caleb I.), born at Chester, N. J., 15 Dec., 1794; married at Chester, 16 Dec., 1812, by the Rev. Stephen Overton, to Sarah Overton, daughter of Rev. Stephen Overton and Phebe Rose, and born at Fire Place, L. I., 4 Jan., 1797.

1. Alfred, born at Chester, N. J., 25 Nov., 1813; married Mary Horton. 2. Charles, born at Chester, N. J., 25 Jan., 1816. 3. Harriet, born at Chester, N. J., 13 July, 1817; died at Nunda, N. Y., 25 Jan., 1843. 4. George Washington, born at Chester, N. J., 29 July, 1819. 5. Phebe Ann, born at Chester, N. J., 16 Sept., 1821. 6. Theodore, born at Chester, N. J., 28 Oct., 1823. 7. Elizabeth, born at Pleasant Grove, N. J., 28 Sept., 1827. 8. Stephen Edwin, born at Chester, N. J., 25 Sept., 1829; died at Goshen, N. Y., 9 Feb., 1849. 9. Sarah Ann, born at Morristown, N. J., 10 June, 1832; died at Oswego, Ia., 28 Jan., 1856. 10. Elijah Augustus, born at West Almond, Alleghany Co., N. Y., 15 Dec., 1833. 11. Henrietta, born at West Almond, Alleghany Co., N. Y., 13 June, 1835.

Hon. Elijah Horton's present residence is Oswego, Kosciusko Co., Ia. In a letter bearing date 23d Sept., 1874, he says:

"You ask for a short biographical sketch. This I rather decline, further than to say that my life has been devoted to the judicial profession. I studied law in Morristown, N. J., and practiced there until I removed to Alleghany Co., N. Y., in 1832. I served as first Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of that county for about ten years. Soon after moving into the State of Indiana in 1844, I was appointed District Judge, and I have served in that office, and also as a Justice of the Peace ever since, until within a few weeks past when I resigned. In looking over my past life, I see many things that I would not do over again, with my past experience, especially would I say long and loud, No, instead of Yes, as I often did. Your letter brings to my mind views and opinions which I have been learning and experiencing for many years of my past life. Habits have grown upon me imperceptibly from my childhood. I have old diaries written in my younger days, in which I find recorded rules for my own conduct, the strict observance of which, has caused me many miles of travel and hours of labor. For illustration, I recall one or two: 'Have a place for everything, and keep everything in its place' and 'Never put off till to morrow what you can as well do to-day.' I began life under such rules, and I have always been tyrannically ruled by them. If I forgot to do anything that I intended to do through the day, and happened to think of it after I had gone to bed, I could not sleep until I would get up and do it, if possible, and if not possible there would be no sleep for me that night. I have written this letter at one sitting and feel pretty tired."

The letter contained about four pages foolscap, and it is no wonder that he, now just entering his eightieth year, should feel tired. The greater wonder is that he could write at all. It is written in a bold, plain hand, giving no indications of age.

I. Parmenas Howell, son of Barnabas Horton and Milicent Howell (Silas, Barnabas, Barnabas, Caleb I.), born in Goshen, N. Y., 13 Dec., 1795; married in Minnisink, N. Y., 16 Nov., 1819, by Rev. Henry Ball, to Fanny Cash, daughter of Reuben Cash and Milicent Howell, and born in Minnisink, 11 June, 1799; died 31 March, 1838. He died 21 June, 1868.

He was an educated and skillful physician and practiced with good success in Minnisink and adjoining towns, and enjoyed the confidence and respect of all who knew him.

VI. Milicent, daughter of Barnabas Horton and Milicent Howell, born in Minnisink, N. Y., 10 July, 1809; married in Minnisink, 10 March, 1827, by Rev. William Timlow, of Amity, N. Y., to Charles Smith Lee, of Minnisink, and born 12 Feb., 1804.

1. Mary Milicent Lee, born 12 Sept., 1828; died 8 April, 1844. 2. Harriet Elizabeth Lee, born 19 Feb., 1832. 3. Alexander Lee, born 19 April, 1834. 4. Angeline Lee, born 19 April, 1834. 5. Egbert Lee, born 2 Sept., 1837; died 1 Feb., 1839. 6. Albert Lee, born 21 Jan., 1840; died 30 Dec., 1845. 7. Ellen Amanda Lee, born 19 March, 1842; died 8 Feb., 1844. 8. Simeon Morgan Lee, born 26 July, 1846; died 27 Feb., 1852. 9. Horace Horton Lee, born 15 Dec., 1848; died 28 Dec., 1851. 10. Howell Haynes Lee, born 15 Dec., 1848; died 18 Sept., 1873, in Shreveport, Louisiana, greatly lamented by all who knew him. He was a merchant. He and his wife Fannie Moore, to whom he was married 2 May, 1872; went South early in the Summer of 1873. She came North by the advice of physicians, and at her husband's request, as it was not considered safe for her to remain there during the hot season. His mother writes: "We have passed through a great bereavement. Howell died the 18 Sept. last. He was taken sick on Sabbath with yellow fever, and died the next Thursday, at eleven o'clock. Our hopes as to this world are all blasted, but we trust that he is with his Saviour, to whom he gave himself in his seventeenth year, and from that time until his death, he lived a Christian. So we may mourn not without hope."

II. John Seward, son of Edward Horton and Charlotte Seward (Edward, Nathaniel, Caleb, Barnabas, Caleb I.), born in Randolph, Morris Co., N. J., 24 Oct., 1801. He was married at Brutus, Cayuga Co., N. Y., 13 March, 1823, by Elder Hough, of Port Byron, N. Y., to Paulina Carrier, daughter of Amaziah Carrier and Wealthy Hatch, and born in Brutus, 29 Sept., 1804.

Children, all born in Conquest, N. Y., except Jane A., who was born in Clarence, Calhoun Co., Mich.:

III. David, son of Edward Horton and Charlotte Seward, born in Randolph, Morris Co., N. J.

VI. Matthias, son of Matthias Horton and Sarah Rumsey (Silas, Barnabas, Barnabas, Caleb I.), born in Orange Co., N. Y., 26 Jan., 1812; married 1 April, 1836, to Eveline Williams, born in Orange Co., N. Y., 19 Oct., 1807.

IV. Edmund Bani, son of Jonathan Bani Horton and Deborah Osborn (Barnabas, Jonathan, Jonathan, Caleb I.), born in Southold, 5 Oct., 1821; married in New York City, 5 June, 1844, by the Rev. Dr. E. F. Hatfield, to Matilda G. Devoy, daughter of John M. Devoy and Margaret G. Coddington. He is a mechanic, but is now a salesman, warehousing and forwarding merchant, in New York City. He has a beautiful residence at White Stone, L. I. He is an active and intelligent member of the Presbyterian Church, and he, with a few other liberal Presbyterians, have erected a very pretty little church.

II. Gen. William, son of Col. Nathan Horton and Elizabeth Eagles (Nathan, Caleb, Barnabas, Caleb I.), born at New River, Wilkes, now Watauga Co., N. C., 15 Aug., 1786; married in 1814, at Yadkin River, Ashe Co., N. C., to Milly Dula, daughter of William and Theodoria, his wife.

After his marriage the General moved to Yadkin River, and settled near the mouth of Elk Creek, where he acquired a large amount of valuable land and other property, farming being his principal vocation. He represented Ashe County in the Legislature in 1814–'15–'16, and from Wilkes County he was elected in 1822–'23–'29–'30–'33–'34–'35 and '36. He was also for many years Brigadier General of the 9th Brigade, North Carolina Militia. He died at his residence on Yadkin River.

III. James, son of Col. Nathan Horton and Elizabeth Eagles, born at New River, 28 Feb., 1789; married Sidnea Webb, daughter of Benjamin Webb and Jane —— ——, of Beaver Dam, Ashe Co., N. C. He was elected to the State Legislature in 1830, and held other public positions for many years. He was a volunteer in the service of his country in the war of 1812–'15, and served until honorably discharged.

IV. David Eagles, son of Colonel Nathan Horton and Elizabeth Eagles, born at New River, 4 May, 1792; married Sarah Dula, a sister of the General's wife. They settled at Yadkin River, where they became quite wealthy in lands and negroes, owning, at the time they were made free, 150. He was a planter, and died at his residence, 3 July, 1870. He was also a volunteer in the war of 1812. His wife is still living.

V. Phineas, son of Colonel Nathan Horton and Elizabeth Eagles, born at New River, Watauga Co., N. C., 9 Jan., 1795; married about 1827, Rebecca Councill, daughter of Jordan Councill and Sarah Howard, of Ashe Co., N. C, and born 20 Feb., 1802.

Phineas Horton was a volunteer in the war of 1812. He served as a magistrate over 30 years. He was County Treasurer for several years. He is yet living, and remains upon the same place where he first settled at New River, five miles east of Boone. He has a considerable quantity of land, and at the time Emancipation was proclaimed, he owned six negroes. He has no inclination for anything but farming, and although in his 81st year, he is well preserved, and does a good deal of farm work.

IX. Col. Jonathan, son of Col. Nathan Horton and Elizabeth Eagles, born on New River, 26 Feb., 1806; married 11 Jan., 1841, at Richland, Ashe Co., N. C., to Melinda Hartzag, daughter of Jacob Hartzag and Rebecca Coloway, and born at Richland, 10 May, 1824. She is a distant relative of the celebrated Daniel Boone, the bold old pioneer of the West, of former days.

The Colonel resides at the old homestead of his father, Col. Nathan, owns good lands, and is an excellent farmer. He lost heavily by Emancipation. He has been a very prominent man all his life—firm, intelligent and generous. He was elected to the State Legislature in 1832-'33-'34 and '35. He was a member of the Electoral College of North Carolina, on the Henry Clay ticket, in 1844. He was again elected to the State Legislature from Watauga County, in 1854. He was a volunteer in the service of the Confederate States, in 1861, and was elected Captain of Co. B., 37th Regiment North Carolina troops, infantry, and he was in the seven days' fight near Richmond, Va., towards the close of which the command of the regiment devolved on him. Soon after this, health failing, he resigned and came home, and in 1864 he was elected to the State Senate. He says, and no doubt truly, that his house was robbed, in the spring of 1865, eighteen times in fourteen days, by men professing to be, and wearing the garb of, Union soldiers.

I. Nathan, son of Zephaniah Horton, Esq., and Jane McCurry (Capt. Nathan, Caleb, Barnabas, Caleb I.), born in Wilkes Co., N. C., 24 Jan., 1789; married 29 May, 1817, Mary Young, born in Burke Co., N. C., about 1794; died 19 May, 1875. He was Col. Commander in the 15th Brigade, 9th Division, North Carolina Militia, for about 20 years—was offered the position of Brigadier General, but declined.

Children, all born in Buncombe County, except Mary I., born in Yancey Co., N. C.:

Children (the 1 to 7, inclusive, born in Buncombe; 8, 9, and 10 born in Yancey County):

IV. Malcolm, son of Zephaniah Horton, Esq., and Jane McCurry, born 15 Nov., 1799; married 29 Feb., 1832, Margaret A. Denham, of Virginia. He was for several years Col. Commander in the 15th Brigade, 9th Division, North Carolina Militia. He settled in Maryland and died there, 10 Aug., 1870.

VI. Zephaniah, son of Zephaniah Horton, Esq., and Jane McCurry, born 26 Nov., 1802; married 3 April, 1825, Elizabeth Horton, of Ashe Co., N. C., daughter of Nathan Horton, of Ashe County. She born 15 Sept., 1803. He died at his residence, in Yancey, 17 July, 1865.

Children, 1. and 2. born in Ashe, 3. born in Buncombe, all the rest born in Yancey:

VII. Jane M., daughter of Zephaniah Horton, Esq., and Jane McCurry, born 18 March, 1806; married 25 Aug., 1823, James H. Poteet, of Buncombe County, and born 23 Oct., 1796; moved in 1834 to Missouri, Gasconade County, where he died, 5 July, 1835, leaving two children, born in Buncombe County, viz.:

Mrs. Poteet, soon after the death of her husband, returned to her native State, and, 23 Feb., 1840, married John W. Garland, of Yancey County, born in Tennessee, 5 Sept., 1807. He was County Clerk of Yancey County for 12 years, and also represented that county in the Legislature in 1854-'55 and in 1865-'66, and was the Union Delegate in the State Convention of 1861.

Silas Horton, son of Abigail Horton and Daniel Stringham (Silas, Barnabas, Barnabas, Caleb I.), born in Middletown, Orange Co., N. Y., 7 Nov., 1797; married in 1821, Henrietta Hicks, daughter of Jacob M. Hicks and Elizabeth ——, of Brooklyn, N. Y., and born in 1804. (Jacob M. Hicks died in 1843, aged 94. His wife died in 1854, aged 85.)

Silas H. Stringham entered the navy in June, 1810, as midshipman on the frigate President, Commodore John Rogers. In 1812 he was assigned to the Guererre, under Decatur. In 1813 he was on the Spark, one of the Algerine squadron. In 1817, having been promoted to a Lieutenancy, he was transferred to the sloop-of-war Erie, and in 1818, to the Peacock. He was next ordered to the sloop-of-war Cyane, in 1819. In 1821 he was upon the Hornet, 1st Lieutenant, at the West India station. In 1822 he was again on the Cyane, under Com. Creighton. From 1825 to 1829 he held a position at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, and in 1829 he was again assigned to the Peacock, and sent in search of the Hornet, sloop-of-war, which was lost. We next find him on the Falmouth, and ordered to Carthagena. From 1830 to 1834 he was in shore service. In 1835 he has command of the John Adams, in the Mediterranean squadron. In 1837 he is second in command at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, and from 1843 to 1846 he had the full command of this yard. During the Mexican war we find him in active service, and in command of the Ohio, ship-of-the-line. In 1851 he was commander of the Norfolk Navy Yard; and in 1852 assigned to the command of the Mediterranean squadron, which he held till 1855. He is next in command of the Charleston Navy Yard, which he held till May, 1859. In March, 1861, he was a member of a naval Court-martial, and while there was appointed flag officer of the Atlantic Blockade squadron. In 1861 Com. Stringham was honored with the preparation of the first of those combined naval and military expeditions which have crowned the American navy with such glory; and in his case, as in many others, the success has been almost exclusively due to the action of the navy. The result of this expedition being the capture of the rebel forts Clark and Hatteras, and the surrender of the garrison to Flag-officer Stringham and General Butler, consisting of 715 men, 1000 stand of arms, 75 kegs of powder, 5 stand of colors, 31 cannon (1 of them a 10-inch Columbiad), a brig loaded with cotton, a sloop with provisions and stores, 2 light-boats, 150 bags of coffee, &c. Not a man belonging to the fleet was killed. For this brilliant affair Flag-officer Stringham received the thanks of the Government.

On the 23d of September, 1861, at his own request, he was relieved from his command, and in August, 1862, he was made a Rear-Admiral, on the retired list, and soon after this he was President of the Naval Commission to locate a new Navy Yard. In 1863 he had command of the Navy Yard and station at Charleston, S. C., remained there till 1866. In 1869 he was Port Admiral at New York, and served three years. March 3d, 1873, by Act of Congress, retired officers are prohibited from being employed by Government, except in time of war. Since that time the Admiral is permitted to enjoy a retired life, at his residence, in Brooklyn, N. Y.

For a more full account of the noble and daring deeds and brilliant exploits of Admiral Stringham, see The American Crisis of 1861-'62, by Frank Moore.

I. Lebbeus Lathrop, son of Hannah Horton and Isaiah Vail, Jr. (Silas, Barnabas, Barnabas, Caleb I.), born in Goshen, N. Y., 27 Oct., 1791; married Sally Moore, a lineal descendant of Thomas Moore, of Southold, L. I.

Children, probably all born in Newburgh, N. Y., where they settled soon after marriage:

"He early engaged in the business of transporting Orange County products to New York, and soon found himself in command of a first-class sloop, of extra heavy tonnage, and his carrying trade of merchandise, passengers, &c., became very extensive. The immense traffic at White Hall Street, East River, prompted Captain Vail to seek some other quarters, more commodious than that he occupied—the city at that time having a population of only about 100,000. He soon found an old acquaintance, formerly a Miss Horton, of West Chester Co., N. Y., who had married Mr. James Van Nostrand, a wholesale grocer. An arrangement was soon consummated, by which Van Nostrand was to move his stock to West Street, and Vail to leave East River and land at the Albany Basin, adjacent to Van Nostrand's store, which arrangement was at once announced to the Hudson River boatmen at White Hall, when, in derision, they laughed at the young Captain's presumption; but Vail and Van Nostrand soon had the laugh on the White Hall advocates, for the entire craft from Orange County soon followed Capt. Vail, discharging regularly his heavy loads of produce from the Bayard,[7] the first to establish a regular wharf for Orange County produce and passengers on the North River side of New York, and Van Nostrand's grocery was the first ever located in West Street. The following summer Capt. Vail's eyesight became impaired, and he moved to Goshen, New York, where he and Mrs. Vail were popular hotel keepers until the year 1834, when he was elected Clerk of Orange County, and re-elected in 1837, and again in 1840. In 1832 he established at Goshen a Baptist periodical, called the Signs of the Times, which is still in existence, and edited and published at Middletown, New York, by Elder Beebe, the venerable Old-School Baptist preacher. He, also, in 1844, established in Goshen the Clarion, the first Free-Soil newspaper ever established in this part of the State of New York. His religious and political opinions were regarded as ultra or radical, and he was a recognized leader of his sect or party. His general urbanity and good judgment, and his enthusiastic nature, combined with his fine appreciation of the arts, made him popular with all classes of people. He died in Goshen.

"Mrs. Vail survived him over a quarter of a century. She was devotedly attached to him and his children. She was a beautiful woman, and her happiness seemed to centre in their welfare, which her husband reciprocated by leaving her his entire estate, which she left unimpaired at her death, after a life of over four-score years. Their youngest daughter is the well known Madame Martinez, the eminent soprano vocalist and teacher of the voice."

We are indebted to Nathaniel Vail, Esq., of Goshen, for the foregoing record and sketch of Lebbeus L. Vail and family.

I. Sarah, daughter of Phineas Horton and Bethia Luce (Nathan, Caleb, Barnabas, Caleb I.), born in Chester, N. J., 27 March, 1799; married about 1820, Jeremiah Wilcox. He died in Illinois. His widow married a Mr. Rhoads.