John Houchin

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ChartsAncestors of Dora Myrtle Woolsey
John Houchin, son of John Houchin and Martha Orford, was born say 1750.1 He died at Edmonson Co., Kentucky, before 12 October 1838, when his will was proved.2

John married Patty (…), whose ancestry is unknown (or not traced here), say 1775.3,1

Originally from Amherst Co., Virginia, John Houchin settled first along the banks of Back Creek of the Greenbriar River by 1780. The 1787 tax list shows he was in Amherst Co. where he was charged with himself, two horses, and seven head of cattle.4 He resided there until about 1790 when Augusta Co. records show him removing to Kentucky.

Records of Bath Co. show him and wife Patty selling 130 acres to Jacob Warrick on the East Branch of Green Briar River called Back Creek for "35 current money of Virginia."

17 September1796 he had 100 acres in Logan Co., Kentucky in an area south of the Green River. As this area was reserved for Revolutionary war veterans until 1797, it implies John did have service though no service records have yet been found. Though John lived well into the years he would have been able to apply for a pension, there are no records of it. His brother Charles did apply and did receive a pension.

6 Mar 1798 the Warren Co. Court ordered that "John Houchin, Peter Simon, Lewis Wells, and John Phelps or any two of them being first sworn to view the best and nearest way for a road from Warren Courthouse to the county line on a direct course to Bullets Lick."5

In 1799 he took up 200 acres in Warren Co., Kentucky and later acquired other tracts. John's land was in the area that in 1825 became Edmonson Co.6

He was listed in the 1810 census for Warren Co. on the same page with his son-in-law, Wm H. Woolsey.

In a very confusing article reprinted in the Houchin Family History, John appears to be the one who established a ferry across the Green River as early as 1815 when he was appointed overseer of the road from his ferry to Dripping Spring. However, this could also be referring to his nephew, "Johnny Dick" Houchin, believed to have discovered Mammoth Cave when he chased a wounded bear into it. He was later a noted flatboat pilot between Mammoth Cave and New Orleans.

In 1834, John sold some of his land to Robert Davis. There was some cloud over the title which was included on later deeds which provided that if the lands were lost as a result of a prior claim, a portion of the purchase price would be refunded.78,9

John left a will dated 19 December 1837, and proved 12 Oct 1838 at Edmonson Co.:

In the name of God, Amen: Life being uncertain and death more certain I make this mi last will and testament. Mi will first is that at mi death mi man Hasklin and Rose his wife in consequence of their having been faithful servants shall be seet free. I give and bequeath to mi son James Houchin one dollar, I give and bequeath to mi son Charles Houchin one dollar, I give and bequeath to mi son Benjamin Houchin one dollar, I give and bequeath to mi son Jesse Houchin one dollar, I give and bequeath to mi son William Houchin one dollar, I give and bequeath to mi son John Houchin one dollar, I give and bequeath to mi daughter Celia Wolsey one dollar, I give and bequeath to mi daughter Charlotte McCory one dollar, I give and bequeath to mi daughter Elizabeth Blankenship one dollar. Mi will further is that after paying the above sums bequeathed to each one of mi children above mentioned and paying all mi just debts that I give and bequeath all the balance of mi property both real and personal with the exception herein mentioned to mi daughter Nancy Eaton, this I do in consequence of her care and attention towards miself and her mother in our old age and infirmity.

As witness mi hand this 19th day of December 1837, interlined before. John Houchin
Teste: J.D. Harborn
Elizabeth Deen.10,2

Family

Patty (…) d. aft. 1837
Children
  • James Houchin10 d. aft. 1837
  • Benjamin Houchin10 d. aft. 1837
  • Charlotte Houchin10 d. aft. 1837
  • Nancy Houchin10 d. aft. 1837
  • William Houchin10 b. 1777, d. 19 Dec 1855
  • Celia Houchin+11 b. 4 Feb 1784, d. 10 Dec 1847
  • Charles Houchin10 b. say 1785, d. aft. 1837
  • Elizabeth Houchin10 b. 1796, d. aft. 1837
  • Jesse Houchin10 b. 4 May 1798, d. 1861
  • John Houchin10 b. 1805, d. aft. 1850
This person was last edited on19 Jan 2020

Citations

  1. [S1330] Estimated from birth of first known child (1777).
  2. [S1730] Paul C. Houchen, History of the Houchin Family in the United States With Notes on the French and English Families (Beaver Crossing, Nebraska: s.p., 1931), 43-44, further cited as Houchen, Houchin Family.
  3. [S1730] Houchen, Houchin Family, 40.
  4. [S1736] Netti Schreiner-Yantis and Florene Speakman Love, The Personal Property Tax Lists for the Year 1787 [for Virginia] [title varies] (Springfield, Virginia: Genealogical Books in Print, 1987), 1:173 (Amherst Co.), further cited as Schreiner-Yantis and Love, Personal Property Tax Lists for 1787.
  5. [S1724] Norman Warnell, Mammoth Cave: Forgotten Stories of it's People ([Brownsville, Kentucky]: p.p., 1997), 9, further cited as Warnell, Mammoth Cave People.
  6. [S1723] , Edmonson County, Kentucky, 1825 Tax List (Miami Beach, Florida: T.L.C. Genealogy, 1997), 8, further cited as Edmonson Co. Tax List.
  7. [S1724] Warnell, Mammoth Cave People, 10.
  8. [S1730] Houchen, Houchin Family, 40-43.
  9. [S1143] United States Census for 1810, Third Census of the United States, Warren Co., Kentucky, 1-1-1-0-1-0-2-0-0-1, 249 Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com), digital images by subscription (Provo, Utah: The Generations Network, Inc., 2005); original data: National Archives and Records Administration micropublication M252, 71 rolls, roll 8|John Houchens.
  10. [S1734] Edmonson County Courthouse, Brownsville, Kentucky, Will Books, 1831-1979, 1:19-20, FHL microfilm 1904227, further cited as Edmonson Co., Will Books.
  11. [S811] James W. Woolsey, The Wolsey-Woolsey Family of America, two parts, (Kansas City, Missouri: Heart of America Genealogical Society, 1981), microform copy: FHL Film/Fiche #1276468, Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah, 185, further cited as Woolsey, Wolsey-Woolsey Family.